iPad Why do some countries not receive a charging brick with the new iPad?

[theluggage]

It is unreasonable to not include a power brick or zero cost means of getting one and then to not offer free replacements when an old one wears out

Why? Nobody expects any product to last for ever. You might as well expect Apple to give you a new iPad when your current one wears out.

The 5 years thing doesn’t work in practice, the cost of a successful claim forces you to just buy a new one and some retailers are a nightmare even when you are still in warranty.

5 years is an extreme case and, yes, you'd need evidence of an inherent fault. I don't know what you do to your power adapters, but wearing out in less than 5 years hasn't been an issue since most decent power supplies switched from captive cables (which usually got frayed) to USB sockets. ...and if a charger fails a PAT test within a few years without having been abused that's pretty serious and worth pursuing (and not touching that brand with a bargepole). I had one power brick fail recently - but that was within the initial no-quibble guarantee period. Like most electrical stuff, they follow the "bathtub curve" and either die quickly or go on for years until they die of old age (that's why paying for 'extended warranties' is such a scam - you're insuring the device for the period where it is least likely to fail).

The USB C connector itself was as far as this should have gone - pre-smartphones, every charger was different, so that was a good idea. Swapping to USB C on the wall end now means adapters needing to be bought

I disagree - chargers with captive cables were a big part of the problem. It is cables that bear the brunt of the wear. In the bad old days it was usually the cable - not the charger - that broke/got frayed (and got fixed with tape, risking shorts and possibly fires) and switching to sockets at both ends was a huge improvement.

Apple have been using USB-A at the wall end back in the early days of the iPod, and that's been great. The switch to USB-C was necessary because USB-C supports the higher voltages and currents needed to charge modern devices. The fact that even Macs now use USB-C to USB-C or MagSafe cables - the captive MagSafe cables in old-style bricks were particularly prone to fraying and that was potentially dangerous when a bit of gaffer tape could "save" you £70 for a new brick.

 

[kenny7]

Seems like legal permission for Apple to collect $25 with all new iPads. Adapters for MacBooks will cost consumers $50 to $100 unless you buy Anker. Maybe European consumers will be lucky and Apple includes a voucher in the box?

iPad charging adapter is $19 in Apple Store

 

[ric22]

iPad charging adapter is $19 in Apple Store

It costs more abroad.

 

[Jackbequickly]

US iPads still come with charging blocks

Some devices do not.

 

[JPack]

Some devices do not.

Only missing from iPhones, which might be semi-reasonable. But power adapters are now missing from the latest iPads in Europe, which doesn't make sense because consumers are buying additional iPads rather than just replacing. When people sell their iPad, they also include the original adapter. This will get even worse when Apple launches new MacBooks without power adapters.

 

[*~Kim~*]

Why? Nobody expects any product to last for ever. You might as well expect Apple to give you a new iPad when your current one wears out.


5 years is an extreme case and, yes, you'd need evidence of an inherent fault. I don't know what you do to your power adapters, but wearing out in less than 5 years hasn't been an issue since most decent power supplies switched from captive cables (which usually got frayed) to USB sockets. ...and if a charger fails a PAT test within a few years without having been abused that's pretty serious and worth pursuing (and not touching that brand with a bargepole). I had one power brick fail recently - but that was within the initial no-quibble guarantee period. Like most electrical stuff, they follow the "bathtub curve" and either die quickly or go on for years until they die of old age (that's why paying for 'extended warranties' is such a scam - you're insuring the device for the period where it is least likely to fail).


I disagree - chargers with captive cables were a big part of the problem. It is cables that bear the brunt of the wear. In the bad old days it was usually the cable - not the charger - that broke/got frayed (and got fixed with tape, risking shorts and possibly fires) and switching to sockets at both ends was a huge improvement.

I don’t expect a charger to last forever, but I did expect to receive a spare in the box with my next iPad. I’ve only ever had one charger break - and an old style charger about 17 years ago. If I don’t abuse my stuff and replace my iPad semi regularly, chargers shouldn’t be something I have to shell out for unless I want a high end one.

If a charger reliably lasts 5 years, then that’s effectively saying that the responsible should have to pay £20 every 5 years or so to continue using devices they’ve paid a lot of money for because others don’t pass spares along to those who have need of them/just throw old ones in the drawer/don’t recycle.

I agree that the cable being separated from the brick was a good thing - you only had to replace the component that had broken if you weren’t upgrading, reducing environmental impact and cost to the consumer.

 

[mrochester]

I don’t expect a charger to last forever, but I did expect to receive a spare in the box with my next iPad. I’ve only ever had one charger break - and an old style charger about 17 years ago. If I don’t abuse my stuff and replace my iPad semi regularly, chargers shouldn’t be something I have to shell out for unless I want a high end one.

If a charger reliably lasts 5 years, then that’s effectively saying that the responsible should have to pay £20 every 5 years or so to continue using devices they’ve paid a lot of money for because others don’t pass spares along to those who have need of them/just throw old ones in the drawer/don’t recycle.

I agree that the cable being separated from the brick was a good thing - you only had to replace the component that had broken if you weren’t upgrading, reducing environmental impact and cost to the consumer.

A charging brick should last a lot longer than 5 years. A good charging brick should cover you for multiple generations of devices.

 

[ric22]

Some devices do not.

No one ever claimed otherwise. 🧐

 

[ric22]

Only missing from iPhones, which might be semi-reasonable. But power adapters are now missing from the latest iPads in Europe, which doesn't make sense because consumers are buying additional iPads rather than just replacing. When people sell their iPad, they also include the original adapter. This will get even worse when Apple launches new MacBooks without power adapters.

There would be a heck of a pushback if they try taking away Mac power bricks any time in the next decade.

Meanwhile Apple could easily halve all their accessory costs, though of course they won't.

 

[JPack]

There would be a heck of a pushback if they try taking away Mac power bricks any time in the next decade.

Meanwhile Apple could easily halve all their accessory costs, though of course they won't.

The EU Directive seems to include notebooks in 2026. Based on the law, Apple will need to offer two options: bundled with adapter and unbundled. Alternatively, Apple can choose to offer unbundled only. Given the logistics, they'll probably do the latter only like with iPads unfortunately.

 

[ric22]

The EU Directive seems to include notebooks in 2026. Based on the law, Apple will need to offer two options: bundled with adapter and unbundled. Alternatively, Apple can choose to offer unbundled only. Given the logistics, they'll probably do the latter only like with iPads unfortunately.

Yikes. I'm usually with the EU on its tech laws, but they've ballsed this one right up.

 

[mrochester]

Yikes. I'm usually with the EU on its tech laws, but they've ballsed this one right up.

Well people have from between now and then to get prepared for laptops to no longer coming with charging bricks.

 

[ric22]

Well people have from between now and then to get prepared for laptops to no longer coming with charging bricks.

By buying one before it kicks in? Nothing stopping Apple ditching the charging brick even sooner, though...

 

[mrochester]

By buying one before it kicks in? Nothing stopping Apple ditching the charging brick even sooner, though...

Yes, or saving the extra money to buy an appropriate charger at the time of laptop purchase. Then use that charger for a decade plus.

 

[theluggage]

Well people have from between now and then to get prepared for laptops to no longer coming with charging bricks.

Oh, the humanity!

By buying one before it kicks in? Nothing stopping Apple ditching the charging brick even sooner, though...

Or, when you are forced, kicking and screaming, to buy a charger for your new iPad, get a decent, multiport one that will charge your MacBook as well. I got an nice 4-port Anker 65W charger for £35 that will charge all of my mobile devices and one socket supports up to 45W which would be good for anything up to a 15" MacBook Air.

Thing is - this rule will apply equally to Apple, HP, Dell, Lenovo etc. and now they'll all need the same type of USB-C charger, so the market for 3rd-party chargers should expand and prices drop (although they're already a lot lower than Apple - even reputable brands). They'll also have to be upfront about how much their own charger costs (currently, you only find out when you need a spare or replacement) - if that doesn't shame Apple into charging reasonable prices for chargers then you'll just have to shop around.

Bundling chargers with anything stopped making sense as soon as there was an agreed standard that could deliver more than 5W... Proprietary chargers and compatibility anxiety were a good excuse to gouge people silly money when they did need a spare or replacement.

Honestly, I'd be more worried about the stonking cost of higher storage options (and RAM on the Mac) where you choices are limited to "line Apple's pockets" or "enjoy Windows/Android"...

People just need to get over the notion that a £999 iPad ever meant £979 for the iPad and £20 for the charger. That iPad was always going to cost £999. At Apple's end of the market, prices are "what the market will bear" and have little to do with the bill of materials.

 

[ric22]

Yes, or saving the extra money to buy an appropriate charger at the time of laptop purchase. Then use that charger for a decade plus.

Shopping for a MacBook Air charger is a lot easier than shopping for an equally good MacBook Pro 16" charger...

 

[Pezimak]

In the future there’ll be even more devices that don’t come with chargers. Laptops are on the list to go charger-less before long.

And that is entirely your own personal opinion and will never happen.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Sure, what’s an extra £25 on top of the TWO GRAND you’ve just spent… hell it’s almost idiotic to expect a device to come with a charger these days….

Did you know you can buy a $30K car and have to pay an extra $2K for heated seats??

 

[ric22]

And that is entirely your own personal opinion and will never happen.

I wish it wasn't true, but it seems in 2 years time it will be true for the EU...

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

iPhones are “a grand” and haven’t come with a charger in years. Yes, any phone charger (that everyone already has) will charge an iPad Pro just fine.

Not really the case ‘yet’ as the iPads now are USB-C so most iPhones still in use generally are still lightning chargers. USB-C is still very new to iPhone so most iPhone users aren’t using it yet to be able to already have them for iPads.

I have a 13 Pro Max and luckily an Air 4th gen which came with a USB-C charger, but when my daughter bought an iPad 10 a few weeks back, we had to buy a charger for it as there’s not enough in the household yet. It will come in time once we upgrade our iPhones and buy more chargers though. Not exactly environmentally friendly but there we are lol.

 

[Pezimak]

I wish it wasn't true, but it seems in 2 years time it will be true for the EU...

Crazy, because not very many people will have a charger to use so they will be forced to buy one on top of spending 3 or 4 grand, it is extremely difficult to justify it at that price.

 

[Pezimak]

Did you know you can buy a $30K car and have to pay an extra $2K for heated seats??

Sis you also know you don’t need heated seats for a car to function and drive.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Sis you also know you don’t need heated seats for a car to function and drive.

You are telling me you have $2K to spend on an iPad and you don't already have a charger?

The Venn diagram intersection of such people is literally zero.

 

[mrochester]

You are telling me you have $2K to spend on an iPad and you don't already have a charger?

The Venn diagram intersection of such people is literally zero.

Yeah must be a pretty small number of people whose first device ever is a £2000 iPad.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

It’s probably best Apple don’t include a charger in reality as it means other companies get the sales. Companies like Anker and Belkin make much better quality USB-C chargers and cables than Apples notoriously poor quality versions.