Apple has said it will be appealing the decision
The Brazilian Government has suspended the sale of iPhones without a battery charger in the country and has fined Apple around $2.3 million.
Ahead of the iPhone 12's release in 2020, Apple stated it would no longer include an adapter with its devices worldwide, claiming the move would reduce e-waste and carbon emissions.
However, in a decision published on Tuesday, Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) claimed that the sale of an iPhone without a charger is sufficient for the product to be considered “inappropriate or inappropriate for the consumption for which it is intended or that reduces its value”.
"Apple was sued for selling smartphones, since the iPhone 12, without the respective power charger for the wall socket," its
statement also reads.
"In defense, Apple claimed that the decision not to provide battery chargers together with smartphones would have been out of environmental concern, to encourage sustainable consumption.
"For Senacon [Brazil’s consumer protection agency], the arguments presented were not enough, since the company's decision to sell the devices without a charger ended up transferring the entire burden to the consumer.
"According to the agency, the manufacturer could take other measures to reduce environmental impact, such as the use of USB-C type connector cables and chargers, currently adopted as standard by the industry."
Meanwhile, in a statement to
Reuters, Apple confirmed it will be appealing the decision and would continue to work with Senacon to "resolve" its concerns.
"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," the company said.
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