Brazilian authorities have imposed a fine of 10.5 million reais (nearly two million dollars) on technology giant Apple for selling the iPhone without a charger and for misleading advertising about the water resistance of its devices, official sources reported.
Procon de Sao Paulo, a regional body that protects consumers’ interests, said in a statement that it had fined the company for “various practices” that violated the Consumer Protection Code.
Among them, the “abusive practice” of selling its new smartphones without a charger, an accessory, according to the entity, “necessary and essential for its operation”.
After gathering several complaints in this regard, Procon in Sao Paulo asked Apple for an explanation, but did not respond. Last year, the technology company had already announced that it would stop including chargers in its latest models.
The Brazilian authorities also punished the American company for “misleading advertising” in connection with the iPhone 11 Pro.
This model was promoted as “waterproof”, although several of them had problems after coming into contact with water, “without the company repairing them”, according to the accounts of several customers.
Apple informed Procon in Sao Paulo that “water resistance would not be a permanent condition of the device and could decrease over time; and “to avoid harm” consumers “should stop swimming or taking a bath” with the phone and “use in extremely humid conditions. “
However, the ad campaign included claims such as “water resistant up to four meters (depth)” and for a maximum of “thirty seconds” or “even made to take a bath”, according to the consumer protection agency.
There have also been complaints from consumers listing issues with “some features of their devices after a system upgrade,” the São Paulo-based entity said.
Procon also verified that Apple imposes “some abusive clauses”, including one that “exempts from all legal and implied warranties” against hidden or inconsistent defects “and another that states that it does not guarantee that the operation of the product will be uninterrupted or without errors. ”