Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
For USB wall chargers, why pay the premium for Apple? I've bought tons of third party USB wall chargers from reputable companies and they cost a couple of quid. Sure, they don't look anything like the real Apple ones, but who cares?

I totally get it when it comes to buying MacBook chargers as they are proprietary and there's no way I'm going to risk frying a £2,000 laptop for the sake of saving a few quid on a charger, but for the plugs to charge your iPads, iPhones and iPods any old USB wall plug will do.
Because they can damage your phone and devices by not following proper lightning protocol. Over voltage, etc
 
How about if Apple sells the chargers at a fairer price rather than rip everybody off? Then more people would buy a genuine one.
Apple sells quality + expensive. Scammers sell rubbish + cheap. Unless you can show someone who sells quality + cheap, why do you think the price isn't fair and people get ripped off?
 
If you design a test so that other chargers would fail, then they will fail. It wont even matter if they are counterfeit or from some other genuine company. I am sure there are unsafe chargers out there, but the 99% number seems way too high. I am sure this 'independent firm' did their best to come up with an unbiased test.
 
Apple sells quality + expensive. Scammers sell rubbish + cheap. Unless you can show someone who sells quality + cheap, why do you think the price isn't fair and people get ripped off?

You call this "quality"?

Screen Shot 2016-12-02 at 11.00.38 AM.png
 
How about if Apple sells the chargers at a fairer price rather than rip everybody off? Then more people would buy a genuine one.

Exactly the counterfeit market is only so big because of Apples rip off pricing.

This has got nothing to do with safety let's be honest.

It's everything to do with Apple shutting down anybody who isn't paying them a licensing fee.

Another example of Tim Cooks Apple

Think different < Think $$$$$$$$$$
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hustler1337
You call this "quality"?

View attachment 675815
The most people who write reviews are the people who have issues. This is the same for every cable Apple has made over the decades.
[doublepost=1480698354][/doublepost]
Exactly the counterfeit market is only so big because of Apples rip off pricing.

This has got nothing to do with safety let's be honest.

It's everything to do with Apple shutting down anybody who isn't paying them a licensing fee.

Another example of Tim Cooks Apple

Think different < Think $$$$$$$$$$
Their chargers were always expensive. This is nothing new. There are Apple certified chargers available for much cheaper.
 
Apple sells quality + expensive. Scammers sell rubbish + cheap. Unless you can show someone who sells quality + cheap, why do you think the price isn't fair and people get ripped off?

Apple does not sell quality chargers and cables. On one thing we do agree -- they do sell comparatively expensive chargers and cables. I've thrown more Apple chargers and cables away than I have any other brand and I'm gentle on my technology and its accessories. Apple makes disposable chargers and cables that adhere to their strict profit margins.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kdarling
The tests were commissioned by the U.K.'s Trading Standards and undertaken by Illinois-based global safety specialists UL. The insulation tests applied a high voltage to the chargers,

More details would be nice. How much was this "high voltage" used for the test? Did they apply 1000V ?

Which is why I will pay the premium from Apple and have piece of mind for safety related reasons.

It might help, but buying Apple is certainly no guarantee of safety.

Apple has recalled millions of their own Apple brand chargers and cables for shock hazards over the years.
 
For USB wall chargers, why pay the premium for Apple? I've bought tons of third party USB wall chargers from reputable companies and they cost a couple of quid. Sure, they don't look anything like the real Apple ones, but who cares?

I totally get it when it comes to buying MacBook chargers as they are proprietary and there's no way I'm going to risk frying a £2,000 laptop for the sake of saving a few quid on a charger, but for the plugs to charge your iPads, iPhones and iPods any old USB wall plug will do.

iPhone 7+ 128gb is $1179 (plus tax is $1332) ..... thats almost as much as the laptop price you quoted!
 
How hard is it to make a USB charger? This seems like a ridiculous holiday scare tactic. I'd love for someone to breakdown how dangerous Apple's cables are when they fray.

Exactly. The article lost all credibility when it started talking about losing homes and loved ones. It plays on sensationalist fears after the Samsung debacle. It also does a poor job of differentiating between legitimate third party accessories and counterfeit items.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ENduro
Because they can damage your phone and devices by not following proper lightning protocol. Over voltage, etc
I'm not sure what planet you're living on, but there's plenty of quality manufacturers of USB chargers and Lightning cables that are much better in quality, safer and cheaper than Apple's own. Have a look at Aukey, Anker, RAVPower and even your supermarket brands. A lot of these are highly durable, come with a generous warranty and even have over-voltage protection. You need to look beyond the realms of eBay sellers and stop believing Apple's own chargers and cables are of a decent quality. Almost all my Apple chargers and cables (including the Magsafe) have failed, frayed or stopped working within a year or just over a year from light-handed careful use and you only need to look at the reviews online and check these forums to see how bad they really are.
 
If Apple wouldn't charge $69.00 - $79.00 for a simple power adapter or $19 for those USB chargers, people wouldn't buy those. It costs them a fraction of that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ENduro
Which is why I will pay the premium from Apple and have piece of mind for safety related reasons.

Which piece?

Because they can damage your phone and devices by not following proper lightning protocol. Over voltage, etc

Or worse. Often times counterfeit or low quality chargers do not put proper separation between components in the two power domains. If a minimum distance (or at least a minimum effective distance due to insulation) is not observed, it is very easy for high currents to cause an arc between the two domains, resulting in electrical shock hazard, fire hazard, etc.
 
"Oh *insert issue with iPhone* happened, Apple fix it!! But for free because it's your fault and I'm cheap, as seen by saving money on cheap chargers."
 
Bought a fake charger for my MBP (the cable broke on it after 2,5 years of use) for half the price Apple was asking, sadly the charge's lifetime was on a few months. Yes, Apple is expensive, but this kale once's are even more expensive if you consider there their life span. So, after this, I bought the expensive Apple charger which still lives today.
 
Amazon allows seller's to use words like "Genuine" "OEM" Apple products on their web site. Same on eBay and other sites. Why there are no legal consequences of using these words in their product title or advertisement to misguide customers and make money.
Users all over world have experience(including recent Chinese government probe for iphone shutdown concluded) their gadgets misbehave when their chargers are not true OEM.
 
Amazon allows seller's to use words like "Genuine" "OEM" Apple products on their web site. Same on eBay and other sites. Why there are no legal consequences of using these words in their product title or advertisement to misguide customers and make money.
Users all over world have experience(including recent Chinese government probe for iphone shutdown concluded) their gadgets misbehave when their chargers are not true OEM.

There *are* legal consequences.
 
Brick and mortar stores? No, you'll be price-gouged by the store.

Go to Amazon and buy one from them.

Apple bought counterfeit chargers and cables directly from Amazon. Even if you buy an Apple-branded charger that says "Sold by and ships from Amazon," you can still get a counterfeit. That's because Amazon mixes its inventory with those of the resellers who sell [what is supposedly] the same item.
 
That's a serious charge, but I have to agree.

Surely there should be a happy medium where everyone can buy a safe, properly insulated chargers without being price-gouged by Apple?

It would be nice if Apple took the lead (ahem) on this and said 'you know what, people dying or losing their homes because a power adapter they bought in good faith is a ridiculous situation, we are going to sell all our power adapters at cost price..

! :D

Agreed, but they don't even need to sell at costs! They just need to lower their margin especially since there quality is SO Low and cords fray within 2 years anyways. But Tim is so obsessed about making money on dongles and chargers, he forgets Apple is a tech company that supposedly makes computers.

No wonder he had to disband the Airport team, they needs more help in the dongle and watch band department!
 
Which piece?.

The "Piece" that uses common sense when purchasing a legitimate product, excluding cheap third party junk.
[doublepost=1480707718][/doublepost]
Apple has recalled millions of their own Apple brand chargers and cables for shock hazards over the years.

Agreed. But this also backs my point with piece of mind knowingly a reputable company as Apple is, to acknowledge the need for a recall, where these other shady companies will refute or never acknowledge a faulty product.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cerberusss
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.