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jakeenzo

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 18, 2014
122
133
So just got an iPhone SE 2022 and notice the cable supplied is a USB-C to lightning cable. Now I know Apple have stopped supplying power adapters in the box because "everyone has one" but what everyone actually has is a USB-A power adapter. So why ship a USB-C cable in the box?? The cable is literally useless for me. Not impressed Apple 😡
 

Sheepish-Lord

macrumors 68020
Oct 13, 2021
2,311
4,755
To be fair everyone pissed and moaned about how USB A was dead and everyone had USB C so Apple should switch the iPhone to USB C. Apple didn’t do this but provided a USB C charger and cable in the box the past few generations of literally every iPhone model so it sounds like you haven’t upgraded your phone in years.

I do think the SE should have had a USB A to Lightning since it’s geared towards the more conscious buyer who doesn’t care about the latest phone and holds onto them longer.
 

Wokis

macrumors 6502a
Jul 3, 2012
931
1,276
Stockholm, Sweden
I guess the basic idea was that most people also should have a USB-A lightning cable as well, so supplying a cable that fits future bricks and modern computers could end up being more useful.

To be fair everyone pissed and moaned about how USB A was dead and everyone had USB C so Apple should switch the iPhone to USB C. Apple didn’t do this but provided a USB C charger and cable in the box the past few generations of literally every iPhone model so it sounds like you haven’t upgraded your phone in years.

I do think the SE should have had a USB A to Lightning since it’s geared towards the more conscious buyer who doesn’t care about the latest phone and holds onto them longer.
Literally the only generation they did this with was the iPhone 11. And only the pro. Otherwise it has been USB-A cables.

Source:
(iphone x unboxing)
(iphone xs unboxing)
(iphone 11 non-pro unboxing)
 

jav6454

macrumors Core
Nov 14, 2007
22,303
6,258
1 Geostationary Tower Plaza
So just got an iPhone SE 2022 and notice the cable supplied is a USB-C to lightning cable. Now I know Apple have stopped supplying power adapters in the box because "everyone has one" but what everyone actually has is a USB-A power adapter. So why ship a USB-C cable in the box?? The cable is literally useless for me. Not impressed Apple 😡
Always do your research when buying things.
 

mnsportsgeek

macrumors 601
Feb 24, 2009
4,382
6,852
To be fair everyone pissed and moaned about how USB A was dead and everyone had USB C so Apple should switch the iPhone to USB C. Apple didn’t do this but provided a USB C charger and cable in the box the past few generations of literally every iPhone model so it sounds like you haven’t upgraded your phone in years.

I do think the SE should have had a USB A to Lightning since it’s geared towards the more conscious buyer who doesn’t care about the latest phone and holds onto them longer.
My last phone was a XS max and I never got a single usb c charger. I know the 11 came with a usb a charger and the 12 dropped chargers entirely.

Don’t know what you’re on about.
 

Spetsgruppa

macrumors 6502a
Feb 3, 2021
726
436
So just got an iPhone SE 2022 and notice the cable supplied is a USB-C to lightning cable. Now I know Apple have stopped supplying power adapters in the box because "everyone has one" but what everyone actually has is a USB-A power adapter. So why ship a USB-C cable in the box?? The cable is literally useless for me. Not impressed Apple ?
for iPhones the USB-C allows higher charging rate compared to USB-A. and id rather have the USB-C to Lightning rather than USB-A to Lightning. well you could suggest Apple to provide/invent Lightning to Lightning xD

and about everyone having a USB-A adaptor... i happen to have more USB-C adaptors rather than USB-A,but thats just me.

and btw what was your previous phone?
 
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Reggaenald

Suspended
Sep 26, 2021
864
798
[…] but provided a USB C charger and cable in the box the past few generations of literally every iPhone model […]
Is that so, first time I’m hearing about that. They didn’t with the iPhone X, or XS or regular 11 and they stopped with the 12. As far as I know they only provided C bricks with the 11 Pro. At least I have seen nothing to the contrary.
 
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Reggaenald

Suspended
Sep 26, 2021
864
798
I guess the basic idea was that most people also should have a USB-A lightning cable as well, so supplying a cable that fits future bricks and modern computers could end up being more useful.


Literally the only generation they did this with was the iPhone 11. And only the pro. Otherwise it has been USB-A cables.

Source:
(iphone x unboxing)
(iphone xs unboxing)
(iphone 11 non-pro unboxing)
Exactly.
 

SirAnthonyHopkins

macrumors 6502a
Sep 29, 2020
946
1,887
Yep, Apple picked the silliest time to do the one-two punch of "remove bricks" and "USB-C cords"

They really should have shipped iPhones with USB-C bricks for a *COUPLE* years before ditching the brick.
This is really the only correct take here. Removing the charging brick wasn’t a bad idea, but doing so at the exact point they were transitioning to USB C kinda was.
 

remington79

macrumors 6502
Apr 11, 2020
295
348
We had to buy USB-C chargers ourselves. The only one we had came with my wife’s iPad. Now we have an Anker that has a USB C on top and A on bottom and bought an Anker USB-C for my daughter for her phone. All of our other chargers are A’s.

They really should have included chargers for a couple of years after switching cables to give people a chance to get one if they wanted or needed.

To this day they should still have a coupon for a charger if they’re going to be too cheap to include one with every phone. “Going green” is just the excuse to be cheap and save some pennies without turning off most of the customer base. Say that phrase and they could start making the phones of flimsy plastic and charge $200 more and get away with it.
 

ApplesAreSweet&Sour

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2018
1,961
3,581
I think Apple’s reasoning behind this decision is the idea that most iPhone buyers already own a tablet, laptop or smartphone and thus already own at least one USB-A, USB-C, or USB-micro charger and at least one or more cables, or can charge via USB-A or USB-C on their desktop or laptop computer.

And while there’s obviously numerous reasons why charging with a 18-20w wall charger would be superior to most of the solutions I’ve mentioned above, I would agree with Apple that only an insignificant number of consumers in the market for a new iPhone do not own any of the devices, chargers or cables that would partially or entirely be enough to charge an iPhone at 5W charging speeds or more.

By only providing a USB-C to Lightning cable, Apple is not forcing you to buy a new charger. It’s forcing you to use one of the chargers or charging capable devices you already own and providing you a cable should you get a USB-C charger in the future or buy one from Apple.

However, the reality of the smartphone market is that most people think they need fast charging and are rapidly ditching all their old chargers for new ones. This trend effectively destroys any positive effects this USB-C charger omission could have had.

Only those without the disposable income to get a new charger are the ones who will use older, <18W chargers with their new iPhone.

I’d also argue that providing one half of a product, the charging cable but not the charger, immediately signals to the consumer that something is missing or incomplete.

Despite any greedy or altruistic intentions Apple might have had with this decision, the end result is inarguably that most new iPhone buyers get a new charger with the phone or buy one a little later, adding another $19 on top of whatever $ the iPhone cost.

The fair thing to do would be to have Apple either donate all of the $19 to fight global warming or provide a gift card to new iPhone buyers to get a new charger for free while asking them to consider if they really need it.

But what Apple has done here only serves to remind more consumers to buy fast chargers and then add another $19 in profits for every new iPhone sold as Apple for “some odd reason” didn’t lower iPhone prices after removing the chargers.
 
Last edited:

remington79

macrumors 6502
Apr 11, 2020
295
348
In my daughter’s case it was her first phone so she was starting from nothing and we didn’t have any extra 5w chargers after one got lost. Mote and more things are ditching chargers. She happened to get the SE2020 right when they ditched the chargers and earbuds.
 
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JM

macrumors 601
Nov 23, 2014
4,082
6,373
So just got an iPhone SE 2022 and notice the cable supplied is a USB-C to lightning cable. Now I know Apple have stopped supplying power adapters in the box because "everyone has one" but what everyone actually has is a USB-A power adapter. So why ship a USB-C cable in the box?? The cable is literally useless for me. Not impressed Apple ?
Welcome to the Apple Hate Group where there is ample disappointment every year.

Darn you Steve Jobs. We would have never have known what excellence was if it wasn’t for you! Now we’re spoiled.
 
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lybentius

macrumors member
Aug 6, 2021
85
58
My phone is capable of fast charge but I always use my old 5w brick that a previous phone came with.
I plug it in when I go to sleep and don’t care how long it takes to charge as it is always full when I wake.
I use my old 5W charger too. Don't want the excess heat of a fast charger but I have one if I need it.
 

Danfango

macrumors 65816
Jan 4, 2022
1,294
5,777
London, UK
I’ve got to the point it’s hard to find a USB A charger in my house. I actually had to charge my kindle off my TV the other day 🤣
 
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Anonymous Freak

macrumors 603
Dec 12, 2002
5,567
1,258
Cascadia
To be fair everyone pissed and moaned about how USB A was dead and everyone had USB C so Apple should switch the iPhone to USB C. Apple didn’t do this but provided a USB C charger and cable in the box the past few generations of literally every iPhone model so it sounds like you haven’t upgraded your phone in years.

I do think the SE should have had a USB A to Lightning since it’s geared towards the more conscious buyer who doesn’t care about the latest phone and holds onto them longer.

I or someone in my household has bought a new phone of every single iPhone generation except the 12. Apple didn't provide a USB-C brick in any generation except the 11 Pro. The base 11 didn't get C, it got USB-A cord plus a USB-A brick.

The 12 and later removed the brick completely, but switched to USB-C cord.

So unless you bought an 11 Pro, you didn't get a USB-C brick in an iPhone. And most people don't upgrade every generation. So fine, people who DID buy an 11 Pro are set. But nobody else. Even pro buyers tend to go two years or more between upgrades. (The average is 2.6 years according to independent studies. So alternating 2 generations then 3 generations.)
 

1rottenapple

macrumors 601
Apr 21, 2004
4,709
2,724
The only big con about Apple’s move is carriers use this opportunity to upsell another charger brick at the time of purchase when old iPhone lightning cables work. I remember my mom asking me if it was ok to use her old lightning adapter so I believe many others faced the same question when buying the newer iPhones.
 
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