Five students in China have sued Apple for not bundling a charger with the iPhone 12, Vice reported. Apple packaging only includes a USB-C to Lightning cable from 2020. Apple has claimed that it ditched the wall charger and EarPods to preserve raw materials and reduce carbon emissions.
However, Apple’s claim has been met with scepticism. Critics pointed out that iPhones could become more expensive to manufacture with the transition to 5G and Apple’s move stemmed from cost concerns. The Cupertino-based tech giant saves in the millions by leaving out the wall chargers and EarPods, while also making a handsome amount by forcing customers to separately purchase accessories.
The Shanghai Law Journal said one of the students, Xiaofang, was frustrated that her iPhone 12 Pro Max didn’t come with a charger.
Xiaofang pointed out that since the cable included was a USB-C to Lightning, it was not compatible with the wall chargers that Apple included with its previous devices. She argued that this meant customers would have to purchase either a USB-C-compatible charger or a MagSafe charger.
The student also claimed that Apple was leaving out wall chargers to promote the MagSafe line of magnetic chargers that can wirelessly power phones. Xiaofang alleged that Apple’s move was motivated by profit and that its efforts to save the environment was merely a guise.
In the case in Beijing Internet Court, Xiaofang and her colleagues have asked Apple to provide a wall charger and pay 100 yuan ($16) for breach of contract and litigation fees.
The Shanghai Law Journal reported that an Apple representative argued that it was common for companies to ship phones without chargers and said the iPhone 12’s packaging made it clear that no charger was included.
The case is still in progress and has gone viral on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, where the students have witnessed an outpouring of support.
For Apple, this isn’t the first time that it has faced legal trouble for failing to provide chargers. A Brazilian regulator slapped a $2 million fine on Apple earlier this year for failing to provide chargers with the iPhone 12, alleging that the company was misleading customers by selling the device without one.