When buyers in Europe open a brand new tablet box from Apple, it is missing something important. The power brick is gone. The company made this change quietly while launching fresh models over the last couple of years. If you are picking up a shiny new iPad today in the region, you will only find the device and a cable inside the package.
The price tag remains the same as before, leaving buyers to purchase the wall plug separately.
Local rules pushed the company to drop the included adapter
This shift stems from rules set by the European Commission. The governing body pushed the Common Charger Directive to cut down on electronic waste. The rule requires tech brands to stick to a standard USB-C port for devices like the iPhone and other portable gadgets. The directive also states that shoppers should have the choice to skip the wall plug if a spare is already sitting at home.
Instead of letting buyers choose to include a free power brick at checkout, the tech giant chose to remove it entirely. The company opted to sell the accessory as a standalone item. The change does not just affect tablets. If a customer buys a new MacBook, it also ships without a charger. Grabbing a ninety-six-watt power brick for a laptop now costs an extra eighty-five euros.
The European Union wants to shrink the massive pile of old chargers that end up in landfills. It sees these rules as a vital step for a greener future. At the same time, the tablet maker seems to be using the situation to make a point about local legislation interfering with product delivery.
People upgrading old hardware after several years are now left footing the extra bill for a simple wall plug. The standoff leaves everyday buyers caught in the middle of a massive regulatory dispute.
