The news: A small change to some wording in iOS 14.2 reveals Apple’s plans to remove EarPods from the box this year, as spotted by MacRumors (69% accurate).
- The wording change can be found when looking at copy for reducing RF exposure while using your iPhone
- In previous version of iOS, the words “the supplied headphones” were present
- The updated text now just says “headphones”
- Ming-Chi Kuo (74.6% accurate) and others previously predicted no headphones in the box this year
Our take: While this is bad news, I still think losing the power brick has far worse implications. You can easily make the argument that most people buying an iPhone already have some pair of headphones at home. But the amount of people with extra power bricks available, on demand…I think it’s shockingly less.