Confusion Over Free Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter with iPhone 5 as Apple Errs in Online Store [Updated]

As noted by iPhoneinCanada.ca soon after pre-orders for the iPhone 5 went live earlier today, Apple's online store in several countries appeared to be noting that the company's Lightning to 30-pin Adapter would be included with customers' orders free of charge. The disclosure came in the form of an option to add an "additional" adapter as an accessory.

Your iPhone includes a Lightning to 30-pin Adapter for connecting 30-pin accessories to devices featuring the Lightning connector. Purchase this additional adapter to have a second adapter for your home or office.

lightning 30 pin included
Customers were only presented with the option to add the cable-equipped adapter and not the direct-plug adapter, and Apple's "What's in the box" documentation did not list the adapter as included, leading to considerable customer confusion.

After initially reporting on the inclusion of the free adapter, The Next Web followed up by asking Apple's online sales representatives about the issue. According to sales staff, the listing was an error in the Apple online store, and the adapter is not being included standard with iPhone orders. Apple has also removed listing from its store pages and no longer mentions the adapter's inclusion.

Apple's adapters are available for standalone purchase at $29 for the direct-plug version and $39 for the cable version, but they will not ship until next month.

Update 12:26 PM: Apple has issued a statement to The Loop confirming that the adapter is not included with the iPhone 5.

“The Lightning to 30-pin adapter does not come in the box with iPhone 5. It is sold separately,” Apple spokesperson, Natalie Harrison, told The Loop. “However, the Lightning to USB cable does come with iPhone 5 for connection to AC chargers and other devices.”

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

election results 2024 live activities

Track 2024 U.S. Election Results Live on Your iPhone Lock Screen

Tuesday November 5, 2024 5:02 am PST by
Apple News is providing Live Activities support for the 2024 U.S. presidential election, allowing iPhone and iPad users to track electoral results in real time directly from their Lock Screen. The feature is rolling out for U.S. users over the course of Election Day, November 5, providing continuous updates of the electoral count. So if you're interested, you don't need to repeatedly check...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.2 Beta 2

Monday November 4, 2024 12:34 pm PST by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 updates to developers, and Apple is continuing to refine the Apple Intelligence capabilities. There are also a handful of smaller features that are worth knowing about. Find My Find My has a new option to Share Item Location with an "airline or trusted person" that can help you locate something that you've misplaced....
iCloud General Feature

Here's What's New in Apple's Updated iCloud Terms and Conditions Taking Effect Next Week

Friday September 13, 2024 7:39 am PDT by
Apple has started notifying users about an upcoming revision to its iCloud Terms and Conditions, which takes effect on Monday, September 16. We compared the text of the upcoming iCloud Terms and Conditions with the current U.S. version from September 18, 2023 and identified four key changes: "Apple ID" references have been changed to "Apple Account" throughout. iCloud users must agree to ...
ipads early bf deals

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Tuesday November 5, 2024 7:02 am PST by
Black Friday is still a few weeks away, but you can already find great prices on numerous iPads, including the 9th generation iPad, 10th generation iPad, iPad Air, and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Of course, there is a chance that ...
ios 18 2 chatgpt plus

iOS 18.2 Beta 2 Shows Siri ChatGPT Limit, Offers 'Plus' Upgrade Option

Monday November 4, 2024 10:54 am PST by
With the second beta of iOS 18.2 that's available for developers today, Apple has further fleshed out the ChatGPT integration that's available with Siri. In the Settings app, there's now a section that shows the ChatGPT daily limit, and offers an option to upgrade to the paid ChatGPT Plus plan. The beta includes an Advanced Capabilities section with a "Daily Limit" reading that shows up as...
M4 MacBook Pros Thumb

M4 MacBook Pro Reviews: Processor Benchmarks Impress, New Nano-Texture Option Worth the Extra $150

Thursday November 7, 2024 6:14 am PST by
The first wave of reviews of Apple's new M4-powered MacBook Pro models were published this morning. We've collected some of the latest impressions from YouTube channels and select media outlets below. Apple last month announced the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding next-generation M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, with Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display and camera ...
early apple watch black friday

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Watch Deals

Wednesday November 6, 2024 6:33 am PST by
Black Friday is just around the corner, and Apple Watch deals have begun appearing ahead of the shopping holiday on November 29. In this article, we'll take a look at all of the best early Black Friday Apple Watch deals, including the new Series 10 models. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...

Top Rated Comments

Intarweb Avatar
159 months ago
One adapter should have been included in addition to the new cable.
Score: 57 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dwalls90 Avatar
159 months ago
If it was "in there by accident" then obviously Apple intended to provided a free adapter at some point.

Must have backtracked :mad:
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
159 months ago
Damnit Apple, a free adaptor would have scored you a lot of points.

Of course that doesn't matter, as we are all buying the stupid phone anyway!

We are such lousy consumers.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Celf Avatar
159 months ago
30 pounds is appr. 48 dollar....is appr. 10% of the price of an unlocked iPhone 4 .....
......FOR AN ADAPTER!!!!!!
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wickerman1893 Avatar
159 months ago
One adapter needs to be included. I understand this a shift every company usually takes, but $30 is quite pricey.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
emvath Avatar
159 months ago
Judas what a bunch of freakin cheapskates! I bet this thing costs Apple a penny for 5. I'm getting really sick of Apple nickle and dime'ing us for every little thing.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)