New iPads Won’t Come With Apple’s Iconic Logo Stickers for This Reason

Buyers of Apple’s brand new iPad Pro and iPad Air models might be surprised to find that there are no Apple logo stickers in the box. The company has thrown one or two stickers in with nearly every major product it has shipped since its early days, but now it seems that the little bonus is being phased out. Stickers featuring Apple’s rainbow-striped logo from the 1970s are still prized by fans, though in recent years a plain white Apple silhouette has become instantly recognisable, and a few products have shipped with logos in matching solid colours. 

The stickers are often displayed by fans on anything from laptop covers and desk dividers to car bumpers. Long before the iPod and iPhone rocketed the Apple brand into the mainstream, when the company was an upstart with a niche audience, these stickers could help fans find each other, or at least help them advertise that they were going against the mainstream. Special edition designs have also been handed out at important events, such as the launch of a new Apple Store.

The strategy has given Apple tonnes of free marketing, as people proudly display the company’s logo, creating a sense of pride and exclusivity around product ownership. Several other tech companies have included sticker sheets with their products in recent years as well.

Now, however, as Apple continues to find ways to be eco-friendly and eliminate plastic from its products and packaging, the stickers are set to become a part of history. As multiple international outlets are reporting, the brand new iPad Pro and iPad Air, launched this week, will not come with any stickers in the box. Fans and collectors might be disappointed, but reactions are largely positive, with many on social media commenting that they have dozens of such stickers lying around after having bought multiple Apple products over the past several years. 

The company has been on a campaign to reduce in-box accessories beginning in the early 2000s, stating that it wants to reduce waste and make boxes smaller to improve shipping efficiency. It famously stopped including even a charger and earphones with the iPhone 12 series, in sharp contrast to products such as early iPods that even came with multiple cables, a dock, a cleaning cloth, a case, and more. With the iPhone 13 onwards, Apple found a new way to seal its boxes without using an external plastic wrapper. 

Still, there might be some relief for the most hardcore fans. According to 9to5Mac, Apple Stores will have limited supplies of stickers that will be handed out to customers on request. In addition, customers in the EU and UK will also not get a charger in the box with the latest iPads, to comply with local regulations around e-waste. This means buyers will have to reuse existing chargers or invest in new ones at an additional cost.