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New iPhone Charging Cords/Cubes

Why don't the new iPhones, with their USB-C to lightning cable, come with an appropriate charging cube? We just purchased two new phones and have nothing to plug the cords into except for my iMac USB Power Adapter (which is huge and clunky). The website cites environmental concern, but I feel that's quite disingenuous. Very disappointed that we have to purchase those separately.

Posted on May 12, 2023 10:55 AM

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Posted on May 12, 2023 11:42 AM

Thank you for responding, but my complaint was that the phones no longer come with charging cubes for the USB-C cords now supplied; and that those cords are not compatible with older plain old USB charging cubes that all of us have sitting around our houses in large numbers.

13 replies

May 14, 2023 9:17 AM in response to Phil0124

The last iPhone I bought (iPhone 13Pro) came with a standard USB cord for a standard USB cube; haven't purchased ANY device that takes a USB-C cube besides my MacBook Pro in 2019. And, again, that one is giant and clunky.


We'd need to purchase a new cube because my MacBook Pro's battery loses its charge very quickly; besides, we'd want to charge the two phones in different rooms from each other and from my laptop.


I feel as though it's very inconvenient for Apple to keep changing the cord type and presumptuous to assume we have additional chargers that accommodate the stinkin' USB-C.

Jan 24, 2024 3:08 PM in response to Phil0124

But who buys android products when they are iPhone (Apple) users? And yes maybe an Amazon fire stick or streaming device comes with a “c port” but when you buy those, you’re using them for those devices so how are you supposed to charge your phone using it? That’s just weird all around. I buy lots of things but have never received a USB C charging port with it. And I think you just proved the original poster’s point, if every other product you order these days comes with a charging cube (which I disagree with), then why is Apple choosing not to include? It’s all such a shame. When u buy a new phone why then do you have to go buy a new cube. My 2018 car has the larger ports for charging phone/aux. should I have to go buy a new car to be able to have correct port size to charge my phone now?

Jan 24, 2024 5:44 AM in response to Phil0124

Anyone know an example of a product that would have come with a charging port/cube that would be compatible with the newest USB C cords? I hate that I need to buy these now to replace my old Apple charging cubes. And it’s absolutely not true that you can use a USB-C cord with any old cube you have in the house. Most cubes I have all from Apple have the wider/larger port that sooooo many device cords have. Apple stopped sending cubes a long time ago. I can tell you they all go bad at some point. I have had to purchase several charging cubes/ports over the last 5-7 years. And they are all now inoperative. Now I just need the ports compatible with the USB C cord since I have about 4 of those now (useless cuz I need the tiny port).

Jan 24, 2024 3:18 PM in response to rachees613

Debating this on this user to user only forum where you are speaking ONLY with other Apple users and not Apple is pointless. Apple doesn't include a charging cord with iPhone and hasn't for the last couple generations. Samsung doesn't either. If you aren't happy about that, use the feedback link posted above.


Personally, had my new iPhone 15 Pro Max come with one, it would have just wound up in a drawer. I already own several devices which use USB C charging plugs as do many many others. When Apple made the announcement, they would no longer supply charging plugs, they said it was help avoid electronic waste and in my case, it certainly has. I don't even plug my phone in to charge as I went MagSafe a long time ago.


If you need a charging plug, you can get the Anker Nano USB C 20w plug which is a great plug and costs less than $20. Otherwise, there is just nothing anyone here can offer you. We aren't Apple and we had nothing to do with their decision. But as already mentioned, Samsung soon followed suit and this is just how things are.

Jun 16, 2024 4:37 PM in response to rachees613

I couldn’t agree with this more. I have my new AirPods Max box in front of me and there is plenty of space to engineer another cutout in the packaging to make a cube fit, so that is truly a cop out. These also really aren’t giving better audio quality than the Sonos I tried nor my Beats. I will be returning them. Apple, cut it out. You’re cheapening your brand.

Mar 18, 2024 8:12 AM in response to JimEd74

JimEd74 wrote:

My two iPhone 15’s were sent with charging cords having the C connector on both ends. So…Apple “simply assumed” that I’d have a C charging cube laying around? Typical attitude in today’s world. Feh!

Do you have a question or did you just want to vent? It was clearly noted in "what's in the box" when you ordered an iPhone 15. If you didn't have any any USB C charging bricks, you could have bought one or even a USB C to USB A adapter to use the cable which came in the box. Neither are very expensive.

Jan 24, 2024 8:36 AM in response to Tech-unsavvy2

Any Android device, Microsoft Tablet, or streaming device such as a Roku, Chromecast or Amazon Fire, bought in the last 6 to 7 years would likely have come with a USB-C compatible charging brick.


You can always buy a USB-C to the larger USB-A cable instead of a charger, and use that with whatever USB-A chargers you have around.

Belkin BOOST↑Charge USB-A to USB-C Cable (1m)

May 12, 2023 11:24 AM in response to rachees613

  1. They do come with their cords. No iPhone ships without a cord.
  2. They don't come with cubes, because it's unnecessary. You can use any compatible charger from a previous iPhone, iPad, Android or Windows device you may already have. And most people even choose to use a wireless charger or a 3rd party option, so most included cubes go unused and add to e-waste eventually.
  3. You don't have to purchase cords separately. And if you've owned an iPhone in the last 11 years you already have at least one cube and cord you can use with it.
  4. There's even tons of android cubes that will work with the iPhone. There's nothing that states you absolutely need to go out and buy a new charger.

May 12, 2023 11:51 AM in response to rachees613

If you have a previous iPhone, you can use any cord and cube you used with it for the new iPhone.


Also, in the last 5 years you have bought no other device that have a USB-C cube you can use with the included cable? None?

Most devices now ship with USB-C cubes and cables.


The point being, there's ways to use the iPhone without absolutely needing to buy a new charger.

New iPhone Charging Cords/Cubes

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