Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I thought Apple was really about saving the environment? Or do you also acknowledge this was a PR stunt just so they can increase their profit margin.

Or do you really believe it was for the environment?

Why can't it be both?
 
Yes, you can use the old cable with an old charger but Apple says that the new USBC Cable "is fast charging". And of course I want a faster charging cables which means I also want to buy a new charging brick which makes the whole argument of saving the environment irrelevant.

View attachment 965921

The environment stuff is spin. Sure there's probably some effect now, probably more effect later, but it's still spin.

Never understood why folks thought otherwise.

Those who need fast charging can get a USBC-PD source. Those who don't can keep using their existing lightning cables and USBA sources.

*shrug* I already have multiport USBC-PD + USBA bricks at my key charging locations, as well as Qi pucks or stands where appropriate. So lack of a brick in the box of no matter to me - I won't be buying more bricks and there won't be a lonely single-port brick sitting in a box in the drawer.

Rest of the world will move along.

A few weeks ago everyone was clamoring for USBC - now we have it, just not quite the same way everyone wanted. Step in the right direction though.
 
Seriously, I am quite in favour of the lack of charging in the box, I have had iPhones since 3g, and now have a mountain of old chargers. For the 1% who need them, just buy one, the prices look great to me compared to the iPhone X I bought, I don't care if it comes with a power brick I won't use. They can spin it, that is what Apple do, but also they move forward. USB-C will come, but they don't want to obsolete a custom plug that they get money from, all of that keeps the prices down or the shares up... We are not a communist state, nobody does something for nothing...

I think my issue is if you buy a charger seperately, based on Apple's reasoning, we are hurting the environment, or that third party company is hurting the environment. I can understand being more environmentally friendly, but now Apple is charging the same for less. If you're not going to include things, adjust the price accordingly.
 
So instead of including a USB-C adapter in order to "reduce the carbon footprint". They want me to buy a USB-C adapter that is packaged and shipped completely separately, which probably increases the net carbon footprint by not including it with the iPhone. And not reduce the price of the iPhone to account for lack of adapter. That's a bad Apple!

Apple doesn’t do discounts and USB-C is now plentiful and widespread. Otherwise, repurpose an old Lightning to USB cable and charger, problem solved. Or use a wireless charger that’s all the rage these days. Or pry open your wallet and buy the Apple 20w USB-C charger.
 
Yup, quite a few members are losing their minds again of creating alternative Theories of “Apples devious plans” of removing of the Charger in a thinner box. [These are the same people that ‘yell and scream’ to prove their point they won’t support Apple, but then purchase an iPhone from them a month later.]
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zdigital2015
In a vacuum, Apple’s decision would be problematic.

But we don’t live in a vacuum, we live in a world where the iPhone is in it’s 15th iteration and is not a new product, by any means. In the real world, this decision is not at all an odd one and really shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. If you don’t have ANYTHING with USB-C, it might be that you’re the weird one. Or you haven’t upgraded in a very long time.
Things can certainly be twisted to somehow blame the consumer.
 
  • Love
Reactions: killr_b
Does anyone here not already have a lightning charger? Really?
I’m going to ask, how many of you have perfectly working cables? Because mines break every few months. New iPhone, new cable. What’s wrong with that. These cables that we use several times every single day don’t last forever.
 
Things can certainly be twisted to somehow blame the consumer.

The consumer (at least here) won’t budge until they are forced to do so. It’s human nature. USB was incredibly disruptive when it first came out and people clung to RS-232 and Parallel ports for a good 10 more years. People are still clinging to VGA and it has its day, it’s done and should be shuffled into the dustbin, but I guarantee someone will try to defend its need to still exist in this thread. All because people are cheap and need a stock of dynamite to get them off of dead center. Oddly enough, this “tech” forum shows just how many people lack any forward thinking.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MartyvH
Sorry if this is a stupid question, or I missed the answer: can we still use lightning → USB-A cords & chargers, or will I get the "This accessory isn't supported" message? Sometimes when I connect my iPhone to my car's audio system via USB, which only has USB-A
 
I’m going to ask, how many of you have perfectly working cables? Because mines break every few months. New iPhone, new cable. What’s wrong with that. These cables that we use several times every single day don’t last forever.

I have USB to Lightning cables that are as old as they have been around (2012) that work perfectly fine. I have Anker braided cables Lightning to USB-A that I use day in day out that are at least 2-3 years old.
 
Sorry if this is a stupid question, or I missed the answer: can we still use lightning → USB-A cords & chargers, or will I get the "This accessory isn't supported" message? Sometimes when I connect my iPhone to my car's audio system via USB, which only has USB-A

Yes you can. The port on the phone has not changed.
 
I do not think there is anything close to sufficient "proof" to call it a lie. I'm not an environmental engineer, I don't really know if the measures Apple has been taking are truly good for the environment...but then again they've been making progress on that for years, and I don't remember seeing any environmental agencies saying that none of it is true, so at least I don't smell enough smoke for there to be a fire on that count. That is something I get in return, btw. If it's really as simple as "the adapter cost this and they shouldn't charge you for it," then it's still a $700 (or $1000 or $1100 or whatever) phone, I'm not going to lose sleep over it. In return we get to all passively do some good for the environment, that's a thing that Apple is doing for all of us. And in the end it doesn't really change the mathematics of whether I want the phone.
The lie isn’t that it’s environmentally friendly. The lie is that they’re telling us it’s THE reason they removed accessories from the box. That’s the lie. The reason is to increase profit margins.
 
Last edited:
Sorry if this is a stupid question, or I missed the answer: can we still use lightning → USB-A cords & chargers, or will I get the "This accessory isn't supported" message? Sometimes when I connect my iPhone to my car's audio system via USB, which only has USB-A
USB-A to Lightning should work perfectly fine with the iPhone 12/12 Pro. Fast charging (USB-C PD) only works with USB-C. If Apple dropped ISB-A charging, then I would have a cow before anyone else as that would be complete BULL****. Old stuff is limited to 12w on USB-A (Apple OEM), but there is no reason why it shouldn’t work.
 
The consumer (at least here) won’t budge until they are forced to do so. It’s human nature. USB was incredibly disruptive when it first came out and people clung to RS-232 and Parallel ports for a good 10 more years. People are still clinging to VGA and it has its day, it’s done and should be shuffled into the dustbin, but I guarantee someone will try to defend its need to still exist in this thread. All because people are cheap and need a stock of dynamite to get them off of dead center. Oddly enough, this “tech” forum shows just how many people lack any forward thinking.
Forward thinking is forward thinking but if part of the reasoning to not include something is because many people already have it then why include a different cable that doesn't work with what people already have? Why not then either keep the same cable by that logic, or if the desire is to transition then at least for the first year include a new adapter still? Why then also in the process of talking about what all the changes save in various aspects ultimately still price things in a similar fashion while providing less than before for it? It's not just forward thinking, it's also current thinking, just mainly aimed at the company and not really at the consumer.
 
I’m going to ask, how many of you have perfectly working cables?

I have one 3 years old that I use once or twice a day and one 2 years old only used a few times.

These cables that we use several times every single day don’t last forever.

If you use it several times a day, it's time for a new battery.
 
Apple has put in a USB-A to Lightning cable and 5w adapter in every iPhone since 2015 (the first year USB-C appeared) and if people have one of those, they can still use it. Most of mine never made it out of the plastic wrap or even the iPhone box. I still had EarPods from my 6s Plus that were still in plastic.

Now that Apple finally changes, everyone has a cow. If you have no USB-C charger, you have a plethora of high quality choices not from Apple that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Apple sells computers with USB-C ports and iPads with USB-C ports that can charge the iPhone, so USB-A makes zero sense in 2020. People have had 5 years to adapt and it’s on them if they haven’t.
lol that's not how it works. Apple destroyed their own argument by including a cable that I bet not even 10% of people can plug into anything. I have a brand new computer, it came with usb-a and c because it's not a mac. What percentage of iphone users have a mac? Less than 10%, and of those, an even smaller number have a usb-c mac. Apple like to be a premium brand like Ferrari lol would Ferrari ship an incomplete user experience?
 
This issue certainly does not disadvantage all customers. It would be unethical or nefarious if it did. People are in different situations with their chargers and cables. This new practice certainly will lead to less consumption and use of resources over time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lkalliance
The lie isn’t that it’s environmentally friendly. The lie is that they’re telling us that’s THE reason they removed accessories from the box. But that’s not the reason. It’s a lie. The reason is to increase profit margins.
I know this is just giving them a pass, but I feel, so what? Does it really matter that Apple has big profit margins? They will sell you Device X for Price Y, and it's up to you to determine if it's worth it. The iPhone 5S sold for $649 off contract in 2012, which translates to $720 or so in 2020 dollars. Holy moley you get a lot more for roughly the same amount now. It's just amazing! I don't begrudge Apple their money, good for them! And I do have plenty of adapters and cables, I will accept some good for the environment that I am playing a teensy-tiny part in it for essentially no cost. I consider that a good, if only in the near term an emotional one.
 
lol that's not how it works. Apple destroyed their own argument by including a cable that I bet not even 10% of people can plug into anything. I have a brand new computer, it came with usb-a and c because it's not a mac. What percentage of iphone users have a mac? Less than 10%, and of those, an even smaller number have a usb-c mac. Apple like to be a premium brand like Ferrari lol would Ferrari ship an incomplete user experience?
If someday you get a USB-C charger, either via purchase of a Mac or if you just feel like upgrading to 20W or whatever it is, then you already have the cable. Looked at in that way (admittedly not the only way to look at it), then they're saving you a couple of bucks down the line, possibly.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.