iPhone 12 rumor suggests you won't get charger or EarPods, but how likely is this?

It looks like Apple is at it again, removing things from the iPhone - first it was the headphone jack, then it was rumored that Earpods were going the way of the dodo and now it looks like the charger itself will be vanishing from the iPhone box, if a recent rumor is to be believed. At this rate, you’ll be lucky to even get a handset when you buy a new smartphone.

This rumor comes to us once again from industry analyst and Apple expert Ming-Chi Kuo and was first reported by MacRumors. Kuo stated that in addition to dropping the charger from the box, Apple will likely be axing its existing 5W and 18W power adapters, replacing them with a new 20W power adapter which will be sold separately. There was actually a leaked photo which appears to be this new 20W power adapter just a few days ago, which strengthens these rumors.

Kuo also believes that the reason for the power adapter’s disappearing act is due to the rising costs of iPhone 12 production thanks to its 5G integration. In order to keep pricing competitive and in line with previous models, like the iPhone 11, Apple will be dropping the charger and EarPods from the box.

These rumors line up with predictions from industry analysts at Barclays who stated last week that they expected the Lightning USB-C cable to be the only accessory that comes in the iPhone 12 box. At least the bundled USB-C is capable of fast charging. Given that they’re no longer being produced, it also seems likely that the iPhone SE will lose its bundled in charger when the second generation of those are produced, which is expected later this year. Kuo does say that he believes that iPads will continue to be bundled with their chargers though.

The iPhone SE launched earlier this year at a staggeringly low price of just $399 and offers almost everything you love about the iPhone 11, at a fraction of the price. There are some sacrifices though, so if you want an iPhone with a great camera then you’re still better off with an iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro, but the SE is still stupidly good value regardless.

Of course, you may want to wait for the new iPhone 12, which is rumored to be dropping later this year. We’ve got a complete roundup of all the latest Apple iPhone 12 leaks and rumors, so be sure to keep checking in as we get more news.