When it comes to unboxing, Apple has one of the most premium experiences. Everything opens with ease, products are prominently displayed, and packing materials are tailored to the experience. Packaging is your first impression, and Apple knows how to make a good one.

Anyone who has been opening Apple products for years also knows that the packages have been getting smaller. While Apple certainly knows how to do more with less, they’re also including fewer items in the box. This holds implications for the experience they’re providing customers and the value you receive when you buy an iPhone.

Each time Apple refreshes their iPhone models, they also question the necessity of each item you receive. They may exclude accessories that aren’t critical and may not be part of Apple’s vision for the future. Sometimes this keeps the cost of the iPhone lower, but other times Apple is trying to turn your attention to other accessories in their ecosystem.

via Apple on 9/23/21

It’s been a long road, but we’re now reduced to one main accessory in the iPhone 13 box: A Lightning to USB-C Cable. You’ll also get a sim ejector tool, and the usual Apple sticker and paperwork.

iPhone Charging Dock

It’s hard to believe, but the original iPhone once included a charging dock in addition to the USB to 30-pin cable and a wall adapter.

via Anandtech

Apple’s docks are designed to beautifully present their devices while effortlessly charging them. There’s a reason all of the iPhones at the Apple Store are docked, and the original iPhone wanted to give customers a premium experience.

Docking your iPhone is unnecessary, but it’s also stylistically Apple. While the iPhone 2G received a lot of buzz, it wasn’t a guaranteed success. Including the dock was a gesture of appreciation to the people who supported the iPhone during its earliest days. Out of the box, they received the full Apple experience.

Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

The first two generations of iPhone included a microfiber cloth to keep fingerprints under control. Another small gesture by Apple, but this accessory probably didn’t get a whole lot of use. It was included in the paperwork, so it was easy to discard and store in a closet.

Power Adapter

In US markets, the original iPhone included a “travel charger.” While the wall unit was bulkier than the redesign we’d see with later iPhone models, users could change the wall plug on the adapter. This allowed users to change one piece and use their charger in international outlets. While many people would never need to do this, it was also during a period of time where USB-A ports weren’t as readily available.

via Anandtech

Starting with the iPhone 3G customers would receive a single-piece 5W wall adapter in the box. This was smaller, easier to package, but less adaptable. This type of wall adapter would become commonplace for many future iPhone models, but it was strengthened with the 3GS model because metal prongs had a chance of breaking off and causing electrical shocks.

The Long Life of the Wall Adapter

For a long period of time, the wall adapter was standard in iPhone boxes. They were barely changed until the 2019 iPhone cycle. Most iPhone models still included the standard 5W USB-A wall adapter, but the iPhone 11 Pro models came with a 18W USB-C fast-charging adapter. The inclusion of this accessory only lasted a year.

image saved via Macrumors

Starting with the 2020 line-up, wall adapters disappeared from the packaging. Apple cited environmental concerns as their main reason for this decision. Not only do wall adapters require a lot of materials to make, they consume a lot of space in the box. This means packaging iPhones will consume fewer materials and more units can fit into a single shipment.

With the 2020 Keynote, all existing iPhone models would receive the same treatment as new models. Apple continues to produce models such as the iPhone SE, but they no longer have headphones or a wall adapter in the box. Instead, there is just a USB-C to Lightning Cable.

Undoubtedly, there are many wall adapters circulating in the world. Apple has used tons of materials to create products that sit in desk drawers, but it is quite odd for them to remove the wall adapter and redesign the Lightning cable in the same breath. To use the included USB-C to Lightning cable, many consumers will need to spend extra money to purchase a USB-C wall adapter.

Headsets & EarPods

Early into the life of the iPhone, it was considered an iPod and a phone. The Music app was even named “iPod” on early models, and headphones were considered an essential part of the listening experience.

The Stereo Headset on the iPhone 2G mimicked the headphones included with an iPod in 2007. However, the Stereo Headset had a small box on the cable including a microphone for taking calls. With the iPhone 3GS this model was redesigned. This is when we’d see the introduction of the headset containing the mic and volume control buttons.

via iLounge

This functionality would quickly become a heavily-used feature, because Apple kept the remote when redesigning their headphones for the iPhone 5. The new “EarPods” reshaped the speakers on the headphones to optimize airflow and maximize sound. This design is still part of Apple’s lineup, though it’s mostly displayed in their wireless AirPods.

Losing the Headphone Jack

When the iPhone 7 debuted, the headphone jack became a thing of the past. There’s no way Apple would expect people not to listen to music, but plugging in headphones would look a little different. Now, Apple included EarPods with a Lightning adapter at the end. The Lightning port always had the capability of outputting audio, but now it was the iPhone’s main audio output.

via Wffctech

The EarPods with Lightning connector were included in the iPhone 7’s box, along with the Lightning to 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter. This move resulted in some unhappy iPhone users, but it didn’t stop Apple from moving forward with the decision. The iPhone 7 was released in the fall of 2016, around the same time the AirPods were first introduced. These wireless headphones would go on to become massively successful, but some users did question if the removal of the headphone jack was a calculated decision.

Losing the Headphones

Much like the wall adapter, the 2020 lineup of iPhones removed EarPods from the in-box accessory list. Now, users were only left with a single USB-C to Lightning Cable in the box.

If you watch any advertisement from Apple, they don’t like to show cords. Clearly, they want customers to use AirPods instead of wired headphones. Wireless headphones are a more premium product than any headset Apple has included in the package, and they want to encourage customers to spend more to get the full experience.

Lightning to 3.5 MM Headphone Jack

Removing the 3.5 mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7 was met with a lot of criticism. Admittedly, this was old technology that served the single purpose of carrying audio. Technology was much better than this in 2016, and Apple knew they could do better, but customers were still hesitant.

Apple Keynote via The Verge

For two cycles, Apple included a Lightning to 3.5 mm headphone jack in the box. This would allow users to continue using headphones with an auxiliary port without needing to buy any additional accessories. In 2018, with the introduction of the iPhone XS, this accessory was omitted from the box.

2018 also saw tremendous growth for AirPods. Likely, Apple recognized that customers were ready to move on from old-school headphones. So, they moved on too.

Charging Cable

Some things remain unchanged, and the iPhone has always included some type of charging cable in the box. Early generations used a 30-pin adapter while the iPhone 5 introduced the Lightning adapter.

via GottaBeMobile

The Lightning Cable allowed for all of the functionality of 30-pin devices, but was much smaller and would function regardless of which side was facing upward. This was a quality of life upgrade that remains standard today.

Until 2019’s iPhone 11 Pro, all Lightning Cables had a USB-A plug at the end. The iPhone 11 Pro tested the waters with USB-C, and Apple started to highlight benefits the newer technology. In 2020, all iPhones would come with a single USB-C to Lightning Cable, but iPhones can still charge using older USB-A to Lightning Cables.

SIM Ejector Tool

Since the initial release, iPhones have included a SIM tray ejector tools in the box. They still do this, but some models were missing this accessory. Customers who bought an iPhone locked to a specific cellular network may not have received the tool in the box. Rather, they would get a new SIM inside the phone or a representative from the cellular company would activate the device. In more recent years, there has been an emphasis on unlocked phones. As such, it is less likely to buy an iPhone without a SIM ejector tool.

What iPhone Accessories Tell Us

When the iPhone was first released, Apple wanted to release a premium product. This was their first time entering the smartphone market, and they didn’t know what customers truly needed. Clearly, they understood the device would need to be charged, but docks and cleaning cloths weren’t central to the experience.

Eventually, some accessories were deemed unnecessary, but Apple likely saw their biggest change with the iPhone 5 in 2012. At that point, they reinvented the headset and the charging cable and identified a market with a lot of potential.

There’s also an idea that Apple only makes changes when the customers are ready. This might be the reason the Lightning to Headphone Jack adapter was included in boxes for two years, but was removed when customers showed a preference for AirPods. With the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, the changes presented themselves as missing items. Apple claims this is an environmental effort, but that only seems like a half-truth.

Yes, there are lot of unused accessories, but Apple also put a USB-C plug on the Lightning Cable when they pulled the wall adapter from boxes. To use this accessory, customers need a computer that’s USB-C compatible or they need to buy another accessory. Customers cannot elect to buy a Lightning Cable with a USB-A plug, even if they order their iPhone online. If the main goal was reducing waste, that would be an option.

Lightning to USB-C cable and Wall Adapter

Of course, the accessory market is very lucrative. In 2019, Apple posted a higher sales figure for accessories than they did for iPads. Not only is this a profitable sector, but technology is getting more advanced. Apple doesn’t want to assume a customer’s accessory preference. They don’t need wired headphones if they’re going to use AirPods, and they don’t want to give customers a wall adapter when they have MagSafe charging options. At this point, the Lightning to USB-C cable isn’t in the box because you need to charge your phone. It’s in the box to remind customers they can fast-charge their phone. As such, Apple doesn’t want to assume which wall adapter the customer will use.

From here, there’s only one place to go. We may get an iPhone without any charging cable in the box. Will this happen? It’s possible. Apple keeps changing their technology, and the EU is trying to make USB-C the only acceptable smartphone charger. Apple might have some tricks up their sleeve, and the end result could mean an emptier iPhone box for customers.