A Brazilian court has fined Apple 100 million reais ($19 million) for not shipping battery chargers with new iPhones sold in the country.
In Indian currency, the amount would be close to Rs. 156 crores.
Contents
Accusations
It ruled against Apple in a lawsuit filed by the association of borrowers, consumers and taxpayers, that argued that the company commits abusive practices by selling its product without a charger.
Apple said it will appeal the decision.
The trillion dollar company had initially claimed that its move of omitting chargers from the packaging was with the view to reduce e-waste caused due to spare chargers.
Environmental concerns?
“It is evident that, under the justification of a ‘green initiative,’ the defendant imposes on the consumer a required purchase of charger adaptors that were previously supplied along with the product.”
This, despite the company’s claims that doing so will reduce carbon emissions.
Experts disagreed, saying there is “no evidence that selling the smartphone without a charger will offer environmental protections.”
On top of that authorities believe that people are anyway required to spend extra to buy the charger, so Apple will have to ship a charger too in the box, according to the court ruling.
Second offense
It was also fined nearly $2.5 million in September over the same issue and was ordered to stop selling the iPhone in the region.
It was concluded that the firm was conducting “deliberate discriminatory practice against consumers”, by lacking what is actually an ‘essential component’.
Starting with iPhone 15?
Apple will have to add the charger with the smartphone if the brand is to sell its iPhones in the country.
Sources say it is considering making the change in time for the iPhone 15 launch next year.