A court in Brazil has fined Apple nearly $19 million for failing to sell iPhones with a charging socket unit, stating that the company must include chargers with its iPhones in Brazil.

Apple has stated that it will appeal the ruling.

The judge called the non-inclusion of chargers in phone purchases an “abusive practice” that “requires consumers to purchase a second product in order for the first to work.”

In 2020, the tech giant stopped including power adapters with its iPhones, citing environmental concerns.

Only charging cables are included with new iPhones.

Apple estimates that by not including chargers with iPhones, 861,000 tonnes of copper, zinc, and tin will be saved.

However, the Brazilian Ministry of Justice advised Apple that permitting USB-C support in its devices would benefit the environment.

“It is evident that, under the justification of a ‘green initiative,’ the defendant imposes on the consumer a required purchase of charger adaptors that were previously supplied along with the product,” said the court’s ruling.

Apple may add a USB-C port to its AirPods and Mac accessories by 2024.

According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, the business may add USB-C to its newest AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods by 2024, while Mac accessories such as the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad may convert to USB-C as early as the following year.

As the European Union works to impose USB-C charging on all new smartphones, tablets, and headphones introduced in the region by the end of 2024, a rumored movement away from Lightning ports has emerged.