'iPhone 12' predicted to ship without EarPods, will boost AirPods sales

AppleInsider

Ming-Chi Kuo has chimed in on the "iPhone 12," and he thinks that Apple will leave out the EarPods accessory -- a move which will ultimately boost AirPods adoption by consumers.

AirPods Pro

In a note to investors, TF Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo says that he believes that Apple will leave out the $29 Lightning EarPods when the "iPhone 12" ships to consumers. He isn't specific as to why Apple will take the action, but does note that it may dovetail with a promotion for AirPods of some sort.

Furthermore, Kuo sees AirPods demand in the short-term waning, because of larger economic conditions. This is only temporary, though, as he sees growth on the year.

Previously, he predicted about 85 million sets of AirPods shipping. He now sees about 94 million shipping on the year in total, across the entire range of devices.

On April 19, Jon Prosser stated that Apple had a third-generation AirPods refresh ready to go, contrary to what Kuo believes. On April 24, sources predicted that a new AirPods model would incorporate noise cancellation technology. Impact on the battery could be offset by Apple using the manufacturing process improvement to save space internally to to fit extra battery capacity.

This new report from Kuo doesn't mention health monitoring features coming. The AirPods have been long-rumored to get extra health features, however they may be planned for some later generation.

Kuo still sees no refresh of AirPods until 2021. While he does say that the market is expecting a refresh, he believes that the new Apple product is a set of Beats, and not AirPods.

entropys

Why do this? It would just generate extremely negative press. The EarPods cost next to nothing to manufacture, and the box is already designed.

unless of course there is no lightning port.

wattouk

I'd welcome this as long as they leave a lightening to aux adapter. I get a new iPhone every year and have countless pairs of untouched EarPods in my drawers. Most people have a pair of aux headphones lying around but this would help push people towards AirPods which will push up sales even more. 

GeorgeBMac

That makes sense to me....

I have seen my collection of earbuds growing and growing.

Essentially, at this point, almost everybody already has multiple sets of them.  Plus, AirPods have essentially obsoleted these things.

So, why force people to buy something they don't need and don't want?

entropys

In my household they don’t last long. 

Maybe include a voucher. $30 for EarPods, or $70 towards airpods. You choose. A real up sell.
it would be a sticker on the iPhone box so you can redeem voucher when purchased if you want.

gatorguy

GeorgeBMac said:

That makes sense to me....

I have seen my collection of earbuds growing and growing.

Essentially, at this point, almost everybody already has multiple sets of them.  Plus, AirPods have essentially obsoleted these things.

So, why force people to buy something they don't need and don't want?

I don't think you are buying them.

The iPhone selling price would be the same with or without them IMO. They end up as a freebie in the box. It makes perfect sense that if hardware revenues are decreasing a bit that those free things get removed and paid things take their place, but you won't be paying less for your next Phone because they took cheap earbuds out of the box. The market will bear the same price with or without them.

entropys

GeorgeBMac said:

That makes sense to me....

I have seen my collection of earbuds growing and growing.

Essentially, at this point, almost everybody already has multiple sets of them.  Plus, AirPods have essentially obsoleted these things.

So, why force people to buy something they don't need and don't want?

Do you think for a millisecond that Apple would drop the price of an iPhone to reflect the price of the EarPods? Really? Tim Cook’s Apple? Ha ha!

jasonfj

To me they’re just landfill. I like the idea of reducing tons of plastic as a result. 

jeffharris

entropys said:

Why do this? It would just generate extremely negative press. The EarPods cost next to nothing to manufacture, and the box is already designed.

unless of course there is no lightning port.

I’ve tried the EarPods once. They fall out easily and sound bad. Terrible!
Now there’s a pile of them in a drawer. I even gave some away.
I certainly wouldn’t miss them if they weren’t in the box with my iPhone 12.

However, I think that leaving them out of the package would probably be a bad PR move. 

I can hear the howling… Apple “forcing” people to buy AirPods.

Eventually, iPhone will get a USB-C port. 

There will be lots of crying when that happens, no doubt.

dewme

I’d rather see Apple make Apple-branded accessories like headphones, cases, screen protectors, larger charging bricks, wireless chargers, cables, etc., available at subsidized prices in “accessory packs” when a customer purchases a new device. The “bare” device should still be offered at a lower price than any of the bundles. What I’m saying is that Apple can ditch the EarPods, but knock down the iPhone price by $10-$15 USD, but also allow me to get AirPods Pro with my iPhone purchase at 20% discount.

mjtomlin

If they remove wired Earbuds from flagship models it will only be because they've replaced them with AirPods.

mike1

Replace the Ear Pods with the Lightning to headphone adaptor.

AppleZulu

gatorguy said:

GeorgeBMac said:

That makes sense to me....

I have seen my collection of earbuds growing and growing.

Essentially, at this point, almost everybody already has multiple sets of them.  Plus, AirPods have essentially obsoleted these things.

So, why force people to buy something they don't need and don't want?

I don't think you are buying them.

The iPhone selling price would be the same with or without them IMO. They end up as a freebie in the box. It makes perfect sense that if hardware revenues are decreasing a bit that those free things get removed and paid things take their place, but you won't be paying less for your next Phone because they took cheap earbuds out of the box. The market will bear the same price with or without them.

You can be sure that there is no such thing as a freebie. Ear buds have always been included in the price of the iPhone, just like every component of the phone and part of the packaging. These things are accounted for down to the last cent.

It's true that many people already have multiple spare and unused earbuds, charger bricks and cables lying around. Those things are used (or not used) and worn out at different rates than the phones themselves. It would make sense both financially and from an environmental standpoint to start separating those from the phone package, and instead offer discount vouchers with a new iPhone that can be applied toward the purchase of those other things separately. Some percentage of the vouchers will go unused, roughly commensurate with the number of EarPods that are tossed directly into junk drawers now. When you think of it on the macro level of the millions of phones sold every year, that represents a significant amount of waste that can be removed from the system. It is very unlikely that the price of an iPhone would be reduced. Removing the cost of including a set of earbuds with every phone would, however, make it possible to incrementally increase the value of what goes into the phone itself, even accounting for use of discounts towards peripherals, profit, etc. 

dhawkins541

take earpods that's fine but everyone better get the better charger not only the pro devices. Don't go giving us no pods and then stick us with that 5 watt bs to charge up 

dedgecko

Three possible options.

No change - this is the typical scuttle butt prior to iPhone release season.

Apple takes out head phones, slims box, allowing more devices to ship, better efficiency at large scale.  Perhaps a discount on AirPods with purchase of new flagship device. Watch, iPhone, iPad, Mac. 

Apple swaps AirPods with new low-end end AirPods.

applguy

As someone that is on phone calls 6+ hours per day AirPods are not an option. At best they last half a day. As it is I use an adapter that allows power and EarPods to be plugged in at the same time. I have no idea what I’ll do when the iPhone is totally wireless. 

cornchip

I guess shipping with air pods would be too much to ask. Bah.

Appleish

But how will I continue to fill our drawer of useless EarPods?

Kidding. We've been donating ours. 

DAalseth

I can’t speak for others but I’m fine with this. I find EarPods uncomfortable to the point of being painful. They arrive with my iWhatever, I just toss them in the electronics trash bin.

mistergsf

GeorgeBMac said:

That makes sense to me....

I have seen my collection of earbuds growing and growing.

Essentially, at this point, almost everybody already has multiple sets of them.

So true. Funning thing is, "my collection" never lasts cause I have countless family members always coming to me asking, "ya got another pair of earbuds I can have? My left/right bud ain't working anymore." LOL.

mike1

dhawkins541 said:

take earpods that's fine but everyone better get the better charger not only the pro devices. Don't go giving us no pods and then stick us with that 5 watt bs to charge up 

I disagree. No need to include a more expensive charger for all to accommodate the few that need to charge faster.

I'd bet Apple has data showing how long people leave the phones charging, say overnight.