UsbPowerAdapter
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Apple expands USB charger trade-in program to 30 countries
On August 6th, Apple announced it would initiate a USB Power Adapter Takeback Program in response to safety issues with some counterfeit USB power adapters for iOS devices. The program will allow users to buy an Apple USB power adapter for only US$10 if they trade in one of their counterfeit units. The program was originally only available in the US and China. However, just six days later Apple expanded the program to customers in Japan, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. And now today Apple has expanded the program on a global scale, offering the Takeback program for customers in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,and Taiwan. To find out more about the official requirements in your locale, check out Apple's USB Power Adapter Takeback Program page.
Apple expanding USB charger trade-in program beyond China and US
In response to concern over the safety of unofficial USB charging accessories, Apple announced last week that it would be hosting a takeback program in certain retail locations to allow customers to trade in third-party chargers for a discount on the real deal. Now, as 9to5Mac reports, the company is expanding its offerings beyond the US and China, which were the only two territories originally announced alongside the program. For every discounted USB power adapter you hope to purchase, you'll need to trade in one unauthorized adapter. Here is the current list of countries participating in the trade-in program, along with the corresponding price of the discounted USB chargers: United States -- $10 USD China -- ¥68 CNY Japan -- ¥1,000 JPY Australia -- $14 AUD Canada -- $11 CAD France, Germany and the United Kingdom -- €10 EUR
Apple begins takeback program to replace third-party USB chargers
Apple will initiate a USB Power Adapter Takeback Program on August 16, 2013 in response to recent safety issues with some counterfeit USB power adapters for iOS devices. To qualify for a new specially priced US$10 Apple USB power adapter, you must bring your third-party adapter and your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to an Apple Retail Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider. The retailers will validate the serial numbers and you can buy one adapter for each iOS device you bring in until October 18, 2013. Not all Apple Authorized Service Providers may be participating in the buyback program, so check Apple's site for potential locations. Customer safety is a top priority at Apple. That's why all our products - including USB power adapters for iPhone and iPad - undergo rigorous testing for safety and reliability and are designed to meet government safety standards around the world. According to Apple's Takeback Program announcement, "Apple Retail and Apple Authorized Service Providers cannot advise you on the authenticity or safety of your adapter." They will simply replace any suspect USB power adapter with which you may have safety concerns. Apple has also posted information on how to identify an Apple USB power adapter, but counterfeits can look amazingly similar, so when in doubt, replacement is advised. The green dot on Apple USB power adapters was added in 2008 to differentiate new products, after a recall for adapters sold with the iPhone 3G, as reported by MacRumors on September 19th, 2008.
Apple to start USB power adapter trade-in program, offer new chargers for $10
Apple is investigating the death of a flight attendant who was electrocuted by answering an iPhone 5 that was charging, and now it's taking a step to ease fears about potentially faulty USB power adapters. Though Cook and Co. don't identify whether the plug involved in the deadly incident was from a third-party manufacturer, they explain that "recent reports have suggested that some counterfeit and third party adapters may not be designed properly and could result in safety issues." With that in mind, the House that Jobs Built is instituting the USB Power Adapter Takeback Program, which will let folks pick up first-party iPad, iPhone and iPod plugs for $10 (instead of the usual $19) if they return any of their current adapters. Don't plan to stock up on the power-giving cubes though, as the deal is limited to one adapter for each device you own. While the company does draw attention to concerns with chargers made by other manufacturers, it notes that "not all third party adapters have an issue." If you're interested in trading the accessory for some peace of mind, you'll have to head to an Apple retail store or an authorized service provider between August 16th and October 18th.
The danger of counterfeit iPhone/iPad USB adapters
Software engineer Ken Shirriff took a close look at 12 different USB power adapters and confirmed what we already suspected -- that counterfeit chargers are junk. They are poorly constructed and can cause serious damage to both your devices and yourself. Shirriff measured the performance of a variety of branded chargers including those from Apple, Samsung, Motorola, Belkin, Monoprice and more. He also threw in a few counterfeit power adapters for the iPhone and iPad. While Apple's official chargers scored well in the tests, the counterfeit ones scored poorly. Not only do the counterfeit adapters deliver significantly less power than advertised, the chargers also ignore basic safety standards. Shirriff says "you're putting your phone, and more importantly yourself, at risk if you use one of these chargers." Shirriff gives tips on spotting these fake adapters, but notes that they are often so similar to Apple's chargers that it is difficult to tell them apart. Your best (and safest) bet is to cough up the $29 for an Apple power adapter and rest easy knowing that you are getting a quality charger that won't burn your house down. You can read Shiriff's full performance report that covers both the branded and counterfeit chargers on his website. [Via ZDnet]
New 12W iPad Charger can charge older iPads faster
When Apple introduced the fourth-generation iPad and its new iPad mini, the company also unveiled a new 12W Power Adapter. The USB adapter is compatible with all versions of the iPad from the second generation forward and will allegedly charge these models faster than the stock 10W adapter. It's also compatible with the iPhone 4S/5, the iPod nano seventh generation and the iPod touch fifth generation. 9to5Mac received confirmation of this super-charging power from Apple which said, "We don't have an exact percentage of how much faster it would charge but you should see an increase in speed." This is good news to iPad third generation owners who were disappointed with the slow charge times from the original 10W adapter. Customers who want to turbocharge their device can buy the new 12W USB power adapter for $19 from Apple's online store.
The cost and construction of Apple's iPhone charger
Have you ever wondered exactly why Apple's tiny USB Power Adapter for the iPhone has such a large price tag? The diminutive cube costs US$29.00, while similar USB wall chargers are available from retailers like Monoprice for as little as $6. Ken Shirriff wondered the same thing, so he went all iFixit on one of the Apple chargers and tore it to pieces to see what's inside. Shirriff found that there's a reason for at least part of the premium price tag, and that's the use of quality components. To quote Shirriff's conclusions, Apple's power adapter is clearly a high-quality power supply designed to produce carefully filtered power. Apple has obviously gone to extra effort to reduce EMI interference, probably to keep the charger from interfering with the touchscreen. When I opened the charger up, I expected to find a standard design, but I've compared the charger to the Samsung charger and several other high-quality industry designs, and Apple goes beyond these designs in several ways... Apple's design provides extra safety in a few ways... the super-strong AC prongs, and the complex over-temperature / over-voltage shutdown circuit. Apple's isolation distance between primary and secondary appears to go beyond the regulations... Apple's iPhone charger crams a lot of technology into a small space. Apple went to extra effort to provide higher quality and safety than other name-brand chargers, but this quality comes at a high cost. So that's it, then. The next time you walk into an Apple Store to replace the USB Power Adapter that the child flushed down the toilet, you can walk out with adaptor in hand and hold your head up high, for you've bought quality merchandise. [via Gizmodo]
Apple releases new, slimmer European power adapter for iPod/iPhone
A quick note to our European readers. Apple has released a new, slimmer USB power adapter for iPods and iPhone. This new adapter supports all iPod nanos, iPhones, iPod Touches, iPod classics, the second and third gen iPod shuffle, the fourth and fifth gen click-wheel iPod, and even the iPod mini. Here is the Google Translation link to the Norwegian Apple Store new Apple USB Power Adapter page. Thanks to reader Christian S. who sent this in.
Travelmate USB Power Adapter does just what its name implies
If you're a serious gadget-head we don't need to explain just how convenient a USB power adapter can be (especially one that won't shock you). In the case of the Travelmate, USB Geek really does Apple one better, offering a device with two USB ports to Apple's one -- for a sweeter price, to boot. This guy works in your home or your car (or anyone's, for that matter) and includes connector tips for juicing up almost any handset. And if that weren't enough, we hear that the included "carrying pouch" also works with twenty-sided dice. You can't say that about just any pouch, can you?
