After a year-long drought of iPads, Apple finally revealed the new iPad Air and iPad Pro models during its Let Loose event on May 7. This was a unique announcement because it broke some old traditions; the iPad Air now comes in two sizes: an 11-inch and 13-inch, just like the iPad Pro. But these new iPads are also breaking another longtime tradition: They won’t come with iconic Apple stickers. Gasp.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple Store teams received a memo where Apple explained that the iconic Apple stickers won’t be included inside the boxes of the new iPad Air and iPad Pro. The reasoning? As part of Apple’s environmental goals, it is trying to ensure that its packaging is completely free of plastic.
If you plan on getting a new iPad Air or iPad Pro and really want the Apple sticker, you can still get one, however. Apple Stores are getting limited shipments of the Apple logo stickers, which can be distributed to customers who purchased a new iPad Air or iPad Pro, but only upon request. When an Apple Store hands out all of its stickers, more can be ordered from Apple’s website.
Again, only Apple Stores will be getting these stickers to hand out to new iPad Air and iPad Pro customers. So, if you’re planning to buy an iPad Air or iPad Pro from another retailer, like Amazon or Best Buy, you won’t be able to get a sticker. The only way to get your beloved Apple sticker is to buy your new iPad directly from Apple this time around if you haven’t been doing that already.
Apple has been including Apple logo stickers in its products since 1977 with the Apple II, so this is a pretty significant change. However, this change also seems a little inconsistent so far. The M3 MacBook Air, which launched this past March, still has stickers in the box. But the Apple Vision Pro, which came out in February, did not. At this point, will the iPhone 16 lineup give us our precious stickers? Who knows.
I remember back in my college days when I would actually slap those Apple logo stickers on things like my car, water bottles, notebooks, phone cases, or whatever else I felt like. It was a fun little extra.
But in recent years, I don’t think I have even taken those stickers out of the manual sleeves in my iPhone boxes. I grew out of my sticker phase, and I don’t see those stickers on cars as much as I did years ago.
If this really is the end of the road for the Apple sticker, we bid it a proper farewell. Thank you, dear Apple sticker, for your tireless service throughout the years — and may you rest easy.
