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Apple Pledges Investigation After Chinese Woman Reportedly Electrocuted Using a Charging iPhone 5

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The Next Web summarizes a series of reports from out of China relating an incident in which a 23-year-old Chinese woman was allegedly electrocuted while answering a call on her iPhone 5 as it was plugged in and charging. Details on the incident are somewhat sketchy, but the woman's family insists that the iPhone was purchased from Apple in December and that the woman was using Apple's official charger at the time of the incident.

The South China Morning Post reports that Apple has issued a brief statement expressing its condolences and committing to investigate the situation.
A spokeswoman for the technology company said: "We are deeply saddened to learn of this tragic incident and offer our condolences to the ... family. We will fully investigate and co-operate with authorities in this matter."

According to mainland media reports, Ma Ailun, a 23-year-old flight attendant with China Southern Airlines, was picking up her iPhone 5 to answer a call while the battery was being charged when she was electrocuted and killed.
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Experts note that any device presents a more risky situation when being used while charging, but that either multiple significant issues between the device and electrical system or environmental factors such as the presence of water would generally be required for a dangerous incident to occur.

But while the woman's family claims that she was using a genuine Apple charger, the dangers of knockoff chargers are well-known, with many of those devices failing to meet standards for adequately separating electrical input and output.

Article Link: Apple Pledges Investigation After Chinese Woman Reportedly Electrocuted Using a Charging iPhone 5
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/07/15/apple-pledges-investigation-after-chinese-woman-reportedly-electrocuted-using-a-charging-iphone-5/
There has to be some extenuating circumstance in this situation. The output on an iPhone 5 charger is not that high...

On a side note, as sad as this tragedy is, I'm glad to see the correct use of the term "Electrocuted", too may people say that when they meant to say "shocked". Nobody will ever be able to say "I got electrocuted..." It's not possible.
 
Details of the incident are somewhat sketchy? Well that's not...

...

shocking.

EDIT: Apologies to those who've been offended by my comment; I'll admit I wrote this before reading about the lady's death.
 
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hmmm, the output voltage on an iPhone charger is too low to do more than a slight shock. Could they have bought it in one of those knock off apple shops? or even a dodgy plug?
 
Whilst I'm not gonna say that she was using a 3rd party charger (I would rather stick to facts than speculation) - I just thought I'd share my experience of one. I bought a cheap charger off eBay a couple of years ago.

It worked great, then one day I plugged it into the wall, and the other end into my iPod and *bang* - the charger exploded, it shot the charger out of the wall and across the room, charring the wall and blowing the circuit breakers.

Luckily there was no fire and no one was hurt, and the iPod was ok (somehow!) but I couldn't help but think that I was lucky and I could have received one nasty shock from that thing.

I now buy all official chargers every time, it's just not worth it for the sake of a few pounds.
 
"...multiple significant issues between the device and electrical system or environmental factors such as the presence of water would generally be required for a dangerous incident to occur..."

Ya, I'm sure they won't tell you the part about how it was sitting on the counter in a puddle of water. :rolleyes: ...Or it was plugged into a faulty outlet. ...There's something missing from this report. People like to get money by blaming a product when some sort of negligence is usually the culprit. :rolleyes:
 
Has it also been confirmed that it is in fact an iphone and not a knockoff qphone. And if so which iphone?
 
That children, is why you buy proper Apple chargers. ;)

Sounds like nonsense anyway, how could any phone charger (Apple or otherwise) output enough power to actually kill someone? Will be interesting to see how this story develops.
 
Sounds to me either a "non authorised" pin adapter could have been used to just change the pins from one design to another to work, or there has physically been a short in the circuit, maybe even make the case of the phone the grounding plate, and when she touches it - "snap" - effectively the whole phone becomes electrically charged. If you have enough Amps (not voltage), this can amplify and cause death, probably by making the heart beat too quickly.
 
Unggoy Murderer said:
That children, is why you buy proper Apple chargers. ;)

Sounds like nonsense anyway, how could any phone charger (Apple or otherwise) output enough power to actually kill someone? Will be interesting to see how this story develops.
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CNN are reporting that she was washing her hair in the shower at the time of incident.
 
Some of the comments/excuses/etc are just sad really.

How about we wait until the investigation is actually done and results published before we blame a potential victim OR a corporation.

Or go ahead - and grab pitchforks, tar and feathers if it makes you feel better...
 
I believe it. This happened to me. But I was using a knock off charger and the shock is very mild on the metal back of the iPhone 5. Feels like a vibration more then a shock. Stopped using that charger quick
 
Trik said:
There has to be some extenuating circumstance in this situation. The output on an iPhone 5 charger is not that high...

On a side note, as sad as this tragedy is, I'm glad to see the correct use of the term "Electrocuted", too may people say that when they meant to say "shocked". Nobody will ever be able to say "I got electrocuted..." It's not possible.
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It isn't really Voltage that Kills. It is Amperage, and not much at that. 0.1 amp across the heart can be enough to kill. The iPhone charger spits out 2.1 amps so yes, with the right environmental circumstances it could be lethal... so can an electric shaver.
 
Unggoy Murderer said:
That children, is why you buy proper Apple chargers. ;)

Sounds like nonsense anyway, how could any phone charger (Apple or otherwise) output enough power to actually kill someone? Will be interesting to see how this story develops.
Click to expand...

Simple It's coming from a full power receptacle and it is stepped down. If this is bypassed you get the full power. Water would be able to do this.
 
After living in China for a few years, working with electronics, I have learned that iPhones sold in non-authorized retailer shops, more often than not, have had internal parts swapped for counterfeit ones to maximize profits. This for sure goes for the chargers as well. Thus, my guess is that the charger used in the case were not an original Apple charger.
 
Skyfall said:
Did you miss the bit where it said she was using an official Apple charger?
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it actually says her family insists she was using an official charger. my family wouldn't know if my charger was official and I doubt her family truly knows. it may be official, but it won't be known until it is investigated
 
Is this possible, given the battery in the device?
Or perhaps because it was plugged in, the current was greater?

Sad to hear something like this has occurred at all.
 
dixido said:
After living in China for a few years, working with electronics, I have learned that iPhones sold in non-authorized retailer shops, more often than not, have had internal parts swapped for counterfeit ones to maximize profits. This for sure goes for the chargers as well. Thus, my guess is that the charger used in the case were not an original Apple charger.
Click to expand...

I'd be willing to bet this is the situation when the sketchy details come to light.
 
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