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iPhone 12 Pro Let me get this straight ...

H

H. Flower

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 23, 2008
791
945
I just upgraded my iPhone X to iPhone 12 Pro.

I knew there was no charging block included with this model. No matter, I have a million blocks laying around from a decade of prior purchases.

Surprise! The lightning cable terminates in usb c, not usb a. I actually don’t have a mountain of blocks compatible with this phone.

So after paying 1k, I have to spend an additional 20 bucks to charge this thing? Am I getting this right ?
 
If you have a million charging blocks laying around, finding a spare USB-A Lightning cable should be trivial.

Otherwise, a different lightning cable would be a cheaper purchase than a USB-C charger.

However in principle I agree with your gripe. Leaving out the charger I can live with, but switching to a Lightning cable with USB-C which no one has extra chargers for was a questionable idea by Apple.
 
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LFC2020 said:
Correct, here you go 😁👇

20W USB C Power Adapter - Apple (AU)

Apple Store Search Results
www.apple.com

If it makes you feel any better, us aussies pay $29 🤦‍♂️
Click to expand...
I sold my old 12 on ebay last night, she asked did it come with a charger, umm no lol. Just a cable which is useless unless you have a iPad pro brick which is what i use when i go away, and if you have no old brick and lightening from previous iPhone, you are screwed have to buy the new brick haha, or go wireless.
 
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Use one of your millions of old charging bricks and regular lightning cables laying around. They'll work fine. The USB C cable in the box of the new phones is a marketing gesture to entice people to buy ANOTHER more powerful charger to be able to charge the phone faster.
If you don't care about fast charging (which wears out the battery faster), use your old charging stuff
 
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Apple_Robert said:
If you don't already own the correct charging brick, you will need to buy one. You are correct.

As you said, you knew this before you purchased. Can't rightfully complain after the fact.
Click to expand...

That’s not the point.

I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on apple products. I’ve also sold tens of thousands of dollars worth to family and friends.

And all of these sales based on one fundamental value proposition is : yes, you are going to pay more. Sometimes you will even receive less, but the company is always going to take care of you; they’re always going to make sure you get exactly what you need for a cutting edge, premium experience, while at the same time dispensing of excess that plagues other tech products, rendering them confusing and aesthetically ugly.

If I ensure my uncle he is paying more for the best smart phone experience on the market, the best phone HAS to include a fast charging cable and a fast charging block, period.

Otherwise , the company isn’t taking care of you, no matter how many excuses they want to produce.
 
H. Flower said:
That’s not the point.

I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on apple products. I’ve also sold tens of thousands of dollars worth to family and friends.

And all of these sales based on one fundamental value proposition is : yes, you are going to pay more. Sometimes you will even receive less, but the company is always going to take care of you; they’re always going to make sure you get exactly what you need for a cutting edge, premium experience, while at the same time dispensing of excess that plagues other tech products, rendering them confusing and aesthetically ugly.

If I ensure my uncle he is paying more for the best smart phone experience on the market, the best phone HAS to include a fast charging cable and a fast charging block, period.

Otherwise , the company isn’t taking care of you, no matter how maybe excuses they produce.
Click to expand...
 
H. Flower said:
That’s not the point.

I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on apple products. I’ve also sold tens of thousands of dollars worth to family and friends.

And all of these sales based on one fundamental value proposition is : yes, you are going to pay more. Sometimes you will even receive less, but the company is always going to take care of you; they’re always going to make sure you get exactly what you need for a cutting edge, premium experience, while at the same time dispensing of excess that plagues other tech products, rendering them confusing and aesthetically ugly.

If I ensure my uncle he is paying more for the best smart phone experience on the market, the best phone HAS to include a fast charging cable and a fast charging block, period.

Otherwise , the company isn’t taking care of you, no matter how many excuses they want to produce.
Click to expand...
I think Apple should have included the charger. I don't buy their eco BS excuse. Unfortunately, we have to deal with what is. If you didn't know ahead of time and the phone was a gift, my response would have been different.
 
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I have a handful of these lying around:

temp.jpg


Useful to connect iPads and iPhones to old PowerMacs, PowerBooks, pre-unibody MBPs and a MacPro 4,1 (which I am typing this on). Works with all my devices, including my new 11 Pro Max.

Wouldn't be surprised if they worked in a standard powerblock.

99¢ on eBay with free shipping. I think I got seven alltogether.
 
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Apple_Robert said:
I think Apple should have included the charger. I don't buy their eco BS excuse. Unfortunately, we have to deal with what is. If you didn't know ahead of time and the phone was a gift, my response would have been different.
Click to expand...
I knew the block wasn’t included, but I didn’t know the cable was useless if you don’t have a newer block.

I have a million old blocks, but I don’t have a million old cables, because cables fray over time with use. Ya I have a couple laying around, but it’s the principle, and betrayal of what, as I articulated, I thought was the central value proposition. As someone astutely pointed out, the included cable is a actually an upsell. And that really rubs me the wrong way.

Apple has built up enough good will with me to let something relatively small like this roll off my back (Im sure you can guess I would have purchased the phone regardless). But I’m hoping they don’t lose site of how they built it amongst their loyal customers- because little things can aggregate over time.
 
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H. Flower said:
I knew the block wasn’t included, but I didn’t know the cable was useless if you don’t have a newer block.

I have a million old blocks, but I don’t have a million old cables, because cables fray over time with use. Ya I have a couple laying around, but it’s the principle. As someone astutely pointed out, the included cable is a actually an upsell. And that really rubs me the wrong way.

Apple has built up enough good will with me to let something relatively small like this roll off my back. But I’m hoping they don’t lose site of how they built it amongst their loyal customers- because little things can aggregate over time.
Click to expand...
Valid points. And as to your last paragraph, I share your sentiment.
 
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Not to mention, bad ideas can be infectious.

I’ve been vocal on here about how the shift to cheap packaging over the past 5 years, under the same guise of environmentalism, could start to influence other decisions. “Who cares about the box an apple watch comes in” was the common response.... a reasonable one, at that.

But then came exhibit A of my prediction: the AirPods Max carrying case, perhaps the most cheap and lazy thing they’ve every designed.
 
H. Flower said:
I just upgraded my iPhone X to iPhone 12 Pro.

I knew there was no charging block included with this model. No matter, I have a million blocks laying around from a decade of prior purchases.

Surprise! The lightning cable terminates in usb c, not usb a. I actually don’t have a mountain of blocks compatible with this phone.

So after paying 1k, I have to spend an additional 20 bucks to charge this thing? Am I getting this right ?
Click to expand...
This has been discussed for a long long time. All the info has always been there in view.
This is a grab off the Apple Store App. Bottom Paragraph.
ECF3445A-9EFD-4059-8A7E-56867DDF6E4F.png
 
I ordered from Amazon a USB-C charger and cables. But I have had this phone for about 3 days and it charges fine with my regular charger and cable. Except for it charging faster you don't really have to get a different one if you don't want too. Beside my bed is a lighting cable and charger and I don't plan on switching it out for during the night.
 
jagolden said:
You say you have “a million blocks” laying around, but you don’t have a lightning to USB-A cable handy?!
This thread and complaint is a waste of bandwidth.
Click to expand...

Lightning cables fray and stop working over time.
 
-BigMac- said:
OP "So after paying 1k, I have to spend an additional 20 bucks to charge this thing? Am I getting this right?"

You seem at minimum baffled/confused about it.
Click to expand...
The question is rhetorical.

Im not baffled or confused about any of this. Just a little disappointed in a company I hold high in esteem.
 
Last edited:
H. Flower said:
I just upgraded my iPhone X to iPhone 12 Pro.

I knew there was no charging block included with this model. No matter, I have a million blocks laying around from a decade of prior purchases.

Surprise! The lightning cable terminates in usb c, not usb a. I actually don’t have a mountain of blocks compatible with this phone.

So after paying 1k, I have to spend an additional 20 bucks to charge this thing? Am I getting this right ?
Click to expand...

How were you charging your iPhone X?
 
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