Apple Stops Providing EarPods With iPhones Sold in France - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Stops Providing EarPods With iPhones Sold in France

by

Apple has confirmed it no longer provides customers with complimentary EarPods in the box with every iPhone sold in France, citing the environmental benefits of having a thinner iPhone box thanks to the lack of a charger and earphones.

iphone france lack of earpods
In an update on Apple's French website, the company no longer states that EarPods will be included in the box for any of its iPhones. Apple now lists only the iPhone itself and a USB-C to Lightning cable.

Earlier in the month, notices posted by French carriers indicated that starting January 24, Apple would no longer include EarPods in the box with iPhones sold in France. Under previous French law, Apple was lawfully obligated to include EarPods in the box based on the precautionary principle, because the risks of exposing developing brains to electromagnetic waves are not clearly known.

Newly passed law in the country no longer requires that smartphones makers such as Apple and Samsung include headphones in the box. Instead, they must ensure compatible headphones are available separately as an optional accessory.

Apple removed EarPods and the power adapter from all iPhone boxes starting with the iPhone 12 in 2020. Apple's decision has been controversial in several countries, with the tech giant facing a fine of $2 million in Brazil.

Tag: France

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 Adds Two New Features to CarPlay

Tuesday March 24, 2026 1:55 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 was released today, and it includes a couple of new features for CarPlay: an Ambient Music widget and support for voice-based chatbot apps. To update your iPhone 11 or newer to iOS 26.4, open the Settings app and tap on General → Software Update. CarPlay will automatically offer the new features so long as the iPhone connected to your vehicle is running iOS 26.4 or later....
Read Full Article • 29 comments
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Tuesday March 24, 2026 12:31 pm PDT by
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods 4. The firmware has a version number of 8B39, up from 8B34 on the AirPods Pro 3, 8B28 on the AirPods Pro 2, and 8B21 on the AirPods 4. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance...
Read Full Article • 89 comments
apple tv 4k new orange

tvOS 26.4 Adds These New Features to Your Apple TV

Wednesday March 25, 2026 3:33 pm PDT by
Apple this week released tvOS 26.4, and the software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the Apple TV. tvOS 26.4 is compatible with all Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models released since 2015. To update your Apple TV, open the Settings app on the device, navigate to System → Software Updates, and select Update Software. Below, we have recapped what is new in tvOS...
Read Full Article • 47 comments

Top Rated Comments

D
Deliro
54 months ago
Cut to an overly produced clip of some environmental czar/VP standing near some solar panels on top of the empty Apple Offices saying how great this is.

While I get and don’t necessarily disagree. It does sting when items are removed with no reduction of price.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michael Scrip Avatar
Michael Scrip
54 months ago
When Apple sells 200 million iPhones every year... that's 200 million pairs of EarPods that they would need to include in every box.

And I bet most of those EarPods never get used or even taken out of the box. That's what Apple is trying to prevent.

If they don't need to manufacture 200 million pairs of EarPods every year... those factories could possibly be used to make something else that people do want. Who knows.

As for removing items but keeping the price the same... we simply don't know Apple's costs for components.

Maybe the $1 or $2 reduction from removing the EarPods from the box is offset by a $1 or $2 increase in cost of some other component.

Who knows. I honestly don't care.

I've already spent more time typing this comment than I ever spent worrying about the included EarPods.

Now excuse me... I've got to organize my drawer of dozens of MicroUSB cables that came with every little gadget I've ever purchased...

🤣
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
indychris Avatar
indychris
54 months ago
That's some serious thinking inside the box! Just make your carbon offset check payable directly to Tim Cook!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
I7guy
54 months ago

Why does everyone want to see APPLE getting richer and richer while cheating customers out of accessories they now need to pay extra for?

Does everyone on the Macrumors web site have a stake in the company or are part owners of the compony??


Dam.
Why do people not want some effort to go toward saving the environment?

However, to answer your question, probably 98% of MR posters are also shareholders, imo. :apple:
:apple:
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️ Avatar
TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️
54 months ago
An easy win for Apple. Adding easy/more 💰 to that 3-trillion dollar market cap. One more thing… Gone from the iPhone for the people in France.

Does anyone remember this? 😪😥

https://www.geekwebguides.com/2008/07/08/iphone-3g-unboxing-photos/
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
U
Unregistered 4U
54 months ago

Curious to know how much it cost Apple to have the VP stand up on the roof. Pretty sure they had to use some sort of a crane 🏗?
I don’t know a modern building that doesn’t provide easy walkable access to the roof. (Though, many are secured by locks… nothing I know about, of course, just from what a friend told me). :)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments