iPhone and iPad charger safety is a hot topic at the moment after injuries (some fatal) caused by malfunctioning chargers; which poses the question…
Are non-Apple chargers safe to use?
Counterfeit techie products are big business in China, with Apple devices being the biggest target. This manufacturing process can be unregulated, giving quality and safety issues; which is why Apple decided to help its customers to tell the face from the genuine product.
Of course not all third party chargers fall into this category. Apple themselves make their products in the Far East. Those built by or for Western companies follow more stringent standards.
Is it worth buying non-Apple charger to save money?
The choice is yours on this one! But for safety’s sake talk to or buy from a reputable company.
Even Apple themselves have had issues with their charger, recalling some AC wall plug adapters. This article on the Macworld website reads…
On 28 January, Apple announced a voluntary recall of AC wall plug adapters that were sold by the company between 2003 and 2015 with Macs and some iOS devices, and were also part of the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit.
The recall comes after 12 incidents involving the adapters were reported. “In very rare cases, affected Apple two-prong wall plug adapters may break and create a risk of electrical shock if touched.” Apple said in a press release.
Not every Apple adapter is part of the recall. The fault affects two-prong adapters designed for use in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Continental Europe, New Zealand and South Korea. Other adapters for Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, United Kingdom and United States are not affected, nor are Apple USB power adapters.
If you’re struggling to identify whether your adapter is part of the recall, you can take a look inside the slot where it attaches to an Apple power adapter. If you see a box with EUR, KOR, AUS, ARG or BRA inside, you’ve got the redesigned, safer adapter. If you see numbers, other characters or nothing at all there, your charger may be affected…. READ MORE
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