Apple Survey Asks iPhone Users What They Do With Old Power Adapters

[ignatius345]

I, and I assume most people, sell it with their old phone, therefore we need a new one with whatever phone we upgrade to. Stop being cheap and continue to include the adapter.

What? No. I think chargers are basically a BYO item at this point.

Besides, the ones Apple includes aren't great to begin with. Good riddance. I have two good Anker 6' cables and approximately a dozen crappy Apple 3' ones in every corner of my house, bag and car. I can't be the only one.

 

[xnsys]

Mine is still in the box - have no use for it as I have sockets with USB charges and also wireless chargers in the house.

I don't think that we need them included anymore - thinking about it, I have 2x iPad chargers and 4x iPhone charges still wrapped up.

 

[kerr]

Sold a couple iPhones, power adapter went to the buyer.
Leased a couple iPhones from my telco, was able to keep the power adapter.

So I have 1 in bedroom and 1 at work, and I bought an 18W for the kitchen.

 

[jezbd1997]

Well this about confirms it.

I remember sites posted about apple surveying if MacBook users use the 3.5mm jack maybe 2 years ago, yet we still haven’t lost it on any Macs so far.
But in saying that, all the reports lately are pointing to us losing the charging brick 😔

 

[JimmyHook]

It's a bit rich of them to assume that everyone owns a device (be it a computer or a charger) with USB-C ports... while the USB-A is still most widespread standard.

USB-A us hot garbage and should die a painful death

 

[anthogag]

What about the answer “sitting on a shelf covered with a layer of dust”...

Apple could sell 2 boxes. One box only the iPhone and another box with a fast charger and ear buds (or 1st gen AirPods) for new to iPhone users. It is easier to switch if a charger and ear buds are in the box.

Perhaps make 90% of boxes with only iPhone and 10% with iPhone + fast charger + ear buds for new users.

Apple could sell some “Pro” boxes containing all the best, iPhone Pro + AirPods Pro + fastest charger

 

[myrtlebee]

Every single user in the iPhone upgrade program gets to keep that adapter every year. I probably have 10 of these things around and I virtually never, ever use them. This is not the first time a company has opted to do something like this and the savings aren't just the cost of the charger.

I'm not in that program.

 

[TonyC28]

I do what any dad should with an old charger and/or cord: store it in a drawer for at least a decade.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Every single user in the iPhone upgrade program gets to keep that adapter every year. I probably have 10 of these things around and I virtually never, ever use them. This is not the first time a company has opted to do something like this and the savings aren't just the cost of the charger.

Very US centric comment. iPhone upgrade program is not universal like most Apple programs.

 

[0128672]

I've found that they're rather delicious with a nice Gruyère cheese sauce.

 

[recoil80]

Put it in an exquisite box!

The new thin box should be designed by Ive himself

 

[ignatius345]

My only consideration is what about new Apple buyers... would they have to buy a charger separately now? This is plain cost-cutting in the name of environment-friendliness or whatever.

There's no "or whatever". The world doesn't need millions more unused cords and chargers. Every one of those things comes with an environmental cost. Minerals mined, plastic made from petroleum by-products -- and all of this carrying the carbon cost of manufacture, packing and transport.

Anyone who's been using iPhones for a while has cords and chargers. Probably lots of them. And anybody who doesn't can surely afford to spend $20 buying one while they're buying a $1000 phone.

At some point Apple will stop including chargers. People will whine and post on forums about how they're never buying an iPhone again. Sure, ok. But then six months later everyone will calm down and life will go on -- but with a little less waste.

 

[w0by]

Mine charged slow as hell so I threw mine out because it's good for nothing. Put a quick charge in the box and quit being so cheap.

 

[ksec]

It's a bit rich of them to assume that everyone owns a device (be it a computer or a charger) with USB-C ports... while the USB-A is still most widespread standard.

Yes which is why I think the rumour is bogus. But then this survey pops up.

 

[w0by]

Mine charged slow as hell so I threw mine out because it's old technology junk. Put a quick charge in the box and everyone will use it. Also I guarantee it's not because they care about waste, they care about saving a half dollar or whatever they pay for them.

 

[dalestrauss]

Why in the world do this? What exactly is Apple going to do when 80% of users say they no longer have the adapter?

 

[Bustermd]

At first I had an issue with this, but after considering every angle I have changed my mind. This is my logic:

1. Many thousand tons of e-waste every year are chargers. This will help to reduce that.

2. If you need a charger, you have zero obligation to buy one from Apple. You can get a cheapo on Amazon or at a discount store incredibly easily.

3. For 99.999% of the population, #2 won't be necessary because they will have multiple compatible chargers already sitting at home, or a wireless charging pad, or a computer USB port they could use.

4. The resale argument holds zero weight because if you don't get a charger with a new iPhone why would you expect to get one with the same iPhone that is used? Also, if you are worried about Apple making too much money and getting out of touch with consumers then maybe upgrading your phone every 6-12 months is kind of encouraging that? We've reached an era of incremental improvements or outright stagnation in most tech. I fully expect everything going forward will be just variations on the same theme with no actual improvement in functionality, and it may be that way for a long time (like color TVs). Your phone should last 2-5 years at least. If you want the latest and greatest (because let's be honest, nobody really needs the latest flagship smart phone) then expect to pay a premium.

My opinion, many won't agree and I appreciate that.

 

[Apple Macintosh 128K]

I'm totally cool with no adaptor included. I've got piles of them sitting unopened from numerous previous iPhones. Most users are existing upgrade users and don't have a real need for the charger. It's just more eWaste.

 

[dalestrauss]

...
Anyone who's been using iPhones for a while has cords and chargers. Probably lots of them. And anybody who doesn't can surely afford to spend $20 buying one while they're buying a $1000 phone....

Gotta love this type of response - do you think Apple will sell the iPhone for $980 - if they do then I'm all in - if they don't, then why is the onus of environmentalism on ME and not on APPLE?

 

[tranceking26]

Well looks like I am going to be wrong then.

But the points raised by others have shown me how it can be a good thing.

 

[mdwsta4]

I don’t know if I’ve used an iPhone charger since they went away from the foldable prong version, but I always leave mine in the box (along with the headphone) for when I sell it. I use a larger iPad charger for when I do need to charge my phone/iPad

 

[frankdogg]

I'm thinking with the non-pro models there will be no charger in the box and with the pro-models they will include the fast charging usb-c to lightning.

 

[Ad13]

We assuming that the fast charging standard is the same as current. If they activate faster charging, don’t include the power adapter and then force the buyer to pay extra, that would be a crappy deal. Oh wait - iPhone 8, wasn’t that what happened? I remember having to pay £45 for a charger to use the new feature of the iPhone I just paid £1k for. It’s just wrong. Completely wrong.

 

[2010mini]

Still use mine. Well unless the kids steal them.

 

[spinedoc77]

I'm starting to come around to this the more I think about it. The Verge had a great article about how much waste those packed in chargers produce. Plus they only pack in ones that have the lowest speed/charging capability. My first thought was what an issue this might be for someone like my mom who doesn't have chargers laying around and might be surprised if this was her first iphone. My 2nd thought was to count the usb chargers I have laying around my house, I counted 23 of them!! I do use about half of them though, but did eliminate several by using a USB charging hub.

My only gripe is that Apple will undoubtedly make a crap ton more money off this, both in the profit margin for the iphone itself and also consumers who will now purchase a brick from them. Certainly this is how a for profit company should behave, I just wish they would pass some of the savings to consumers or at least offer them a discount on their own bricks with the purchase of an iphone.