Will the next iPhone not come with a charger or wired earbuds in the box?
Such a potentially unfortunate development is what respected TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said will happen in a report issued Sunday.
Kuo wrote that while iPhone costs “will significantly increase due to 5G support, we believe that Apple’s goal is to sell the iPhone 12 at a comparable price to the iPhone 11.”
It may be understandable but is still a bummer.
Kuo also believes shipments of Apple’s popular wireless AirPods will likely beat expectations because there won’t be earbuds in the box of new iPhones.
When it comes to chargers, Kuo reckons that new 20W power adapters will go into mass production during the third quarter, and be sold to iPhone customers as an optional accessory. He added that the Apple will stop production in 2020 of existing 5W and 18W power adapters, and cease production of current 12W power adapters within 9–12 months.
“We think …iPhone’s cancellation of the in-box power adapter might benefit the wireless charger shipments,” Kuo writes with the proviso that, “it’s still to be seen whether the actual contribution will be significant because the wireless charger is not a `must-have.’”
Kuo did not mention the potential fate of the Lightning cable.
Apple declined to comment on the rumor.
Meantime, if iPhone owners view this as a possible reason to ditch Apple for Android, Kuo expects Android brands will follow Apple’s lead in the future.
Whether you have an Android handset or iPhone, how do you feel about this potential development?