Regulators in the Brazilian state of São Paulo fined Apple nearly $ 2 million on Friday for not including chargers in iPhone 12 boxes, according to 9to5Mac and a Google translation of a report from Brazilian news press Tilt.
Consumer Protection Agency Procon-SP has also accused Apple of engaging in misleading advertising, refusing to repair defective devices. and maintaining unfair contract terms with consumers.
Starting with its iPhone 12 series, Apple announced was scraping the wall charger and headphones, usually bundled with previous iPhones, to reduce e-waste, citing environmental concerns. Then, critics have argued that Apple’s decision has more to do with reducing shipping costs than saving the planet, and any impact on the environment would probably be minimal.
Procon-SP asked Apple if the price of the iPhone 12 will be reduced because it does not come with a charger, but the agency said it never received an answer, reports 9to5Mac. In addition to the charger’s disagreement, he accused Apple of refusing to repair devices that failed to be as waterproof as announced and of not helping customers who encountered “problems with some features” on iPhones. following iOS updates. Procon-SP also claims that Apple’s contractual terms are too broad and protects Apple from liability, even when its devices have hidden defects, per outlet.
“Apple needs to understand that there are strong consumer protection laws and institutions in Brazil. They must respect these laws and these institutions “, said the executive director of the agency, Fernando Capez.
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Apple did not immediately respond to Gizmodo’s request for comment, but we will be sure to update this blog if they do. He still has the option to challenge this decision through the Brazilian judicial system. Honestly, though, it’s probably easier for Apple to just take care of the money and not even bother. $ 2 million is a drop in the bucket when you earn more than $ 100 billion, with b, in revenue, as recorded only by Apple in the first quarter of 2021.