Hype for the Apple iPhone 12 has been building rapidly over the past couple of months, with the American maker's incoming flagship reported to come loaded with lighting fast 5G connectivity, a LiDAR-packing new camera system, an incendiary new A14 Bionic processor, and a suite of advanced new hardware features.
Unfortunately, though, it seems like a delay in launch isn't the only thing Apple fans looking to upgrade to the new iPhone need to consider, as it has just been confirmed by respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that the iPhone 12 range is looking like it isn't going to deliver something out of the box.
As reported by MacRumors, Ming-Chi Kuo has confirmed that "Apple's upcoming iPhone 12 may not come with EarPods included in the box". The reason for the absence? Kuo is reported as saying this is being done "as a means of driving demand for the company's popular wireless AirPods which are sold separately".
If this is true, it will come as an unwelcome surprise for new iPhone 12 owners who are not yet lucky enough to own a pair of AirPods, as they will open the box and discover they do not have any included way to listen to music privately in their package.
Apple fans expect a pair of earbuds with any new phone purchase as, every single year since the original 2007 iPhone, a set has been included. If Kuo's prediction comes to pass, therefore, it will be marked step-change from the American phone maker.
And, while it has been reported that the price of the iPhone 12 is going to stay at the same level as last year's iPhone 11, the fact that Apple already charges a premium for its flagship phones will not make this earphones no-show go down very well at all with many phone users.
After all, when they are spending hundreds if not thousands on a new handset, many will think it fair that you should expect a free pair of earbuds to be included in the package.
As audiophiles here at T3, though, we always looks to improve on a phone's base bundled-in earphone offering, and there is no doubting that the Apple AirPods Pro would be a perfect partner for the hot new iPhone handset. As too would any of these best true wireless earbuds.
However, the AirPods Pro for example ring in for over $200 / £200, meaning that far from every upgrader will be able to pick them up at the same time that they are dropping upwards of $700 / £700 on a new iPhone 12.
Hopefully we will learn more about the earphones situation, as well as the iPhone 12 in general, soon.
