Apple's new M5 MacBook Pro will ship without a power adapter in the box in the United Kingdom and European Union, prompting online confusion that the change was mandated by EU law — a claim that is incorrect.


Apple quietly updated its online store following the launch of the M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ to note that customers in the UK and EU who purchase the new 14-inch model will no longer receive a charging brick by default. The laptop still includes a MagSafe 3 cable, but buyers must purchase a compatible USB-C power adapter separately. The change does not apply to other markets such as the United States, where a 70W USB-C Power Adapter remains included at no extra cost.

The omission led some observers to suggest that the decision was required under new European environmental regulations. Some claimed that the European Union had banned manufacturers from including power adapters with new electronics in order to reduce electronic waste, but this is not the case.

The confusion appears to stem from the EU's 2022 Common Charger Directive, legislation designed to standardize charging ports and give consumers flexibility when purchasing new devices. The directive requires that all smartphones, tablets, and laptops sold within the EU use USB-C for wired charging. It also stipulates that consumers must be offered the option to buy a device without a charger to limit unnecessary e-waste.

The law "ensures that consumers will be able to purchase new electronic devices without having to obtain a new charger each time," but it does not prevent manufacturers from supplying one. In practice, this means companies must provide a version of each product that can be purchased without an adapter, while retaining the freedom to include a charger or offer it free of charge.

Apple's decision to remove the charger entirely from the EU boxes therefore goes beyond what the law requires. The company could, for example, offer customers the option to include a charger at checkout for no additional cost, as long as it also sells a version without one. The lack of charger in the UK is even more unnecessary, since it is not part of the European Union.

The move to charge separately for adapters is therefore a business choice by Apple, not a legal necessity. The company's approach simplifies logistics and packaging, avoiding the need for separate SKUs in Europe, but it also shifts the cost to customers who do not already own a compatible charger.

Apple has historically argued that omitting power bricks from its packaging is part of a wider environmental effort. The company first removed the charger from iPhone boxes in 2020, citing the environmental benefits of smaller packaging and fewer redundant accessories. Similar reasoning has since extended to other product lines. By reducing the size and weight of shipments, Apple says it can cut carbon emissions and limit use of resources across its supply chain.

The M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ continues to support both ‌MagSafe‌ and USB-C charging. Customers can use existing 67W, 96W, or 140W USB-C adapters to charge the device, depending on the configuration. Apple sells its own USB-C power adapters separately, and the company's online product pages now prominently note that "power adapter sold separately" for the affected regions.

Pricing adjustments partly offset the omission in some regions, although shifts in currency exchange rates likely also factored into Apple's pricing changes as is common. In several European countries, the new 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is approximately €100 cheaper than its predecessor, but the UK model retains the same starting price.
This article, "EU Didn't Stop Apple From Including Charger With M5 MacBook Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The UK government's secret demand for Apple to create backdoor access to encrypted user data was far broader than previously known, reports the Financial Times. British officials didn't just want to break Apple's Advanced Data Protection feature, but sought to tap a swathe of standard iCloud services used by millions worldwide.


New court filings published on Wednesday by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPC) show the Home Office's technical capability notice (TCN) "is not limited to" Apple's Advanced Data Protection feature, reports the FT. The order also included requirements for Apple to "provide and maintain a capability to disclose categories of data stored within a cloud-based backup service," suggesting the UK wanted access to backed-up messages and passwords.

Perhaps most significantly, the court document states that "the obligations included in the TCN are not limited to the UK or users of the service in the UK; they apply globally in respect of the relevant data categories of all iCloud users."

The revelation comes after Trump administration officials claimed last week that the UK had agreed to drop its encryption demands following pressure from the U.S. director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and vice president JD Vance. However, the new filing suggests the Home Office has yet to formally modify or rescind its global data access demands.

Apple withdrew its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature from UK customers in February after receiving the secret government order, but the court documents imply this was only the tip of the iceberg. ADP provides end-to-end encryption for additional iCloud categories like Photos, Notes, and device backups, while standard iCloud already encrypts data in transit and at rest but allows Apple to access it with proper legal requests.

The case is arguably the most significant encryption battle since Apple's 2016 fight with the FBI over unlocking the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone. Apple has consistently maintained that creating backdoors would compromise security for all users and inevitably be exploited by malicious actors.

The IPC will hear Apple's legal challenge in open court early next year, although the UK government refuses to confirm or deny the existence of the Home Office order. The court has agreed to proceed based on "assumed facts" to avoid participants violating the Official Secrets Act.

One person familiar with the case told FT they were "still very concerned this is still going on," despite public statements from U.S. officials about the UK backing down.
This article, "UK Still Demanding Global Access to iCloud User Data, Filings Suggest" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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