Who has the power now?
The Brazilian government has required Apple to halt iPhone sales that do not include a battery charger, claiming that Apple is selling an incomplete product.
The Justice Ministry ordered Apple to cancel the sale of the iPhone 12 and any newer models and fined the company 12.275 million reais ($2.38 million). Apple must suspend selling any iPhone model that does not include a charger, including older models, Reuters reported.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
This issue previously flared up when Brazilian judge Vanderlei Caires Pinheiro ruled back in April that selling new iPhones without chargers was "abusive and illegal." The ruling demanded the company pay 5,000 reais ($1,080) to a customer who had filed a complaint, as reported by Bloomberg.
Apple has argued that the decision to exclude chargers from their newer iPhones is a method to reduce their carbon footprint. This sentiment was swiftly rejected by authorities, who declared there is no evidence to support a significant environmental impact.
This development comes right before Apple's Far Out Event on September 7 where the company is said to be announcing iPhone 14, which will also likely not include a charger.
