Apple fined in Brazil for removing charger from iPhone package

Ever since the launch of the iPhone 12, Brazilian authorities have taken issue with Apple over the removal of accessories from the phone’s bundle. According to the consumer rights provided by Brazil to its citizens, devices of this kind must be shipped with everything needed to function, and the charger is considered an important accessory. So Apple receives a new fine in this country, following a lawsuit filed by the Brazilian Consumers Association.

Company will have to offer free chargers to those who buy iPhones in Brazil

The Sao Paolo court has ruled that Apple must pay 100 million reais, equivalent to a 19 million US dollar fine, and offer chargers to all customers who have already bought iPhone 12 or 13 phones without chargers in the package. Apple will also have to offer chargers with every phone sold from now on in Brazil. The judge called the removal of the charger an “abusive practice that forces customers to buy a separate product in order to put the first one to work”.

Apple has already announced that it will appeal the decision, and could delay having to comply with the ruling. Previously, Apple was fined $2 million for this decision when it first launched iPhone 12 models in Brazil.

However, this decision is not unique in the world. In France, for example, Apple also ships each smartphone with a pair of wired headphones. These accessories are considered important in this region, as using the headphones does not subject users to mobile phone radiation. However, those earphones are not included in the phone package, as they would not fit in the new slim cases. They come in the original accessory box that you can also buy from the shop, and both boxes are then wrapped in an additional cardboard box.

source: Engadget