iPhone 12 may not ship with a charger at all — wait, what?

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The latest iPhone 12 rumor has us wondering about Apple. According to a new rumor, the iPhone 12 won't include the company's EarPods headphones, and they might not even have a power adapter either.

This comes to us from the folks at MacRumors, who got their hands on a research note from the analysts at the Barclays firm. The analysts are more sure about the lack of headphones than they are the power brick. 

As Apple's killed off the headphone jack, I imagine the end of free EarPods would be a minor nuisance to folks who don't have Lightning-compatible earbuds. The proliferation of wireless earbuds, though, makes me think this wouldn't be the end of the world.

But what if the iPhone 12 only comes with a Lightning to USB-C cable and not a power brick? Unless you've bought a laptop recently, you may very well need to shell out more cash to use the included cable. 

If true, this could mean the iPhone 12 will ship inside a box with just the USB-C to Lighting cable, plus the SIM card ejector tool that I've lost every time I bought a new phone.

The move could be done by Apple as an effort to reduce waste, as lord knows some of us have more power adapters and cables than we know what to do with. But the lack of a charger would still be inconvenient for many.

However, this rumor clashes with one we reported on yesterday, where Twitter leaker Mr. White (not the one who knocks) claimed that a fast 20W charger will be included with the iPhone 12, to give it that boost that we all want. 

Recent iPhone 12 rumors include a shockingly low-priced $549 iPhone 12, which could be the discounted 4G version that gives the iPhone SE 2020 a run for its title as one of the best phone values. 

Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.