You won't likely be killed by a knock off charger, no. But if that's how you live your life, making those compromises in other areas, you'll eventually stack up hundreds of such compromises and one of them will harm you.
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Apple Instructs Chinese Users on Identification and Use of Genuine Apple Power Adapters
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You won't likely be killed by a knock off charger, no. But if that's how you live your life, making those compromises in other areas, you'll eventually stack up hundreds of such compromises and one of them will harm you.
When that story first broke a week or two ago I literally knew there was a cheap knockoff somewhere in the chain as soon as I read "Chinese". That sounds horribly racist but it truly isn't meant to be. The sad fact though is that so many cheap knock offs come out of the Asian countries that after being in the industry for a few years you start to question anything that is even slightly off color based on it's country of origin. It's akin to being a bit skeptical when you hear "financial" and "Nigerian" in the same sentence. I've bought many odd adapters, cables, etc on eBay over the years and after getting burned 2 - 3 times I now skip over anything shipping from Hong Kong or the like. I don't know, it's almost like theres "no code among thieves", the good counterfeiters are losing business and reputation thanks to the cheap shady ones. Too many bad ones are killing the reputation of the good ones.
$20~ does seem pretty excessive for a cable, especially when it's more than likely only going to be used to charge a device. Funny though that so many people will spend $30-100 on HDMI cables, $10-20 on ethernet cables, etc but balk when seeing more than $1-5 for a phone cable.
Apple developed a middle ground, which they honestly didn't have to do, by creating their MFi (Made for iPod/Phone/Pad) program that allows manufacturers to create quality components at lower costs with Apple's blessings, components, technical help, etc. Sure, you'd still be hard pressed to find an MFi certified cable in the $5 range but I've picked up several $11~ MFi Lightning cables from Monoprice, which is a good chunk of savings from the $20 Apple offerings. Is the extra $5-6 worth knowing that it's more than likely a bit higher quality, will probably last a bit longer and (as these recent sensational events have shown) be a bit safer? I think so.
https://developer.apple.com/programs/mfi/
$20~ does seem pretty excessive for a cable, especially when it's more than likely only going to be used to charge a device. Funny though that so many people will spend $30-100 on HDMI cables, $10-20 on ethernet cables, etc but balk when seeing more than $1-5 for a phone cable.
Apple developed a middle ground, which they honestly didn't have to do, by creating their MFi (Made for iPod/Phone/Pad) program that allows manufacturers to create quality components at lower costs with Apple's blessings, components, technical help, etc. Sure, you'd still be hard pressed to find an MFi certified cable in the $5 range but I've picked up several $11~ MFi Lightning cables from Monoprice, which is a good chunk of savings from the $20 Apple offerings. Is the extra $5-6 worth knowing that it's more than likely a bit higher quality, will probably last a bit longer and (as these recent sensational events have shown) be a bit safer? I think so.
https://developer.apple.com/programs/mfi/
Given that we now have two very serious injuries resulting from using third party device adapters, maybe we should be asking for security/safety hardware in the cables to lock out these manufactures.no one asked apple to invent a cable that includes its own ram and chip set which theyve only done to make even more money in the first place
the old one worked just fine or make it USB 3 at least
Seriously though, the issue is not after market parts, it's crappy dangerous parts. I use knock offs myself, and the quality is often shockingly poor. Apple is not to blame for somebody making a knock off part so poorly made that people get electrocuted.
I agree that genuine Apple adapters, chargers and cables are a bit on the expensive side, but you get what you pay for.
Say my home needs a new roof. I decide to hire a guy based on the mere fact that he is cheaper than another guy whom I know to be competent and do great work. 6 months down the road, my roof leaks due to shoddy materials and poor workmanship.
Who is at fault here? I am. You get what you pay for. More often than not, when I have opted to "cheap-out", I wound up regretting it.
I'm not made of money and admittedly, I cringe a bit at what Apple charges for some of their stuff. That said, I can take comfort in the fact that it works the way it's supposed to, the user experience is excellent, it's safe and well built and if by chance I do have a problem, they will look after me. They ALWAYS have. That's one of the reasons that I stick with Apple.
There will always be someone who is willing to cut corners to be cheaper.
The copies are already very authentic. In my country though, most retailers do not pass off the imitation ones as the real ones, although some do.
I knowingly bought one knowing it is a knockoff, and everything is the same, even the safety mark logo is inscribed. You can only tell the difference if you compare it to a real one. The words are more faint, and the finish of the metal contact pins are rougher.
The plastic has has slighter more gaps at the seams.
In my opinion any kind of electrical items i buy should be qbove all safe. As much as love cheap stuff if i have to pay more for something that is safe, I'll gladly pay much more
Also, as a corporate policy, I'm not sure I'd want to let criminals dictate my business and pricing.
It's not like Apple can win that game:
- If Apple drops the price, the cheap knock-offs can drop further.
- If Apple sells them for 50 cents and takes a loss, tons of people will still buy a $5 knock-off not knowing any better.
- People buy a knock-off sometimes thinking it IS a real Apple product.
- There ARE lots of perfectly safe third-party chargers, made to follow safety laws and regulations. Maybe they should lower their prices too (and go out of business)? That's not the goal; we just want the dangerous ones off the market.
The criminals violating safety laws need to be arrested--bottom line.
The cable responsible for the death of the Chinese woman was capable of charging the device. You were saying...?
Really, how many people thought a cheap cable could kill you? I'm sure 99% of us assume that the product might simply not work.
I think there is a misunderstanding here.
It is a standard USB charger, so authorized means by the government, not Apple.
Otherwise the EU charger legislation makes no sense.
What needs to be authorized by Apple (and the government) are the cables or chargers with proprietary connectors.
It is a standard USB charger, so authorized means by the government, not Apple.
Otherwise the EU charger legislation makes no sense.
What needs to be authorized by Apple (and the government) are the cables or chargers with proprietary connectors.
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...ger-degree-burns-smelling-like-burnt-pig.html
http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/...injures-man-after-catching-fire-in-his-pocket
http://androidspin.com/2012/11/09/nexus-7-catches-fire-while-charging-take-a-look-at-the-aftermath/
http://axeetech.com/2013/07/13/a-bu...-it-catches-fire-while-charging/#.UfFPTRaSrGc
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-57...ry-catches-fire-burns-hackers-tail-at-defcon/
No immediate electrocution results but more than enough to show safety isn't just an iPhone problem
That's why I said you need to be able to identify risks _properly_. With the cheap charger, there is the risk that (a) it doesn't work, (b) it works but destroys itself harmlessly, (c) it works but destroys itself in a spectacular way, (d) it works but injures you, and (e) it works but kills you. When you climb up a ladder, there is the risk that (a) you fall down without ill effects, (b) you fall down and suffer some pain, (c) you fall down and injure yourself, (d) you fall down and kill yourself.
What you need to know is how high the risks are. In the UK, there are over a million injuries from falls every year; about 200,000 are falls from ladders, but these seem to be the ones that are fatal most often. We heard of one dead and one in a coma in China through using chargers. Make sure that you know what to worry about.
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That charger didn't do anything to the iPhone either. The iPhone is fine. The person isn't. And when it's Apple, it's news.
There is also the problem that Apple's charger is small; building a small, safe charger is much harder than building a big, safe charger. I have two non-iPhones with huge chargers. These big chargers are cheap and safe. I'm sure someone could build a big, safe charger that works with iPhones very cheaply. It's the small, cheap chargers that are not safe. Maybe that would be a business idea for someone in China. (One problem to solve when making a charger safe is that you need as much distance as possible between high voltage and low voltage parts. If you make a big, ugly charger then keeping the distance is no problem. In a charger the size of Apple's charger, it's an engineering challenge).
You are of course correct about everything you just said, but, sometimes it's easier to apply a hard and fast rule than to make a risk assessment. "Don't buy dodgy electronics to save money" is a quick optimization.
The cable responsible for the death of the Chinese woman was capable of charging the device. You were saying...?
Thanks for nitpicking my comment and twisting it around for your own benefit. Notice the followup in the comment: there are plenty of good cables that are much cheaper and also still safe. Just because there's this one tragic incidence, doesn't mean all 3rd party cables are condemned.
If we're so concerned with safety, just wait till they start bringing the Chinese cars here to the states.
You can buy a Ford Fusion for $xxx or you can get the same looking Chinese made car for half the price. Obviously quality will not be same even tho they look the same. I wonder how much longer before Walmart starts selling cars?
You can buy a Ford Fusion for $xxx or you can get the same looking Chinese made car for half the price. Obviously quality will not be same even tho they look the same. I wonder how much longer before Walmart starts selling cars?
Sigh
Why hasn't anyone asked the obvious question: why were they using a knockoff charger when the phone comes with a perfectly safe branded charger?
Why hasn't anyone asked the obvious question: why were they using a knockoff charger when the phone comes with a perfectly safe branded charger?
Very doubtful, actually. According to the reports we've seen here, the electricity likely came through her to the cable, not the other way around.The cable responsible for the death of the Chinese woman was capable of charging the device. You were saying...?
It's sad that so many don't understand the retail system. Or electricity. And then argue about it on the 'net.
It's more than just cheap parts. Knockoffs don't go through the same rigorous testing phases after the device is made.
Even genuine devices can be dangerous. But you wouldn't see this, since testing rejects all the bad ones before they are sold.
Knockoffs are probably sent straight to market, with little or no testing.
I charge in 3 different places, need 3 chargers. And before you say it, 1 of them absolutely must be different since it is a car, and Apple does not make a car charger. I use 2 3rd-party chargers in my life, both of which are not "knockoffs", but simply, non-Apple quality chargers.