The Brazilian state of São Paulo is not excited about Apple leaving the charger out of the iPhone 12 box. Tilt and MacRumors reported that the consumer protection agency Procon-SP fined Apple nearly R $ 10.55 million (approximately $ 1.92 million) for removing the power adapter from the iPhone 12 family and newer productions of older iPhones. Apple’s move, according to the watchdog, was a violation of the country’s consumer defense code.
Procon-SP told Apple in December about the alleged violation. Apple responded by reiterating its environmental angle, arguing that it would reduce CO2 emissions and exploit rare earths. It was noted that many customers already had extra chargers. However, the agency was clearly not happy with the answer. With the issuance of the fine, Fernando Capez, executive director of Procon-SP, told Apple that they must respect Brazilian law.
The fine also covers alleged misleading claims against water resistance. Apple apparently did not want to repair iPhones that suffered water damage under warranty, although they did restore the devices’ ability to survive immersion for long periods of time.
We asked Apple for comment. The company can appeal against the fine if it still objects to the decision.
The fine is relatively small and will not hurt Apple’s finances. However, Apple may not have much choice but to offer a concession if they want to continue selling iPhones in Brazil. Other companies also succumbed to pressure. Samsung has entered into an agreement with Procon-SP to combine, for example, a “gift” charger with Galaxy S21 pre-orders. Brazil is one of the largest telephone markets in the world, and companies that defy the country’s rules are in danger of losing a lot of sales if they are not careful.