Apple (AAPL -0.35%), not exactly a company known for generous discounts or special deals, has cut the prices of two accessories many users consider to be necessities.
Without making a formal announcement, the tech giant reduced the list price of its EarPods headphone set to $19; it was formerly $29 per pair. The company is also selling the 20W USB-C power adapter for the same price, where a previous comparable model was $29.
Image source: Apple.
That's dismaying for numerous Apple fans and customers, however, because previously the company had packaged both a headphone set and a power adapter along with its iPhones. With the new iPhone 12 line formally introduced this week, however, it has stopped doing so; both items -- considered essential by many users -- must now be purchased separately.
In its press releases heralding the new product line, Apple said of this move that it will reduce the size of the iPhone 12 packaging. The change is aimed at "further reducing carbon emissions and avoiding the mining and use of precious materials, which enables smaller and lighter packaging, and allows for 70% more boxes to be shipped on a pallet."
The company claims that with the number of iPhone 12 models likely to be shipped, this will reduce carbon emissions by 2 million metric tons annually -- the equivalent of taking almost 450,000 cars off the road. It is not known if this claim has been independently verified.
Investors seemed to shrug off news of the unbundling on Wednesday. Apple shares essentially traded sideways, which was a relatively good performance given the slump of the S&P 500 index on the day.
