Apple will not bundle the EarPods headphones with the iPhone 12 as part of a move to get people to buy AirPods wireless earphones.

At least, that's the latest prediction from analyst and Apple oracle Ming-Chi Kuo, who said in his latest research note (via MacRumors) that he expects Apple to leave the EarPods out of the iPhone 12 box. Apple has been bundling wired earphones with its smartphones since it launched the first iPhone in 2007.

Given that Apple has priced its iPhones (aside from the iPhone SE 2020) fairly high, it is not unreasonable to expect that basic earphones will be included for free. However, Kuo expects AirPods shipments to drop in Apple's Q2 results, which means that Apple will try to reignite interest in AirPods when the iPhone 12 debuts, probably around September.

And an easy (and somewhat ironic) way to do that would be to leave the EarBuds out of the box and encourage iPhone 12 users to look at Apple's other headphones instead: the AirPods Pro has impressed us, and Apple's over-ear AirPods Studio headphones as well as the AirPods 3.

However, if Kuo's prediction comes to fruition, it could backfire for Apple: impressive wireless headphones that work with iOS devices, like Sony's WF-1000XM3 earphones, with excellent sound quality and active noise cancellation, offered at a price below the AirPods Pro.

The iPhone 12 will be announced in September, and rumors point to four new models with upgraded specs, narrower display notches, and improved cameras. iPhone 12 Pro series will feature a new 64MP main wide camera, 3x telephoto lens, an ultra-wide camera, and a new LiDAR depth sensor, which could have a particularly impressive array. Just be aware that all of this impressive technology may come at the expense of a free set of earbuds.