Apple has been slapped with a near $2 million fine in the Brazilian state of São Paulo over violations of the Consumer Law Code due to the lack of a charger in the box for newer iPhones, Brazilian tech news outlet Tilt reports.
Consumer protection agency Procon-SP has fined Apple nearly R$10.55 million (about $1.92 million US) for removing the power adapter from the iPhone 12 family and newer production runs of older iPhones. Apple’s move was a violation of the country’s Consumer Defense Code, according to the watchdog.
Procon-SP told Apple about the alleged violation in December. Apple responded by reiterating its environmental angle, arguing that it would reduce CO2 emissions and rare earth mining. It noted that many customers already had spare chargers. The agency clearly wasn’t satisfied with that answer, however. In issuing the fine, Procon-SP executive director Fernando Capez told Apple it needed to respect Brazilian law.
The fine also covers allegedly misleading water resistance claims. Apple supposedly declined to repair iPhones that had suffered water damage under warranty despite touting the devices’ ability to survive immersion for extended periods.
Apple will have a chance to appeal to the $2 million fine. We’ve reached out to Apple for comment and will update this article if we hear back.
