Apple Officially Launches Third-Party USB Charger Takeback Program in 30 Countries

[rdlink]

Customers need chargers. They could either go to Apple and pay for the most expensive ones, or turn to competitors. For users, chargers tend to be very substitutable, regardless of the technology inside them; a charger is a charger. This is particularly so in Europe since the phone industry was compelled to adopt one type of charger, reducing the need to supply one on purchase of the phone and making the market of chargers more competitive. The result is that consumers may choose to go for either supplier, because the market is competitive and thus lower prices emerge. In other words, it is fairly common to buy chargers from other companies than Apple. Since Apple is always at the higher end, it is by no means a stretch to presume that Apple charges in excess, it happens with other Apple products too (especially the earphones). But that does not say that competitors' chargers are not as good, security regulations and guidelines will apply industry-wide especially in Europe, it simply means that Apple can as usual set its own prices without having to enter direct competition, because there will be demand for Apple-branded products regardless. And it is not even true that Apple's chargers are without problems, plenty of cases can be found on the web too.

But the customers that lose out are the ones who are not willing to pay for Apple's prices and turn to competitors instead, which is a perfectly reasonable thing to do. The problem that now emerges is that there could be potential security risks with some chargers if they do not come from Apple. And that is where my grudge with this program lies. Apple is effectively saying to those customers: don't buy the cheap stuff from our competitors, it could be dangerous. And for that they provide a trade-in program to compel customers to pay for an Apple charger after all. Of course it is optional, but the stigmatisation will most likely convince some people to make use of the program just to be sure. With this Apple is providing a haphazard solution to a problem they created in the first place. If the chargers were competitively priced, customers would find no need to buy cheaper alternatives.

You know what, I'm not even going to try to reason with that garbage. Basically, you just spent two long paragraphs using the same convoluted and unsupported "logic" as the last time, and it makes no more sense now than it did before.

If you think it's "perfectly reasonable" to buy a lower priced option in order to save a few bucks on your $700 phone, and don't think Apple's chargers give value for the money, go buy the cheaper ones. And spend your time wondering every time you plug it in, or pick up your phone while it's charging whether or not you will end up as a story on Macrumors about yet another person who died because they were looking to save $10.

But don't put your economic decisions at Apple's feet. This is not "a problem that Apple started." If you really have such a problem with the pricing of their accessories you are free to buy into another ecosystem. This is a problem started by cheap, shortsighted consumers, and opportunistic, predatory scumbags who are perfectly willing to take advantage of the situation.

 

[Battlefield Fan]

Awesome!!!!!111 Except I already bought official chargers

 

[Kid Red]

So I can trade in my $4.99 Chinese cable and get a $20 Apple cable for $10 saving $5? Not bad.

 

[Tork]

Customers need chargers.

Very first line's not true -- one comes in the box.

...a problem they created in the first place.

Man, I know I was upset at Nike when my sweet $20 Nyke Free Runs off of ebay fell apart. I was mad at Prada too when the straps fell off the $25 Preda bag I bought my wife from PURSES4LESS!!!11 on Amazon. And don't even get me started on my Beets by Dre...

A company isn't your mother, and just a little common sense is required to avoid suspiciously cheap and possibly unsafe chargers. It's the same common sense that would prevent you from buying a $0.25 end-of-the-day-special hot dog from your local gas station. Plenty of <$10 chargers with 4+ star reviews on Amazon from reputable companies like Belkin and Griffin are out there to choose from.

 

[badman89]

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With Apple's USB Power Adapter Takeback Program officially launching yesterday, the company has now posted prices for additional participating regions, boosting the number of countries where consumers may trade-in a third-party USB charger for a discount on an official Apple charger (via 9to5Mac). While Apple originally expanded plans for the program last month to countries beyond the United States and China with seven additional countries, the recent move brings the amount of countries supported by the program to 30.

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Apple is maintaining separate information pages for several countries involved in the program, while pricing in the bulk of the countries is summarized on a separate "other countries" page.

First introduced last month following the electrocution of a Chinese woman using a counterfeit iPhone charger, the recycling initiative is designed to allow iOS users to safely replace and dispose of questionable third-party power adapters.

Under the terms of the program, Apple will accept and recycle any third-party charger at any Apple Retail Store or participating Apple Authorized Service Provider, and will also provide an authentic charger for $10 in the United States, a $9 discount from Apple's regular pricing.

Article Link: Apple Officially Launches Third-Party USB Charger Takeback Program in 30 Countries

Thanks for the post, but I have two questions:

1. If this program has been launched in 30 countries, how come there are only 20 countries included in the list?
2. Why are certain countries being excluded from this program?

Thanks very much in advance to anybody who can answer these questions!

 

[gkarris]

Plenty of <$10 chargers with 4+ star reviews on Amazon from reputable companies like Belkin and Griffin are out there to choose from.

The Belkin one I had (from a package with USB to MicroUSB cables) only was .8A whereas the Apple one is 1A - just enough juice to charge an iPad 2 with Wi-Fi only. I just traded that one in.

Thanks for reminding me about a Griffin one I have somewheres. That one may be 1A as well so I would keep it. If not, trading that one in too. It is nice not to have to go out of my way to look for one that works with my iPad 2.

But definitely, stay away from cheap and knock-off ones. Remember you are working with AC current on one end, and charging Lithium Ion batteries on the other.

Boeing Aircraft can attest to this...