Brazil bars Apple from selling of iPhones without charger, imposes fine of nearly $2.4 mn
Brazilian government on Tuesday stated that Apple has been banned from selling iPhones in the nation without a charger and has even been fined over $2 million
The Brazilian government on Tuesday stated that the American multinational technology company, Apple has been banned from selling iPhones in the nation without a charger and has even been fined over $2 million over the matter. The government has accused the US tech giant of engaging in “discriminatory practices”, IgbereTV reported. Brazil expressed dissatisfaction over Apple’s decision to cease including chargers beginning with the release of the iPhone 12 and responded by barring local sales of iPhones that do not include chargers, The Verge reported.
Along with stopping some iPhone sales, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security of Brazil also ordered Apple to pay a fine of approximately $2.4million and revoked the iPhone 12’s registration with Anatel, the country’s telecommunications agency equivalent of the FCC.
Brazil suspends selling of iPhones
According to an official notice, Brazilian authorities said, “the immediate suspension of the distribution of iPhone brand smartphones, regardless of model or generation, that is not accompanied by a battery charger.”
The Department of Consumer Protection and Defense has passed legislation that essentially bans the sale of all iPhone 12 and 13 models.
It is to mention that the prohibition in Brazil was announced just one day before Apple’s Far Out event, in which the new iPhone 14 is anticipated to be unveiled. However, Apple may still appeal the decision of Brazil that forbade some iPhone sales in the nation, but it is not clear whether it would do, The Verge reported. The iPhone 12 is still available for purchase in Brazil on Apple’s website, according to the Brazilian daily Folha de S.Paulo.
The multinational company has been under investigation since December for “the sale of an incomplete product,” “discrimination against the consumer,” and “the transfer of responsibility to third parties” by selling iPhone 12s and later models without chargers for power outlets, citing an official statement, IgbereTV reported.
Apple has previously received penalties from Brazilian state authorities, but the statement added that it did not take any efforts to reduce “the harm and until now continued to sell the cellular devices without chargers.”
Meanwhile, in the year 2020, Apple revealed its plan to stop providing charging brick or earphones, only a USB-C to Lightning connection with its iPhones. The company claimed environmental concerns as the reason for this decision. The business said that by allowing for a smaller packaging that offsets carbon emissions, leaving out the two accessories will lessen the environmental effect of the iPhone.
Some experts, however, think that this action is more advantageous to Apple’s bottom line than it is to the environment. Apple may have been searching for additional cost-saving measures to counterbalance the expensive new radio frequency components needed to allow the connectivity as the iPhone 12 was notable for being the first handset to feature 5G.
