Here's another clue that the iPhone 12 won't come with a charger

Rumors abound that Apple is considering not including a power adapter or earbuds in the box with the iPhone 12 models – to save on electronic waste and to save money – and we've now come across another hint that this is going to be the case.

Based on tweets posted by users, Apple is currently surveying some of its customers about what they've done with the power adapters they've already got – which may give an indication about which way the company is thinking.

The survey apparently sent to existing iPhone owners asks if they're still using the USB charging block, or if they've lost it, or if they've given it to a friend or family member to use instead. There's also an option to indicate that the charger is no longer working well.

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This isn't confirmation that Apple is ditching the bundled charging adapter of course, but it does at least appear to be on the table. So far the strongest indication that the iPhone 12 won't come with the standard accessories has been an analyst prediction.

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According to TF Securities analyst Ming-chi Kuo, Apple wants to offset the cost of adding 5G to its handsets by not including a power adapter or indeed earbuds in the box, though they will be available to buy separately if you need them.

To be fair to Apple there is an eco-friendly angle here too: at this stage the majority of people who are going to buy an iPhone probably already have the accessories they need from previous handsets. And more compact packaging means less waste.

We'll find out for sure later in the year when the iPhone 12 finally breaks cover – though it looks as though the regular schedule of a September announcement could be under threat, with the global pandemic that we're all living through.

We're expecting a total of four iPhone 12 phones to be unveiled eventually, with 5G available on all of them, and a variety of screen sizes to pick from. Inside sources suggest the iPhone 12 models will be taking a few design cues from the iPad Pro tablets.