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A judge has ordered Apple to pay a man $1,000 for not including a power adapter with his iPhone purchase.
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He ruled that the company was letting customers buy both of its products so that one could fully function.
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Apple said the supplied cable could be used with a non-Apple adapter, but the judge rejected it.
A Brazilian judge has ordered Apple to pay a customer 5,000 Brazilian reals or $1,081 for not including a power adapter when selling a new iPhone.
Goiania Civil Court judge Vanderlei Caires Pinheiro ruled that the practice was “tie sales,” according to court documents seen, referring to a company requiring customers to buy two of its products in order for one to work. Insider.
The judge said Apple “forced consumers to buy a second product it exclusively manufactures,” calling it “abusive and unlawful business practice.”
In its defense, Apple said in court documents that each iPhone comes with a USB-C-to-Lightning cable that consumers can use to charge their phones using power adapters that can be purchased from other companies.
But the judge rejected that argument, saying the cable wouldn’t work with wall adapters that don’t have USB-C ports, and Apple’s chargers were designed specifically.
He also noted that Apple said it stopped offering power adapters due to environmental concerns and an alleged shortage of accessories. Pinheiro responded that Apple is still making its power adapters and selling them separately.
“Such a measure aimed at reducing environmental impact is inappropriate because, in all evidence, the defendant continues to manufacture this essential accessory, but now sells it separately,” Pinheiro said.
Apple first announced it would stop supplying power adapters for its iPhone 12 in 2020, after the Brazilian government said it found the product abusive. In 2021, it fined Apple $2 million, saying the tech giant failed to demonstrate the “environmental benefits” it advertised, Brazilian media G1 reported.
Apple did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
Read the original article on Insider
