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Apple Launches USB-C Charge Cable Replacement Program for Retina MacBook

I wish the frayed cables of the non-USB-C chargers could be replaced so easily. Replacing otherwise-working chargers due to frayed cables has cost me a few hundred bucks in the last decade. The last time I went in I asked with a straight face for a replacement cable for my working charger, fully expecting they're standard reply. A pretty reasonable request really.

On the flip side, I'm glad that the USB-C chargers don't suffer from this flaw. Hopefully that bodes well for the chargers in future Macbook Pros.
 
Glassed Silver said:
Cables with freaking full out serial numbers...

What a time to be alive.

Glassed Silver:mac
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they apparently started doing that with lightening cables. according the BF folks were bringing in ages old nasty cables saying that it was the one that came with their brand new phone to get them swapped for free. so now the cables have batch numbers on them and if the batch number isn't high enough to match the item being used to validate the warranty they aren't supposed to swap it
 
ob81 said:
One cable. One cable with one port. Easiest laptop ever made, and they messed it up.
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It's not like Magsafe cables are any better. The constant problems of fraying is one thing, and not being able to get a new one without buying an entire brick (because the brick is suspiciously designed to not detach the cable from the magsafe head side) is very annoying and expensive to replace.

Meanwhile the USB-C cable is just an ordinary USB-C cable. If it breaks, you don't spend even half of a hundred bucks just to get a replacement charging cable. You just get a new one and plug it into the charging brick.

So the rMB might be overall a dumb idea, but the USB cable isn't the worst feature.
 
just contacted apple. they are sending me a new one. I bought my macbook retina first month, and have notice that the cable is starting to break down from the inside (similar to iPod charger when it started to not charge unless you play with the cable a bit)
 
kingofwale said:
just contacted apple. they are sending me a new one. I bought my macbook retina first month, and have notice that the cable is starting to break down from the inside (similar to iPod charger when it started to not charge unless you play with the cable a bit)
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Did you register when you first set it up? From the article it looks like we would get it automatically. It appears I have one of the affected cables, though I have not noticed the issue.
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polee said:
I do not see it on mine either. Sigh...
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It's easy to miss. It took me a few minutes to find it. It is about 8 inches from the end of the cable in very faint gray text. I was only able to find it on one end.
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MH01 said:
This is embarrassing , apple uses an image of a lightning cable for a usb-C recall.

http://www.apple.com/support/usbc-chargecable/

What heck is happening at apple? One would think of all people they would
Know thier OWN products, and on a recal page....
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:confused: It is a USB-C cable. Perhaps they fixed the page already, but I definitely see the right cable.
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zorinlynx said:
Is it me or does Apple seem really half-hearted on USB-C?

The Macbook is still the only machine they have that has USB-C ports (Apple TV developer port doesn't really count) and it's been ages since that came out. They seem fully intent on continuing to use Lightning for their mobile devices.

If Apple has fully embraced this format you'd think we would see USB-C ports on the iMacs that were released since then, at the very LEAST. Standardizing on one plug across their entire product line would be even more awesome.
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My guess is the updated MacBook Pros will get them, too. Apple switched to the Lightning port less than 3.5 years ago, and promised it would be their standard port on iOS devices for a "long time." If they switched to USB-C that would create some anger, as well as confusion since not all devices with a USB-C plug work in every USB-C port on mobile devices.
 
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This issue affected my Macbook 12" purchased in mid-June 2015. I went to the Apple Store in January 2016 and the genius said I was wrapping it wrong after examining the cord. I am very careful about not putting any stress on the ends of the cable when wrapping the cord.

I've had Macbooks since 2010 and am very careful about putting any stress on the cable especially by the connector. I have so far not damaged any of my adaptors.

The genius replaced the cord. I do not see any text on the new USB-C cord. How do I know if this will require replacement? And how to tell if it is the newly designed one or can be a problem in the future?

I was told to unplug the USB-C cable from the adaptor when transporting but didn't like this as I don't want to misplace or forget the cable.

Glad I was not wrapping it wrong and that it was a cable design issue.
 
Super hard to find it is on one end only about 6 inches from the tip of the cable and my cable is good
 
Bought my MacBook in September, spookily it started exhibiting the signs - intermittent charging - just yesterday. September is outside the window but I'll check the cable when I get home, think it may be an old batch.

I was relieved to discover it was the cable and not the charger or rMB itself when I used a decent quality Anker USB-C cable that I already had instead, charged fine.

Never had a single problem with multiple Lighting or MagSafe cables previously. There will be exceptions but I think a large portion of people who have trouble yank the cables or crunch them into damaging configurations in a bag or something.
 
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Yhea Apple fixed the image. It was a photo of lightning cables not usb c at first.
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:confused: It is a USB-C cable. Perhaps they fixed the page already, but I definitely see the right cable.
 
Can anyone say, "MagSafe?" I really hope that the person who decided to put one port on the redesigned MacBook has been shown the door at Apple. Sorry, but it was just a dumb decision.
 
I found this somewhat confusing. I ordered two MacBook 12-inch with retina display a month after they was released. Both of these have the "Design by Apple in California, assembled in China" marking on them (darn hard to find on dirty cables..).

As one who order them directly from Apple.com/no, am I supposed to just sit and wait on two new ones suddenly drop in my mailbox or should I bring them to a authorized Apple dealer to get them replaced?
 
Brookzy said:
The replacement will be sent to the registered address?

So Apple expects no-one to have moved house since pre-June 2015.

Currently contacting support about this, and the fact I'm no longer at the address is proving a nightmare.
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I'm assuming its tide to my Apple ID. I just logged into the Apple ID site and changed my home address.
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RamGuy said:
I found this somewhat confusing. I ordered two MacBook 12-inch with retina display a month after they was released. Both of these have the "Design by Apple in California, assembled in China" marking on them (darn hard to find on dirty cables..).

As one who order them directly from Apple.com/no, am I supposed to just sit and wait on two new ones suddenly drop in my mailbox or should I bring them to a authorized Apple dealer to get them replaced?
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The recall says they will mail them out by the end of February. So yeah I'm sitting and waiting until early March.
 
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