The iPhone 12 launch last week was met with mixed opinions when Apple finally confirmed what rumours have hinted about for the past several months. Similar to what it did for the Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 6, all four of its latest handset models will ship without a charger. Moreover, the EarPods are likewise not included. This reportedly left most consumers dismayed, but it seems the demand for the new devices say otherwise as the official website went down shortly after preorders started.

According to the manufacturer, its decision to omit the aforementioned accessories was in line with an initiative that aims to help the environment. They argued that most buyers will likely have spare chargers or earphones from their older devices.

However, this was met with criticism after tech industry analysts pointed out that users who are new to Apple's ecosystem will be forced to purchase the missing items anyway. Thus, it appears the decision was purportedly intended to maximise profits instead.

In fact, shortly after the iPhone 12 debut, Beats by Dr. Dre – which is owned by Apple – immediately introduced a new pair of $49,99 wireless necklace-style earphones called the Beats Flex. Nevertheless, it is clear that the brand is still highly sought after by those who want a flagship device from the premium brand.

Therefore, possibly due to the website's servers flooded with preorder requests and other purchases, many claimed pages were not loading and there was noticeable slowdowns. According to an article published by the Independent, real-time outage-tracking website Downdetector recorded problems reported shortly after the iPhone 12 preorders became available.

It is currently unknown if the store's pre-sales stocks have all been sold out or if there will be shortages in the months to follow. Sources indicated that the handsets were originally slated to launch alongside the new wearables but were pushed back due to production problems.

iPhone 12 series launch without Touch ID
In this photo released by Apple, Apple CEO Tim Cook holds up the all-new iPhone 12 Pro during an Apple event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California on October 13, 2020 Apple Inc. / Brooks KRAFT

Both the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro preorders started on Oct. 16, and will be delivered on Oct. 23. Meanwhile, the iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 Mini will begin preorders by Nov. 6, and ship out to owners on Nov. 13. Aside from the new colours and design, all models are 5G-ready, with only the units old in the United States compatible with mmWave. The rest of the world is only getting Sub-6 compatibility.

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