India
oi-Gaurav Sharma
Apple may roll back its one of most controversial packaging choice for iPhones going forward, according to a report. Social media reports claimed that the tech giant is considering putting chargers and wired EarPods back in the box with the devices.
Apple started the change in 2020, choosing to put neither of the accessories in the box with the devices, claiming that the practice would reduce e-waste, shrink the packaging footprint, and lower carbon emissions, as shipping fewer items would generate less pollution. Apple representatives also stated at the time that the majority of buyers already owned the necessary equipment, and therefore it was not beneficial or sustainable to continue putting them in the boxes.
Reports indicate Apple may revert its 2020 decision to exclude chargers and EarPods from iPhone boxes, citing environmental benefits, potentially addressing consumer dissatisfaction with the change.
Consumers, however, have a different opinion, arguing that forcing them to buy the accessories separately after shelling out hundreds of dollars for a phone is unreasonable.
If the report is true, Apple would be re-contextualizing its decision entirely and would be putting the standard accessories included with every iPhone for the better part of a decade, back into the box. Consumers looking to use their devices right out of the box without fussing around with searching for the missing cable or headphones, will be relieved.
Apple’s reversal of the decision will undoubtedly cause controversy and potentially reignite the old debate about the company’s environmental practices. Apple has touted the change as an important step toward reducing the environmental impact of its operations, putting batteries, charging cables, and headphone jacks on a black list of harmful accessories, while eliminating as much packaging material as possible. The company’s argument for the change revolved around the idea that the reduction of material and energy footprint of the packaging was essential in achieving net zero emissions. The decision to put those accessories back in the box might represent a departure from the company’s sustainability-focused philosophy.
The change on the consumer side would likely be perceived as a positive, as buying a new phone outrightly provides the basic necessities for using it, rather than requiring an accessory purchase to get started. Those buying a new iPhone rather than an old one will not have to spend extra money on a charger or wired headphones, which older models of the devices used to come with.
Apple representatives have not confirmed whether they will put the equipment back in iPhone boxes, and so the report should be taken with a grain of salt until an official statement is made. If the report is true, however, the change will be a positive step in the company’s philosophy, returning some much-needed accessories that Apple used to deem unnecessary to people buying its products.
