The sale of specific Apple iPhones in Brazil has been suspended due to a controversial decision made by the company. Although the decision has long been in place, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security decided to bar the selling of certain iPhones within the country.
Apple's Controversial Decision to Remove the Charging Adapter with the iPhone 12 Series
According to the story by Slash Gear, Apple initially made a controversial decision with the iPhone 12 series to "remove the charging adapter as well as the free earbuds from the retail package."
The company first said that the decision was made due to "environmental concerns," but this was a hard pitch to convince customers with. The company tried to convince customers that the decision was made in order to address the e-waste problem, which was referred to as "massive."
Backlash Regarding Apple's Decision to Remove the Free Charging Adapter
Apple has been ridiculed for this decision, and two years later, it has started to become a new norm for expensive smartphones to not include a free charging adapter "as part of the retail package."
Apple, however, has had to change its decisions in certain countries like France, where it was mandated to include free EarPods with the iPhone. In December 2020, Procon-Sao Paulo, the Brazilian consumer watchdog, gave Apple a $1.9 million fine for removing chargers from the iPhone's retail box.
Company Now Barred from Selling Certain iPhones within the Country
Other subsidiaries of Procon located in Caldas Novas, Santa Catarina, and Fortaleza have also imposed additional fines on the company. The fines, however, haven't changed much of Apple's approach towards the matter.
The Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) of Brazil launched a press release announcing Apple being banned from selling certain iPhones within the country. The barring will reportedly take immediate effect.
$2.3 Million Fine was Mandated While Certification for the iPhone 12 Lineup was Revoked
On top of this, Apple was mandated to pay $2.3 million, as noted in an article by 9to5Mac, and the MJSP has also revoked the certification for the iPhone 12 lineup that was issued by Anatel, a telecom agency from Brazil. The MJSP notes that Apple's decision not to include an iPhone wall charger results in the company selling an incomplete product that "lacks essential functionality."
It was also asserted by the MJSP that the move by Apple is close to subjecting consumers to discrimination and the company not being able to deliver the commitments it made to the consumer.
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MJSP Questioned Legitimacy of Company's Environmental Concerns
Apple's conceal still contends that the company made its decision purely due to environmental concerns. The MJSP, however, did not accept the argument and still asked Apple to explain why the ecological concerns only applied to the chargers and not the decision to stick with the Lightning port despite the world using USB-C.
The MJSP also issued a statement to Apple warning them that they could get a "repeat offender" classification.
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This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Urian B.
