Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Retail Staff Drilled to Recommend iPhone 15 USB-C Charging Accessories at Point of Sale

I very recently left Apple retail and here are a couple of insights for what it's worth.

#1 They don't want someone who is excited about their new phone getting home and realizing they don't have a way to charge it.

#2 Apple really doesn't want you to buy a charging block if you already have one and they will happily take your old ones for recycling. It is definitely my sense that they want less charging blocks in the world.

I don't think it's all about the money first and I would imagine that because there is a cost associated with recycling, the money to pay for it must come from somewhere.

✌🏼

Oh, and +1 on recycling for a discount on a new one!! ♥️
 
  • Like
Reactions: jlc1978, DogHouseDub, Wags and 1 other person
nicolas_s said:
Except that this time, we're replacing a small connector by something bigger and uglier. I wouldn't even be surprised if USB-D will be exactly like Lightning, which is already a more compact version of USB-C, but 10 years early 😂
Click to expand...
The different in volume required between a Lightning port and USB-C is negligible. Most people would agree that having a standard which is more widely adopted across different product categories, manufacturers and offers faster charging is more compelling than a slightly smaller connector.
 
  • Like
Reactions: brucemr, Chuckeee and kanga1622
getphily said:
I very recently left Apple retail and here are a couple of insights for what it's worth.

#1 They don't want someone who is excited about their new phone getting home and realizing they don't have a way to charge it.

#2 Apple really doesn't want you to buy a charging block if you already have one and they will happily take your old ones for recycling. It is definitely my sense that they want less charging blocks in the world.

I don't think it's all about the money first and I would imagine that because there is a cost associated with recycling, the money to pay for it must come from somewhere.

✌🏼

Oh, and +1 on recycling for a discount on a new one!! ♥️
Click to expand...
Apple could include an adapter for the first year.
 
Apple Knowledge Navigator said:
The different in volume required between a Lightning port and USB-C is negligible. Most people would agree that having a standard which is more widely adopted across different product categories, manufacturers and offers faster charging is more compelling than a slightly smaller connector.
Click to expand...
The change is only motivated by the fact people will have to buy new accessories again, it's just Apple being greedy. No real improvement in user experience compared to the switch from 30-pin to Lightning.
 
nicolas_s said:
The change is only motivated by the fact people will have to buy new accessories again, it's just Apple being greedy. No real improvement in user experience compared to the switch from 30-pin to Lightning.
Click to expand...
Thunderbolt speeds for users of the Pro models, faster charging speeds, more widely adopted/available connector? If

Apple was being greedy, they would have invented Lightning 2 with a triangle shaped connector.
 
coredev said:
I don't understand the point of this at all. There has been no charger in the box for years now. The cables that came with the last 3 (?) iPhone generations connected to USB-C, so for anyone upgrading from a recent phone, they would need no new charger at all.

Also, there are no "existing Lightning chargers", there were never any Lightning chargers, only chargers with USB-A port and Lightning to USB-A cables. But those were not used for iPhones since several years.
Click to expand...

I thought the same but there is one thing they could genuinely point out, though the article doesn't make the point very strongly:

The new iPhones can supposedly charge at 35W, and the chargers Apple has been recommending for iPhones have always been 20W. It is possible that the charger they bought for their iPhone 12 may not charge their iPhone 15 Pro at full speed.

But yeah, overall this is just more indication of how Apple intends to make money from the transition, film at 11.
 
Yeah, the EU forces Apple to change the port where customers have to buy new accessories and somehow that’s Apple’s fault… “Those who dislike Apple” (I’m pretty sure the mods don’t allow the actual term) will criticize Apple, regardless of what they do or don’t do
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chuckeee
russell_314 said:
Yeah, the EU forces Apple to change the port where customers have to buy new accessories and somehow that’s Apple’s fault…
Click to expand...

And yet... Apple put USB-C in their other devices without being forced. Weird, right?

Apple has Macs with USB-C, iPads with USB-C, Apple TV remotes with USB-C, Beats headphones with USB-C... and nearly every device from every other manufacturer has USB-C.

Apple should have switched to USB-C a long time ago so this change might not have been so bad. The longer Lightning existed... the more Lightning cables people had collected.

Yeah... Apple might have gotten flack for switching the iPhone to USB-C in 2015 just 3 years after they introduced Lightning... but it's even worse now since they waited 11 years.

Apple should have ripped this Band-Aid off long ago. But at least it's happening now.

:p
 
  • Like
Reactions: brucemr
ProfessionalFan said:
Yep cause removing the charger was a purely profit motivated move. An easy extra charge. They said it was for the environment but it wasn’t.
Click to expand...
It can be both. Removing the charger does help save costs (one less bundled accessory, plus it makes the iPhone easier to ship because the box is now thinner).

It also means less carbon footprint because fewer flights are involved in transporting those iPhones.

At the same time, there is truth in that many consumers likely already have a compatible charger at this point and continuing to include charging bricks just means they are going to lie untouched in their original packaging. Even if 40% of customers still buy a new brick from Apple, that's 60% of new users who don't, resulting in a ton of new bricks not shipped (and which won't end up as landfill in the future).

The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: getphily
Oh no, of course, the new iPhones will come with USB-C to USB-C cables, and many of those iPhone chargers we already have, have USB-A ports that our Lightning to USB-A cables connect to. Damn, so we will have to go and buy some USB-C to USB-A cables/adapters.

At least we will only need them for power, not data, and they are cheap at K-mart. We can still use the USB-C to USB-C cables for data/power transfers to/from our Macs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️
Anappleaday29 said:
Kinda strange to me that they don't have some kind of charging recycling program where you can bring in your old usb A plugs to get a couple bucks off a new apple certified usb-c one.
That way unnecessary e-waste is reduced and everyone has what they need to use their phones
Click to expand...
What? Why wouldn't you either simply buy a USB-A to USB-C cable to connect your old charger to your new phone, or sell your old charger with your old phone? Or at the very least, simply donate your old charger to someone... anyone... As a dad, I can guarantee you that teenage kids magically lose chargers like socks in a washing machine, so you could just give your old charger to any teenager/parent and they would happily take it. Re-use is the ultimate recycling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jlc1978 and TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️
A USB-C/lightning cable. Dual Action Simultaneously.

How much do you guys think Apple will charge for this?

IMG_2439.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: DeepIn2U and svish
CarAnalogy said:
I thought the same but there is one thing they could genuinely point out, though the article doesn't make the point very strongly:

The new iPhones can supposedly charge at 35W, and the chargers Apple has been recommending for iPhones have always been 20W. It is possible that the charger they bought for their iPhone 12 may not charge their iPhone 15 Pro at full speed.

But yeah, overall this is just more indication of how Apple intends to make money from the transition, film at 11.
Click to expand...
The 20W charger doesn’t charge an iPhone 13 Pro Max at full speed either so this isn't anything new.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CarAnalogy
It's stupid for a government to dictate a technology standard. That standard will become obsolete at some point, and people will be stuck using it till the EU decides on a new standard. Tech companies will try hard to fit new tech into old USB-C till they can't, and the EU will have to either rescind the requirement for USB-C or negotiate with numerous corporations to decide on the new "best" option.

There WILL be better connectors than USB-C.

Perhaps the EU thinks they know what's best for all of us, but they don't .
 
Kiwamu said:
With my 13 mini coming with USB-C the end of the charger and Lightning at the end of the phone and iPads already coming with an USB-C to USB-C cable and USB-C charger, those upsales are just for the older phones that came with USB A to USB C, also if people, which I assume have stock USB-C chargers at home (other devices than an smartphone do exist) I don't think Apple will sell that much. I assume this drilling is just to make this additional sale and dissuade buyers from using their already existing components at home.
Click to expand...
More than likely the pushing internally is to avoid a poor selling experience when the user gets home realizing ONLY then or remembering ONLY then its USB-C charging connection on the iPhone only.
 
  • Like
Reactions: getphily and TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️
thebroz said:
It's stupid for a government to dictate a technology standard. That standard will become obsolete at some point, and people will be stuck using it till the EU decides on a new standard.
Click to expand...

Actually the EU regulation is for non-proprietary commercial standard, not specifically USB-C. Lightning is an Apple proprietary configuration and is not allowed. Apple could have used micro-USB, mini-USB or even 3.5mm audio or DB-9 if that was Apple’s preference. USB-C is just the most suitable, lowest cost non-proprietary connector type CURRENTLY available.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AstonSmith
From my experience working in Apple Retail, the employees aren't told anything about product releases before they get released - if they are getting trained for this, it's not using the new iPhone as the context.

Whether or not it's profit centred, removing chargers from devices was the right move - with standards set now, there's no reason to have one with every single device. Since you can buy any charger that will work with USB-C, buying from Apple is only one option among many. It's kinda like people who complain they have to pay for bags at the supermarket now (as is the case in Australia) - if you're paying regularly for disposable bags you're doing it wrong!
 
  • Like
Reactions: getphily, elementalwingma, jlc1978 and 1 other person
fatTribble said:
I wonder if Apple will sell a USB-A to USB-C cable?
I’d like to use my 5w slow chargers for overnight.

Seems strange to me to plug an iPhone into a 20w fast charger at 10 PM when it’s going to be plugged in until morning.
Click to expand...

Apple won't. But they're pretty common cables, you'll be able to find them. I already use them for other stuff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fatTribble and Chuckeee
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back