Renowned Apple analysts says upcoming iPhones will not include EarPods, chargers in box

WWDC 2020 is finally over, and to the tech industry's disappointment, there were no surprise hardware reveals that came with it. Instead, Apple dedicated the event solely to what consumers can expect from its software moving forward and beyond. These include upgrades made to macOS, tvOS, watchOS, iPadOS, and iOS. It appears that the company is holding back its product refresh announcement for a later date. Meanwhile, a renowned supply chain insider claims that the manufacturer plans to ship new iPhones with little to no accessories.

A little over a week ago, sources revealed a startling rumour that the iPhone 12 series will launch without EarPods in the box. As expected, people reacted to this poorly given that almost all smartphone brands include a pair of earphones with their handsets. Now, it seems that Apple is not done with changes yet as a reputable analyst claims that the iOS handsets slated for later this year will barely have anything save for the unit itself.

This information apparently comes from Ming-Chi Kuo – a reliable analyst from KGI Securities. According to what his connections within Apple are telling him, the 2020 iPhone models launching a few months from are no longer shipping with EarPods and chargers. It is speculated that this move hopes to offset increased cost due to the addition of 5G connectivity, as detailed by The Verge. Moreover, it was also hinted that the smaller retail box will drastically reduce shipment costs.

Others view it as an attempt to boost the sales of its popular AirPods lineup as well. For now, all existing iPhone models still include the unit, EarPods, Lightning cable, and charger. There is also other reports suggesting that Apple might be working on a 20W fast charger that will be bundled with a new 10.8-inch iPad. Perhaps the accessory would be offered separately to improve charging speeds of the new iPhones.

It is possible that Apple knows most consumers already have earphones and chargers. Moreover, it hopes to reduce the unnecessary production of items that will eventually add to landfills. However, many will likely complain that for the price it charges, it should at least throw in a charger and cable.