Apple Recalls Some International Wall Adapters Due to Risk of Electrical Shock

[MacRumors]

Apple today issued a voluntary recall for certain two-prong AC wall plug adapters designed for use in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Continental Europe, New Zealand, and South Korea, due to the risk of electrical shock if touched in very rare cases. Apple has also advised customers to stop using affected plug adapters.

Apple is offering a new, redesigned adapter for free to affected customers.

Customer safety is always Apple's top priority, and we have voluntarily decided to exchange affected wall plug adapters with a new, redesigned adapter, free of charge.

The recalled wall plug adapters shipped with Macs and some iOS devices sold between 2003 and 2015, and were also included in the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit. Apple says an affected wall plug adapter has 4 or 5 characters or no characters on the inside slot where it attaches to a power adapter.

Affected adapter prong types​

Redesigned adapters have a 3-letter regional code in the slot, such as EUR, KOR, AUS, ARG or BRA. Apple says other wall plug adapters, including those designed for the U.S., Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and the U.K., and Apple USB power adapters, are not affected by this program.

Here's what happens when the adapter breaks, leaving metal pins sticking out of the socket.
https://t.co/YpFnLnQL64 pic.twitter.com/XWfAMJfUrl - MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) January 28, 2016

Apple's AC Wall Plug Adapter Exchange Program provides instructions on how to identify your wall adapter and initiate the exchange process.

Article Link: Apple Recalls Some International Wall Adapters Due to Risk of Electrical Shock

 

[pat500000]

Shocking news. Another one of those cases that apple products blows up. Should you choose to accept this mission you have 5 seconds to dispose your shocking products.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Bad supplier.

 

[hobspain]

I have about 3 of these plus the international adapter kit but not sure I will bother. They seem very sturdy to me and several of them have been plugged in the wall for years and they seem totally fine.

 

[Lemon Mac]

Further proof the 3 Pin UK plug system is best.

 

[GenesisST]

Further proof the 3 Pin UK plug system is best.

As caltrops, yes... ;-)

 

[RedOrchestra]

"due to the risk of electrical shock if touched in very rare cases."

CUTE ... is this Apple downplaying it or MR?

Can't be all that rare, if there's a recall.

 

[wschutz]

Further proof the 3 Pin UK plug system is best.

Why?

 

[bobob]

Shocking news.

I would have thought you were half a million times better than that, Pat.

 

[Fusion79]

People are just touching it wrong

"due to the risk of electrical shock if touched in very rare cases."

CUTE ... is this Apple downplaying it or MR?

Can't be all that rare, if there's a recall.

People are just touching it wrong

 

[oldmacs]

There are at least 20 of these things in my household :O

 

[RedOrchestra]

Getting a jolt never did anything to make Safari snappier ... but it probably put a little jump in YOUR step.

 

[KingScooty]

Why?

Watch this and you'll see why.

 

[nia820]

Thank goodness I have the three prong adapters.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

Pretty shocking news...





You're the worst audience I've ever had.

 

[Joe Rossignol]

"due to the risk of electrical shock if touched in very rare cases."

CUTE ... is this Apple downplaying it or MR?

Can't be all that rare, if there's a recall.

Straight out of Apple's press release. Apple says they have 12 incidents since 2003.

 

[iFoure]

Checked my chargers and yep, both my MBP's and iPad Mini 2's chargers are the affected type. Time to exchange them then...

 

[Robert.Walter]

Further proof the 3 Pin UK plug system is best.

For industrial equipment perhaps but little other.

 

[SlipperySlop]

Can't be all that rare, if there's a recall.

Even if only one person was injured by a defective product, a recall is warranted, as certainly more will be injured. I can't believe you think that 100's must die or be injured to warrant a change.

 

[Robert.Walter]

If this goes like other Apple recalls, Apple will shirk its responsibility of contacting customers who registered their devices (presumably to reduce the cost of recall).

Likely only when Apple gets sued for a bundle by an injured party, or the government mandating such conduct, will Apple change their policy.

In the case of the 5w adaptor, Apple could have provided a pop-up when the device recognized it was attached to one and then helped the owner complete a register for replacement form. Totally addressable with software and only limited by lack of imagination, ethics or greed.

 

[RedOrchestra]

Even if only one person was injured by a defective product, a recall is warranted, as certainly more will be injured. I can't believe you think that 100's must die or be injured to warrant a change.

HEY ... reread my comment ... I agree with you.

 

[bigchrisfgb]

Further proof the 3 Pin UK plug system is best.

If only Apple could make them fit properly, has anyone ever tried getting a UK Apple plug out of the socket? Do it and your crowned king of England.

 

[RedOrchestra]

Apple says they have 12 incidents since 2003.

How many unreported incidents? I suspect there were a lot more ... just Apple downplaying yet another recall.

 

[Lnds500]

I am not sure I get it.

Are the affected adapters the ones with the code on the example or every adapter that comes with 4-5 digits and not the area code (EUR etc.). I think it's the latter, but just to make sure.

If that's the case, I have two which need to be changed.

 

[Matthew.H]

If only Apple could make them fit properly, has anyone ever tried getting a UK Apple plug out of the socket? Do it and your crowned king of England.

I can get them out fine.