Apple stopped providing headphones and wall-mounted chargers on iPhones in 2020, only to include USB-C to Lightning cables in the packaging. Apple said ditching chargers and headphones is to reduce carbon emissions and protect raw materials.
Some wonder if Apple is doing this to cut costs rather than protect the environment, as the transition to 5G could make iPhones more expensive to manufacture. Not buying chargers and headphones could be a way for Apple to save money, and forcing consumers to buy accessories separately could help boost profits.
Some wonder if Apple is doing this to cut costs rather than protect the environment, as the transition to 5G could make iPhones more expensive to manufacture. Not buying chargers and headphones could be a way for Apple to save money, and forcing consumers to buy accessories separately could help boost profits.
A report in Shanghai Law Journal detailed the case, noting that one of the students, Xiao Fang, was frustrated that her iPhone 12 Pro Max was not equipped with a charger. Xiao Fang points out that since the device comes with a USB-C to Lightning cable, it is incompatible with the wall chargers that come with previous Apple devices. That means consumers will have to buy USB-C-compatible chargers or MagSafe chargers if they don't already have one. Xiao Fang claims that Apple introduced the wall charger to promote its MagSafe charger, a magnetic charger that can charge a phone wirelessly. She claimed that Apple's decision not to provide chargers was motivated by profit and that apple was operating under the guise of protecting the environment.
A year later, Apple's MagSafe is still underwhelming. Xiao Fang and her colleagues took Apple to the Beijing Internet Court, demanding that the company provide a wall charger and pay 100 yuan ($16) as a penalty and legal costs. As noted in the Shanghai Law Journal report, an Apple representative argued that it was common for the company to sell phones without chargers, and noted that the iPhone 12's packaging made it clear that no charger was included.
The case is reportedly still pending and has gone viral on Chinese social media site Weibo, where the students have received an outpouring of support. It may seem strange to Sue Apple for such a small amount of damages, but the important thing is Apple's statement.
In 2019, a Chinese student sued Shanghai Disneyland for 50 yuan ($7) for not letting visitors bring food into the park. Disney later acknowledged and agreed to pay damages.
This is not the first time Apple has faced legal problems for not offering chargers. Earlier this year, a Brazilian regulator fined Apple $2 million for not including a charger in the iPhone 12, saying apple was misleading customers by selling the device without one.
A year later, Apple's MagSafe is still underwhelming. Xiao Fang and her colleagues took Apple to the Beijing Internet Court, demanding that the company provide a wall charger and pay 100 yuan ($16) as a penalty and legal costs. As noted in the Shanghai Law Journal report, an Apple representative argued that it was common for the company to sell phones without chargers, and noted that the iPhone 12's packaging made it clear that no charger was included.
The case is reportedly still pending and has gone viral on Chinese social media site Weibo, where the students have received an outpouring of support. It may seem strange to Sue Apple for such a small amount of damages, but the important thing is Apple's statement.
In 2019, a Chinese student sued Shanghai Disneyland for 50 yuan ($7) for not letting visitors bring food into the park. Disney later acknowledged and agreed to pay damages.
This is not the first time Apple has faced legal problems for not offering chargers. Earlier this year, a Brazilian regulator fined Apple $2 million for not including a charger in the iPhone 12, saying apple was misleading customers by selling the device without one.
