France will also say goodbye to the EarPods free: the law that prevented the sale of iPhone without headphones has lapsed and Apple seems ready to change the packaging. Environmental concerns have beaten health concerns in French legislation.
Even in France, no headphones in the packs of iPhones: that’s why
Starting with the iPhone 12, Apple has decided not to distribute the EarPods in the packaging of their smartphones anymore. The decision, according to the company, was environmental: they are potentially one more electronic waste. Especially because many users prefer AirPods rather than using basic wired headphones. Although many commentators have seen a way to reduce costs.
However, France has legislation that requires the presence of headphones in the packaging of smartphones. In fact, he believes that the radio frequency waves emitted and received by smartphones may have ppotential negative effects on the brain. The debate on the impact of these waves is much discussed, so much so that France is the only nation with legislation that requires the presence of headphones, to leave an alternative to bringing the smartphone close to the ears during calls.
To fulfill the legal obligations, Apple has found the solution of one bigger box with the EarPods to also contain iPhone. So that you don’t have to make several packs for your smartphone.
However, new legislation in France recognized that the environmental risk to have another electronic waste outweighs the health risk, based on less solid scientific data. So Apple can do as it does around the rest of the world and deliver iPhones without headphones to France as well.
Well-informed sources, heard by 9to5Mac, report that the headphones they will be removed from the packaging starting from weeksa next. But in all likelihood they will run out of stock first. Having come up with the “box in the box” method should help Apple in the transition.
French customers will also have to resign themselves. And go buy a pair of AirPods.