Apple has come under fire after the release of the iPhone 12 when it was revealed that it will not include a charging block or EarPods. However, in some countries, the situation is a little different.

There is no way to get an iPhone 12 with a charger included, but you can get EarPods if you buy in France.

As MacRumors discovered, Apple stores in France still bundle the EarPods with the iPhone 12. Not because of Apple's affinity for France, of course, but because of French law that requires Apple to do so.

According to French law, all smartphones must include a "hands-free kit" to protect children under 14 from the dangers of electromagnetic radiation. Apparently, this law was introduced as a precautionary measure because the risks of exposing the developing brain to electromagnetic radiation are not clear.

Failure to provide a hands-free kit also carries a criminal penalty of €75,000.

Apple's official reason for not bundling PowerBrick or EarPods with the iPhone 12 is environmental. It claims that since many customers already have those accessories at home, bundling them "was not the right thing to do in a sense in terms of the larger environmental goals." It also meant that the iPhone 12 could be packaged smaller.

Of course, there is some skepticism there. Clearly Apple is trying to cut costs by not bundling those products for free, and to get extra sales from those who don't have them. In particular, the USB-C charging block is only bundled with the iPhone 11 series, and the older charging blocks have USB-A ports. Therefore, they are not compatible with the USB-C - Lighting cable included with the iPhone 12.

As far as we know, there is no way to get an iPhone 12 that includes the charging block, but if you must get wired EarPods without paying $19/£19, you can move to France and buy your phone there.

The new 20W USB-C charging block is the same price no matter where you live.

While these changes in bundle box contents may annoy some Apple fans, at least the iPhone 12 series promises a significant upgrade over the previous model. from the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini to the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max, there are four models to choose from; all four feature the new A14 Bionic chip, a new flat-edge design, and MagSafe wireless charging.

However, there are differences in the rear cameras, with the mini and 6.1-inch iPhone 12 having only two on the back. iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max will feature three upgraded cameras and a LiDAR sensor, which is expected to provide a significant upgrade in photography over the iPhone 11 Pro. expected to be a significant upgrade over the iPhone 11 Pro.