Apple warns Chinese customers to stick with official chargers

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 56
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gustav View Post


    Seriously, this is tragic. Someone died - why should that girl be expected to have the technical knowledge to know that cheaper chargers are dangerous to the point of being fatal? I'd bet you that most people believe the Apple charger costs more because it's from Apple and not because it is of higher quality.



     


    By getting the real story out, at least she didn't die in vain.


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Curtis Hannah View Post



    I just wonder, do these problems happen with android?


     


    I'm sure it does, but apparently it's only "news" if it says "Apple" in the headlines.

  • Reply 22 of 56
    rob53 wrote: »
    This is the problem Apple and iPhone users have when trying to find a legitimate power adapter: http://www.alibaba.com/countrysearch/CN/power-adapter-for-iphone.html There's 42K items listed when searching for "power adapter for iPhone." 

    http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/620648292/Good_Quality_Micro_5W_5V_1A.html This one gives the Apple model number, A1205, but it doesn't mention Apple on it at all. All they say is OEM. This product is built in China and might be Apple's official supplier but it appears anyone can purchase these devices as long as you buy 50 of them for $16 each. It worries me if the manufacturer makes it this easy to purchase official Apple parts. Maybe this is a knockoff as well and just uses Apple's model number. A quick search of the Apple Store doesn't show this product but a search of the web still shows it as being available. How are people to know what is official Apple products and what aren't? The nearest Apple Store is over an hour away from me. I buy online but can I be sure OWC/MacSales sells legitimate Apple products or do they use Chinese knockoffs as well? I hope not.
    I for 1 am going to continue to buy all my Apple products & accessories either at the Apple store or the Apple online store.

    I agree with earlier poster, you make a faulty product that hurts or kills someone you should be subject to criminal prosecution
  • Reply 23 of 56
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member


    Some people are sold a fake charger thinking it IS real. That shouldn't be a mistake that carries the death penalty.


     


    And the knock-off makers will keep getting better and perfecting the external look and labeling. Prosecute them: the only solution.

  • Reply 24 of 56
    scartartscartart Posts: 201member


    Originally Posted by Curtis Hannah View Post



    I just wonder, do these problems happen with android?


     


    you aren't going to get a shock holding a plastic phone

  • Reply 25 of 56
    bigmac2bigmac2 Posts: 639member


    I think the fact that an Apple device is imply make the whole story here.  I'm pretty sure the most populous country in the world got many more dramatic but unreported electrocution incident regarding home appliances every weeks.


     


    Yet another presumably shocked women by an iPhone:


    http://www.news.com.au/technology/sydney-woman-taken-to-hospital-after-iphone-shock/story-e6frfro0-1226684860458


     


    The headline fallaciously implying the iPhone, and this is what the article has to say:


    "However, further investigation this afternoon by NSW Ambulance found the incident was related to a mental health issue."


     


    I think that pretty sums up many news regarding issues on Apple devices.

  • Reply 26 of 56
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    [quote name="Gustav" url="/t/158693/apple-warns-chinese-customers-to-stick-with-official-chargers#post_2367770"]Most companies feel that calling someone who just died using their product an "idiot" (even with a knockoff accessory) is not very good PR.[/QUOTE]

    Except they didn't use the product.

    SEAL OF QUALITY!
    [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/28847/width/500/height/1000[/IMG]
  • Reply 27 of 56
    ksecksec Posts: 1,569member
    In some ways I hope this incident would magnify the problem of chargers. Although it did not. Felt sorry for the girl. R.I.P

    Apple's Charger aren't the best. But they are good enough for their Job. I do hope they put some more timing in it though. Not Design, but engineering of it.

    Then is the price, do they REALLY need to make a flipping god damn profits on these things!. Not that it would get rid of the crappy chargers on the market but still.
  • Reply 28 of 56
    bigmac2bigmac2 Posts: 639member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ksec View Post



    In some ways I hope this incident would magnify the problem of chargers. Although it did not. Felt sorry for the girl. R.I.P



    Apple's Charger aren't the best. But they are good enough for their Job. I do hope they put some more timing in it though. Not Design, but engineering of it.



    Then is the price, do they REALLY need to make a flipping god damn profits on these things!. Not that it would get rid of the crappy chargers on the market but still.


    If you want a really good insight of what it need to make those incredibly small charger, here is a good in depth teardown of a genuine apple charger:


    http://www.righto.com/2012/05/apple-iphone-charger-teardown-quality.html


     


    You can compare with cheap knockoff


    http://www.righto.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and-why-you.html


     


    With lesser  than few millimeter gap between the full 120-220v and the 5v line without any kind of fuse or protection is pretty easy to understand what can goes wrong.

  • Reply 29 of 56
    shrimpshrimp Posts: 22member


    Idiots are those who don't respect lives and BS around like immature teens.

  • Reply 30 of 56
    shrimpshrimp Posts: 22member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post



    When will a company just come out and say, "Hey. Idiots. You buy crap, you get screwed. Buy the real deal. This is your fault." They'd gain more respect than they "lost".


    Idiots are those who don't respect lives and BS around like immature teens.  

  • Reply 31 of 56
    China is the land of the fakes. So fake that they blatantly sell fake Apple products in a fake Apple store. China is very good at lying too. That charger was not an Apple charger but a knock-off.
  • Reply 32 of 56
    gustavgustav Posts: 827member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post





    Except they didn't use the product.



     


     


     


    The charger is the secondary product here. She was using an Apple phone. The accessory (the charger) was to blame, but she wasn't thinking "gee, I'll use this charger to power this thingy to make a phone call." She was thinking "I need to charge my iPhone so I can make a call." It'd be in incredibly poor taste to proclaim, "this dead girl is an idiot because she used a knockoff charger with our product."

  • Reply 33 of 56
    bigdaddypbigdaddyp Posts: 811member
    gustav wrote: »
    Most companies feel that calling someone who just died using their product an "idiot" (even with a knockoff accessory) is not very good PR.

    Seriously, this is tragic. Someone died - why should that girl be expected to have the technical knowledge to know that cheaper chargers are dangerous to the point of being fatal? I'd bet you that most people believe the Apple charger costs more because it's from Apple and not because it is of higher quality.
    I would believe that if we are comparing, for an example, a charger from Griffin.
  • Reply 34 of 56
    When will a company just come out and say, "Hey. Idiots. You buy crap, you get screwed. Buy the real deal. This is your fault." They'd gain more respect than they "lost".

    Apple doesn't view its customers as "idiots" fortunately. Maybe Facebook does...can anyone find the relevant quotes from Mark Zuckerberg?
  • Reply 35 of 56
    3eleven3eleven Posts: 87member


    I read that she got out of the shower/bath and answered the phone while she was still wet. It's horrible she died but I honestly don't believe a real Apple product would do this. I do believe a cheap, crappy knock off version would do this to someone.

  • Reply 36 of 56
    Maybe if the brand name chargers weren't so damn expensive (and always made with unusual proprietary connectors) people wouldn't be driven toward the third party ones.
  • Reply 37 of 56
    ipenipen Posts: 410member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ScartArt View Post


    Originally Posted by Curtis Hannah View Post



    I just wonder, do these problems happen with android?


     


    you aren't going to get a shock holding a plastic phone



     


    The next new iphone will have a plastic version.

  • Reply 38 of 56
    ipenipen Posts: 410member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ksec View Post



    In some ways I hope this incident would magnify the problem of chargers. Although it did not. Felt sorry for the girl. R.I.P



    Apple's Charger aren't the best. But they are good enough for their Job. I do hope they put some more timing in it though. Not Design, but engineering of it.



    Then is the price, do they REALLY need to make a flipping god damn profits on these things!. Not that it would get rid of the crappy chargers on the market but still.


     


    Quote:

    Originally Posted by FactsnotFanbois View Post



    Maybe if the brand name chargers weren't so damn expensive (and always made with unusual proprietary connectors) people wouldn't be driven toward the third party ones.


     


    Totally agree.  Just make the charger cheap enough.  Then no knockoffs will be on the market.


    I still think the woman died because of Apple's greed.

  • Reply 39 of 56
    vorsosvorsos Posts: 302member


    Tallest Skil View Post

    When will a company just come out and say, "Hey. Idiots. You buy crap, you get screwed. Buy the real deal. This is your fault." They'd gain more respect than they "lost".


    Companies run by mature adults have tact. Otherwise, they would face greater consequences than a forum ban.


     



    Suddenly Newton View Post

    Apple doesn't view its customers as "idiots" fortunately. Maybe Facebook does...can anyone find the relevant quotes from Mark Zuckerberg?


    No one has been shocked by Facebook, except in the metaphorical sense.


     



    FactsnotFanbois View Post

    Maybe if the brand name chargers weren't so damn expensive (and always made with unusual proprietary connectors) people wouldn't be driven toward the third party ones.


    Generally, cost of power converting electronics is directly proportional to component quality. You didn't see any reputable 3rd party power supply for the XBox 360 because Microsoft already used the cheapest (and cinder block-iest) parts. It left no room for another company to make a cheaper substitute.


     


    As for unusual proprietary connectors, I'll refer you to the smartphone alternative: mini-USB in a dozen slightly different shaped variants, all of which have less accessory control potential of Apple's Lightning connector.


    Of course, Apple's charger is a wall socket to standard USB port, in which you can plug any USB to whatever device you want.

  • Reply 40 of 56
    jfc1138jfc1138 Posts: 3,090member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by FactsnotFanbois View Post



    Maybe if the brand name chargers weren't so damn expensive (and always made with unusual proprietary connectors) people wouldn't be driven toward the third party ones.


    That's a standard USB port on that charger. Nothing "unusual" or "proprietary" about USB.

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