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Apple will file an appeal against Brazil’s ban on selling iPhones without a charger

Posted on by tamngoc

The Brazilian government also fined Apple Inc. $2.38 million for failing to include a battery charger when selling iPhones.

On Tuesday, the Brazilian government fined Apple Inc. $2.38 million and ordered the company to stop selling iPhones without a battery charger in the country. According to Reuters, the South American country’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security has prohibited the sale of iPhone 12 and newer models, as well as any other iPhone model that does not include a power charger. Brazilian officials outright rejected Apple’s argument that removing the battery charger from its iPhones was a move to reduce carbon emissions in the order, pointing out that there is no evidence that selling the smartphone without a charger offers environmental protection.

According to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the iPhone’s lack of an essential component constitutes a “deliberate discriminatory practice against consumers.” According to The Verge, the sales ban comes the day before Apple’s Far Out event, where the company is expected to unveil its iPhone 14 lineup—which is also expected to be sold without a charger. Apple said in a statement to Bloomberg that it would continue to work with Senacon, Brazil’s consumer protection agency, to “resolve their concerns,” and that it intends to appeal the ban.

“At Apple, we consider our impact on people and the planet in everything we do. Power adapters represented our largest use of zinc and plastic and eliminating them from the box helped cut over 2 million metric tons of carbon emissions—equivalent to removing 500,000 cars from the road per year,” the Cupertino, California-based company said. “We have already won several court rulings in Brazil on this matter and we are confident that our customers are aware of the various options for charging and connecting their devices.”

Meanwhile, Senacon claims that Apple’s decision to discontinue the charger is a “burden” on customers and that the company could reduce its environmental impact in other ways. According to the agency, the absence of a charging brick when purchasing an iPhone renders the device “incomplete” and forces customers to make an additional purchase. This is not the first time Apple has been chastised by the Brazilian government for selling phones without chargers. Last year, the country fined Apple $2 million for failing to include chargers with its iPhone 12 devices, noting that Apple “has taken no measure to minimize the damage and continues to sell cell phones without chargers.”

A Brazilian court ordered Apple to pay a man $1,000 earlier this year for failing to include a power adapter with his iPhone. According to Judge Vanderlei Caires Pinheiro, “Apple obliged the consumer to purchase a second product of its exclusive manufacture which was an abusive and illegal commercial practice.”  Apple first announced in 2020 that it would sell iPhones without the charging brick and earbuds due to environmental concerns. The company claimed that by removing the two accessories, they would be able to sell their phones in smaller boxes, reducing carbon emissions. Many people believe that the move benefits Apple’s finances more than the environment.

                   

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