14 DAY TRIAL // Apple’s decision to give up on a charger on modern iPhones has caused quite a controversy not just in the United States but in the majority of markets out there.
And while the Cupertino-based tech giant claimed it’s doing the whole thing for environmental reasons, the removal of a headphone jack wasn’t allowed in some specific markets, such as Brazil.
Offering such an accessory is mandatory in Brazil, and all electronics that are sold in the country must comply with this requirement as part of the local consumer laws.
Apple still sold a number of iPhones in Brazil without a charger, so a judge recently ordered the company to pay approximately $1,075 in compensation to a customer who purchased the iPhone without this accessory.
No chargers with new phones
In theory, Apple is right when it says that a charger is no longer needed. Most people out there already have a charger at home, so iPhone buyers aren’t necessarily losing much because another charger is no longer included in the box with their new purchase.
But on the other hand, those who don’t have a charger have no other option than to purchase one separately, and of course, it comes at an extra price.
Apple’s controversial decision ended up being embraced by several other phone makers out there as well, including Samsung. But in the case of Android devices, not having a charger in the box isn’t necessarily as critical.
This is because Android phones use USB-C, whereas Apple sticks with its proprietary Lightning connector on the iPhone. This means that someone who already has an Android phone can use their existing chargers with another phone from a different brand when buying a new device, whereas the whole thing isn’t possible with a new iPhone unless the customer is already an existing Apple user.