Apple removed chargers from iPhone boxes for a more environmentally friendly approach. Some countries want to prevent this with court decisions. Brazil, one of these countries, filed a lawsuit against Apple and it still has not been concluded. China has responded to Apple in the same way.
China sues Apple for not having chargers in iPhone boxes
According to Vice and Shanghai Law Magazine, university students in China have sued Apple for not including a charger in the iPhone 12 Pro Max box. He claimed that the USB-C to Lightning cable that came out of the box was not compatible with other chargers and that a student could not charge the phone as stated in the advertisement.
Plaintiffs also did not believe Apple’s waste reduction claims. Students see this as Apple’s excuse to sell only the MagSafe wireless charger. The students also want Apple to provide the charger, paying 100 yuan ($16) for legal fees and breach of contract.
On the other hand, it was stated that Apple told the Beijing virtual court that it is common for phone brands to sell power adapters separately and that the government has approved this practice. However, students pointed out that more than one Chinese company offers adapter options in their boxes. For example, in China, you can buy the Xiaomi Mi 11 with or without a charging adapter.
The case is still ongoing. There is no guarantee that this will translate into student compensation or lead to a change in Apple’s policy in China. Even if the case is resolved, it may only result in Apple offering the charging adapter as an option alongside iPhones at the time of purchase. That’s why we may not see a charging adapter in the box in China.
Brazil also sued Apple for out-of-the-box charging adapters for the iPhone 12s. Although the case has not been concluded, the Brazilian courts seem not to give up. While Brazil’s iPhone 12 case was pending, there was no charging adapter in the recently released iPhone 13 boxes. Brazilian courts are preparing to sue Apple once again over this situation.
Although Apple adds a Lightning cable to the boxes, this does not mean that you will not have a problem with the charging adapter. The USB-C – Lightning charging cable is forcing users who want to switch from old iPhone models to 12. That’s why Apple needs to come up with a solution.
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