Apple's AirPods 4 don't even ship with a USB-C charging cable

Apple has, a few years ago, stopped shipping charging adapters with its phones, starting a trend that doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Now, it has boldly removed yet another thing cluttering its boxes: the charging cable.

The newly announced AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (what a name!) do not have even a cable in the box, let alone a charger. This information is official and has been confirmed by Apple itself through its spec page for the new earbuds.

So, we're left wondering what's next. Will the AirPods 6 spec page say "Charging Case (USB-C) sold separately"? At this rate, would it really be that surprising?

All joking aside, removing a tiny USB cable from the box feels less egregious than removing the charger, but it's still a further step on the way to making the unboxing experience for electronics an incredibly dull affair.

Anyway, you can pre-order both AirPods 4 models now, and they're set to start shipping on September 20, the same date as the iPhone 16 family.