Apple Fined $2M in Brazil for Selling iPhone 12 Without a Charger, Misleading Advertising

After sparking controversy for shipping the iPhone 12 without a charger, the Brazilian state of São Paulo isn’t thrilled either with Apple leaving the charger out of the iPhone 12 box. The country doesn’t buy Apple’s environmental angle at all, which has now led to Apple getting fined $2 million by Brazil’s Consumer Protection Agency for non-compliance with the country’s Consumer Defense Code.

Tilt and MacRumors report that the consumer protection agency Procon-SP has fined Apple nearly R29.8 million (about $2.0 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.

Apple announced in October that the iPhone 12 and would not come with chargers or earbuds in their boxes, citing environmental concerns. By only including a USB-C to Lightning cable with iPhone 12 and other new models, Apple said it would be able to reduce the raw materials for each iPhone it sells, in addition to reducing the size of the phones’ boxes. Critics suggested the change had more to do with allowing Apple to reduce shipping costs, and environmental experts said the impact on the environment would likely be minimal.

In December 2020, the agency said Apple had to provide a charger along with the iPhone 12 and asked the company to explain why it was not doing so. While Apple went on to argue the environmental benefits of skipping including the power adapter, saying many users already had a spare charger, Procon-SP said the adapter was an “essential part” of the use of the product and shipping it would be against the Brazilian Consumer Defense Code.

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. And Apple has yet for comment. The company can appeal the fine if it continues to object to the decision.

The fine is comparatively tiny and won’t dent Apple’s finances. However, Apple might not have much choice but to offer a concession if it wants to keep selling iPhones in Brazil. Other companies have bowed to pressure as well. Samsung struck a deal with Procon-SP to bundle a “gift” charger with Galaxy S21 pre-orders, for example. Brazil is one of the world’s larger phone markets, and companies that defy the country’s rules risk losing out on many sales if they’re not careful.