Reminder: AirPods 5 Do Not Include a Charging Cable in the Box

[MacRumors]

A reminder for anyone pre-ordering the new AirPods 5 announced this week: Apple does not include a USB-C cable or a charger in the box with either of the two models available.

If you purchase the cheaper of the two AirPods 5 models, you are limited to wired charging and will need to supply your own USB-C cable. Alternatively, you can opt for the AirPods 5 with a wireless charging case and use your own USB-C cable, Apple Watch charging puck, MagSafe charger, or Qi charger.

Article Link: Reminder: AirPods 5 Do Not Include a Charging Cable in the Box

 

[sniffies]

As long as they include AirPods.

 

[gingerhood]

Next year ship it in a bakers bag. Biodegradable of course.

 

[dannyyankou]

USB-C cables are all over the place, so I guess it’s not really a big deal. But Apple needs to enable reverse wireless charging for the iPhone already. It’s 100% possible, and would actually work really well because of the aluminum and vapor chamber. It shouldn’t get too hot, especially since the AirPods only draw like 2.5w.

 

[klasma]

So that’s why it’s cheaper now. 😏

 

[StuBeck]

USB-C cables are all over the place, so I guess it’s not really a big deal. But Apple needs to enable reverse wireless charging for the iPhone already. It’s 100% possible, and would actually work really well because of the aluminum and vapor chamber. It shouldn’t get too hot, especially since the AirPods only draw like 2.5w.

They'd still need to enable wireless charging on the lower end option too here.

 

[PhantomStar]

Maybe it will include 1 AirPod bud for 1 side of the ear next. Pay extra for the the other one.

 

[svish]

Definitely was not expecting anything else. Was the same with AirPods 4.

 

[ThailandToo]

I wish they would at least include power and data cables with iPhones, iPads and Macs. The big issue to me is the cables suck if I can’t use it for both power and data anyways. So I really don’t mind this, but the idea of removing everything doesn’t really sit well with buyers.

At some point, Apple has to stop thinking like bean counters and consider the whole package of the product and realize what the customer is paying for versus what it costs them to add that little thing in the box. Sort of like nickel and dime your customers at your own expense in the long run and they will find a better option.

Apple also overprices these things in their store and will try to sell buyers one if they can, which makes it worse because a cheaper alternative is probably a better cable that does both data and charging - eventually everyone catches on, and when they catch on they realize the company really didn’t have their backs only their shareholders backs.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Definitely was not expecting anything else. Was the same with AirPods 4.

Yeah, that's why we framed it as a Reminder. It's not news, but it's also something that could easily be overlooked, so hopefully we helped a few people.

 

[gingerhood]

I wish they would at least include power and data cables with iPhones, iPads and Macs. The big issue to me is the cables suck if I can’t use it for both power and data anyways. So I really don’t mind this, but the idea of removing everything doesn’t really sit well with buyers.

At some point, Apple has to stop thinking like bean counters and consider the whole package of the product and realize what the customer is paying for versus what it costs them to add that little thing in the box. Sort of like nickel and dime your customers at your own expense in the long run and they will find a better option.

Apple also overprices these things in their store and will try to sell buyers one if they can, which makes it worse because a cheaper alternative is probably a better cable that does both data and charging - eventually everyone catches on, and when they catch on they realize the company really didn’t have their backs only their shareholders backs.

I have whole bag of Apple cables. USB-C to USB-C, USB-A to Lighning etc., and I also found out the hard way that they only do charging. Annoying AF.

I guess USB-A to Lightning do data at USB 2.0 speeds, but USB-C only charging.

 

[ralph_sws]

Apple’s environmental virtue signaling is hard to take seriously when it sells effectively disposable earbuds with tiny sealed batteries that become e-waste after a few years, yet somehow including a USB-C cable is the problem. The cable probably costs Apple next to nothing, but save even $1 on tens of millions of units and suddenly the real motivation becomes obvious: margins, not the planet

 

[svish]

Yeah, that's why we framed it as a Reminder. It's not news, but it's also something that could easily be overlooked, so hopefully we helped a few people.

Yes, especially when many could be upgrading from older versions which used to ship with cables.

 

[storybylano]

At least they still ship it with the charging case. We can expect them to release only the earbuds and the case separately in the near future. So much for profit.

 

[Astuces iOS]

EXPECT THIS ON IPHONE NEXT YEAR !

 

[B4U]

Apple’s environmental virtue signaling is hard to take seriously when it sells effectively disposable earbuds with tiny sealed batteries that become e-waste after a few years, yet somehow including a USB-C cable is the problem. The cable probably costs Apple next to nothing, but save even $1 on tens of millions of units and suddenly the real motivation becomes obvious: margins, not the planet

Totally with you on this.
Just brought my 1st gen AirPods to Apple Store because the batteries are dying.
They told me it cost $49 to replace the battery for EACH AirPods. So, I'd be looking at $98 to replace both when the AirPods 4 are retailing for $99 at Amazon all day long. 🙈

Reducing e-waste, they say. 🧐

 

[sw1tcher]

Apple’s environmental virtue signaling is hard to take seriously when it sells effectively disposable earbuds with tiny sealed batteries that become e-waste after a few years, yet somehow including a USB-C cable is the problem. The cable probably costs Apple next to nothing, but save even $1 on tens of millions of units and suddenly the real motivation becomes obvious: margins, not the planet

and Apple still includes a USB-C cable with the AirPods Max. But then again, the Max are $549. Removing it might make a lot of people think, "I'm paying over $500 for these, but Apple wants to be cheap by not including a USB-C cable?"

 

[rjp1]

I wish they would at least include power and data cables with iPhones, iPads and Macs. The big issue to me is the cables suck if I can’t use it for both power and data anyways. So I really don’t mind this, but the idea of removing everything doesn’t really sit well with buyers.

At some point, Apple has to stop thinking like bean counters and consider the whole package of the product and realize what the customer is paying for versus what it costs them to add that little thing in the box. Sort of like nickel and dime your customers at your own expense in the long run and they will find a better option.

Apple also overprices these things in their store and will try to sell buyers one if they can, which makes it worse because a cheaper alternative is probably a better cable that does both data and charging - eventually everyone catches on, and when they catch on they realize the company really didn’t have their backs only their shareholders backs.

Include everything needed to use the product.

 

[seek3r]

I have whole bag of Apple cables. USB-C to USB-C, USB-A to Lighning etc., and I also found out the hard way that they only do charging. Annoying AF.

I guess USB-A to Lightning do data at USB 2.0 speeds, but USB-C only charging.

Apple’s USBC cables absolutely handle data (albeit it at USB 2.0)…

 

[ThailandToo]

Include everything needed to use the product.

What I find curious is I bought an expensive OLED TV and it didn’t have the HDMI cable in the box. A few months later bought a cheap LCD at Walmart and it included the HDMI cable. I do agree it should have all needed and nice when it does, but I suppose a $2500 TV vs a $200 TV is a different type of buyer? Maybe Apple knows buyers will put up with it, but like you say, it belongs in the box if it’s needed for use.

 

[gingerhood]

Apple’s USBC cables absolutely handle data (albeit it at USB 2.0)…

Doesn't work with any SSD.

 

[macbookj0e]

Apple’s environmental virtue signaling is hard to take seriously when it sells effectively disposable earbuds with tiny sealed batteries that become e-waste after a few years, yet somehow including a USB-C cable is the problem. The cable probably costs Apple next to nothing, but save even $1 on tens of millions of units and suddenly the real motivation becomes obvious: margins, not the planet

Exactly. It’s just cost cutting (and margin improving) dressed up as environmental benefits.

 

[Slix]

I have whole bag of Apple cables. USB-C to USB-C, USB-A to Lighning etc., and I also found out the hard way that they only do charging. Annoying AF.

I guess USB-A to Lightning do data at USB 2.0 speeds, but USB-C only charging.

I'm not sure if it's the same as what you're talking about, but I use the USB-C cable that was included with my iPhone for syncing and importing photos to my Mac from my phone. Are there cables they include that don't do this?

 

[rgwebb]

I was in an Apple Store and overheard an elderly person having a bad experience in support that ultimately comes down to Apple not supplying a cable and power adapter in the box of every new iPhone.

Essentially, she was complaining about the phone not charging to full overnight consistently and the battery draining quickly. The latter may be due to background processes some app she's using. Who could say but the former problem is almost certainly because she's using some power block from a decade-prior phone purchase. She was not too happy about it and they had a second support person coming in to run through their findings. I left before the interaction concluded.

It seems to me that their penny pinching on the front end of the customer relationship is just creating hidden support and negative consumer satisfaction possibilities that probably aren't worth it in the long run.

 

[SactoGuy18]

Not an issue. USB Type C to USB Type C charging cables are very cheap nowadays (I can get five 1 meter cables for US$9.99 on Amazon).