According to reports, Brazil has outlawed the selling of iPhones without a power adaptor.
The Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security said on Tuesday that it’s fined Apple 12.275 million reais ($2.04 million).
According to the Brazilian consumer watchdog Senacon, Apple is discriminating against customers by offering a “incomplete product”. They are doing it by not included power adapters with new iPhones.
Apple will contest the order
According to Apple, people are aware of the different alternatives for connecting and charging their devices.
In a statement to Reuters, the business said it would cooperate with Brazilian authorities to “resolve their concerns,”. It at the same time also noted that it has previously prevailed in court cases in Brazil regarding the matter.
The fine and prohibition on sales of iPhones without USB power adapters were announced just one day before. However, Apple unveiled its new iPhone 14, 14 Pro, and Apple Watch Ultra.
The consumer protection office in So Paulo fined Apple £2 million last year.
It claims that the sale of the iPhone 12 and all subsequent models breaches consumer law because they don’t include chargers.
Pulling the plug
With the release of the iPhone 12 in 2020, Apple discontinued including power adapters and headphones in iPhone packaging.
It said that by using less packaging, the change—which occurred after Apple first removed power adapters from the new Apple Watch boxes—would lessen Apple’s carbon footprint.
Apple’s vice president of environment, policy, and social initiatives Lisa Jackson remarks that “Sometimes it’s not what we make, but what we don’t make.” She said at the company’s 2020 September keynote.
She further added that more than two billion genuine Apple power adapters are already distributed worldwide.
In a lawsuit filed last year, Senacon claimed Apple’s justifications for removing USB power adapters from iPhone boxes were “not sufficient”.
It claimed that there was no proof that getting rid of chargers was better for the environment.
By switching to USB-C cables and chargers, the corporation could reduce e-waste and lessen its environmental impact, Senacon suggests.
Earlier this year, the European Union reached a tentative agreement on proposals to impose a standard USB-C charging cord for portable electronic gadgets.
Incomplete product
Senacon added that Apple basically forces customers to buy a second product after buying a new iPhone by selling new iPhones without power adapters.
A power adapter should be included with the purchase according to the statement. However, the phone cannot be used without one, making the package “incomplete.”
As a result of the change, the organization noted, consumers and third-party suppliers are now responsible for iPhones without power adapters.
A comment from Apple has been requested.
Apple will Appeal
A representative of Apple told Reuters the company. He would engage with Senacon to resolve their concerns while appealing the verdict.
“We have already won multiple court judgments in Brazil on this topic,” Apple stated. He added, ” We are convinced that our customers are aware of the various options for charging and connecting their devices.”
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