Apple Fined $2 Million in Brazil for Selling iPhones Without Chargers

Apple has been slapped with a near $2 million fine in the Brazilian state of São Paulo over violations of the Consumer Law Code due to the lack of a charger in the box for newer iPhones, Brazilian tech news outlet Tilt reports.

iphone 11 pro charger
Procon-SP, São Paulo's consumer protection agency, decided to fine Apple following intense scrutiny over the decision to remove the power adapter from the boxes of iPhones. With the iPhone 12, Apple removed the power adapter from the box, saying that doing so will reduce carbon emissions and the use of rare-earth metals.

In December, the Brazilian agency informed Apple that selling an ‌iPhone‌ in the country without a charger in the box is a violation of the Consumer Defense Code. Apple responded to the agency's concerns by saying that most customers already have spare adapters and that providing another one in the box is unneeded.

Fernando Capez, Procon-SP's executive director, offered a stern warning to Apple following the fine, saying that it needs to respect and understand Brazilian consumer law and institutions. Alongside the lack of a charger, Apple is also being fined for misleading customers about the water resistance in iPhones.

Since the ‌iPhone‌ 7, iPhones have been water-resistant to different specifications. The more recent ‌iPhone‌ 12 series, for example, is certified for water submersion of up to 6 meters for as long as 30 minutes.

Procon-SP claims that Apple refused to repair devices for customers who had suffered water damage with their "water-resistant" iPhones, even though they're under warranty. Other charges brought forward to Apple are claims that it deliberately slows down older phones with iOS updates to encourage customers to purchase newer models.

Apple will have a chance to appeal to the $2 million fine. We've reached out to Apple for comment and will update this article if we hear back.

Tag: Brazil

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Feature

All iPhone 17 Models Again Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM

Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. ...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...

Top Rated Comments

contacos Avatar
54 months ago
„Adapter not needed“

- includes a usb-c to lightning cable ??‍♂️??‍♂️

if anything, they make more electronic waste by including a cable that doesn’t work with the adapters most people Apple claims to already have ?
Score: 96 Votes (Like | Disagree)
obamtl Avatar
54 months ago
I laud Apple’s desire to protect the environment. Making the iPhone box smaller is a good thing, and reducing unused charger bricks is a good thing. BUT if the environment were all that they were concerned about, then they can ask customers when buying an iPhone IF they want a charger, and include a charger in a smaller separate box for free, thus reducing the shipping volume all the same. It’s charging for the charger many will need that’s unacceptable, and I’m glad Brazil’s held them to account for that.
Score: 71 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adrianlondon Avatar
54 months ago
"Apple responded to the agency's concerns by saying that most customers already have spare adapters and that providing another one in the box is unneeded."

If that were the only reason then they'd allow people to add one to their order for free.
Score: 68 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
54 months ago

"Apple responded to the agency's concerns by saying that most customers already have spare adapters and that providing another one in the box is unneeded."

If that were the only reason then they'd allow people to add one to their order for free.
especially since the included cable doesn’t even work with those adapters people supposedly already have. Such marketing PR BS from Apple. They just want to sell MagSafe accessories
Score: 54 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NIKKG Avatar
54 months ago
Good, they should fine them even more for being so greedy.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Suckfest 9001 Avatar
54 months ago
Once again, this is great news. I’m glad some countries are at least realizing what a dumb move this is fuelled entirely by financial motivation and nothing to do with environmental impact.

They changed the charger the same time they got rid of it from the box. Tell me more about how we’re supposed to use our existing USBC bricks that we got with our iPhone….?

They sell charger bricks separately in a ton of packaging and at exorbitant prices and they just got called out for it.

Bravo, next country now please.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)