Apple blog 9to5Mac reported last Saturday, March 20, that Brazil’s consumer protection regulator Procon-SP fined Apple 10.5 million Brazilian reals (about $2 million) for not including a charger with the iPhone 12, among other complaints.

The regulator claimed Apple had “misleading advertising, selling a device without the charger, and unfair terms.”

Apple was questioned about the exclusion of a charger in late 2020, with the agency concluding that such a move “didn’t demonstrate environmental gain” – which had been Apple’s primary reason for removing the charger from the package.

9to5Mac’s report also stated Apple didn’t respond when asked if the charger removal translated to a lower price for the consumer.

In a separate report in December 2020, Procon said the charger is essential for usage of the phone, and that old chargers do not offer the same experience as using a new one.

The fine was levied for other complaints as well, such as iPhone 11 Pro consumers reporting Apple didn’t repair their phones after water damage; iOS update problems; and that Apple had terms removing their responsibility for defects that aren’t readily apparent.

Apple can still appeal the claims, the report said. – Rappler.com