Brazilian court, reportedly, fined Apple 100 million reais ($19 million) for not including chargers in the new iPhones sold in the country. A charger must be packaged with every iPhone sold in Brazil, the court ordered, according to a Reuters report on Thursday.
Back in September, the Brazilian Ministry of Justice imposed a ban on iPhone sales, concluding that Apple was wrong to offer the device without a power adaptor and harming consumers.
Despite the ban, Apple has continued to sell iPhones in Brazil, claiming that by excluding the chargers, it was able to cut carbon emissions.
As a result, the So Paulo Court of Justice fined Apple R$100 million (about $19 million). In addition, the court ordered Apple to include the power adaptor in all iPhones sold in Brazil. Apple has stated that it will appeal the ruling, as it did when the Brazilian Ministry of Justice banned iPhone sales in the country.
Previously, Apple was fined more than R$20 million (about $3.7 million) in Brazil for not selling iPhones with a charger. Of course, the company's decision to appeal the ruling allows it to continue selling the gadgets in Brazil while it prepares its legal defense.
It's important to note that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro have been available for pre-order in Brazil since last week, with the official launch scheduled for this Friday. The phones will be sent without a charger, at least initially.
Except in France, where it must adhere to radiation restrictions, Apple stopped including earbuds and a power adaptor with the release of the iPhone 12 in 2020 in an effort to reduce waste and move toward a carbon-neutral supply chain.
However, there may be further litigation between Apple and the Brazilian government. Every smartphone sold in Brazil should accept USB-C as a standard, according to a proposal made by Anatel, the country's telecom regulatory body.
Coincidentally, this coincides with a recent European Union decision, which will likewise force Apple to use USB-C in iPhones beginning in 2024. The US Senate is also exploring a similar idea, which suggests that the Lightning connector may be nearing the end of its useful life.
Samsung was struck with a similar rule earlier this year in Brazil. Unlike Apple, however, the South Korean manufacturer opted to comply with the Brazilian government and is now supplying the plug adaptor with its latest models, including the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4.
