Apple recalling iPhone 3G power adapters

The USB power adapter sold with the iPhone 3G is being recalled by Apple.

(Credit: Apple)

Apple is recalling the USB power adapters sold with the iPhone 3G in North America and Japan amid concerns they are prone to breaking.

The company announced the Apple Ultracompact USB Power Adapter Exchange Program Friday, which applies to iPhone 3G owners who bought the device in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Japan, and selected countries in South America. Apple included a USB power block, shown at right, inside the box for the iPhone 3G in these countries, and the company has received reports that the prongs on that power block can break off and remain inside your wall socket, which is not good. The power adapters sold with the original iPhone as well as the ones sold in other countries are not included in this recall.

If your power adapter has a green dot, it's one of the redesigned (safe) models.

(Credit: Apple)

No injuries have been reported, but Apple is warning users of those power adapters to stop using them immediately until they obtain a redesigned adapter. Check the bottom of your adapter: if there's a green dot, you've got the redesigned one and don't need to do anything. If there's no dot, it's time to replace that unit.

You can get a replacement unit at your local Apple store starting October 10, or you can order one from Apple's Web site here.

[rfoNYC]

"stop using them immediately" and "get a replacement unit at your local Apple store starting October 10" leaves much to be desired...

[Tom Krazit]

Very true. The recommended solution for the next three weeks is to connect directly to your PC or Mac via USB and charge that way, which leaves more than a little to be desired.

[jorge.avila.m]

At least you have a date, for Mexico it only says, we will let you know what to do before October 10... hehe... dmn Apple.

[close5828]

Just filled it out for my adapter. I use an aftermarket USB charger w/ two ports to charge both my and my girlfriend's iPhones. I thought the Apple charger was a little flimsey so I rarely use it.

It's nice to see Apple do these things (as they should!) and make them semi-painless to facilitate.


rfoNYC: Yeah, did you also read the part that says...

"In the meantime, they should charge their iPhone 3G by connecting it to their computer with the USB cable that came with their iPhone or by using a standard-sized Apple USB Power Adapter (with fold up prongs) or with a third party adapter designed to work with the iPhone, such as a car charger. "

In other words, you can still charge it hooked up to your computer.

[john1234es]

"I use an aftermarket USB" - and you assume every apple user SHOULD use one.

"It's nice to see Apple do these things" - How many coolaids have you had?

"In other words, you can still charge it hooked up to your computer." - Thanks I never knew :)

Apple is not doing any charity, just covering their a**. Many companies recall products when they finds potential hazards. Apple is not unique. But accept the fact that it is not a great company you think. Don't be in denial :)

[Perry_Clease]

You can also plug the cable into an iPod charger power block

[IowaNinersFan]

Even the adapters can't work right. What's next, the plastic casing melts easily if exposed to sunlight? LOL

[sythara]

oh please, no product is immune to design defects, inferior materials, or assembly error. Granted things made in china have a higher rate of falure, still they are cheap enough to replace.

[CBSTV]

I think Apple is overreacting with this recall -- but I suppose it's better to be cautious than take a chance in this case.

[developIT]

At least it looks good. Who needs performance.

[Perry_Clease]

Apple products are designed to look good and deliver performance.

[techslut]

Well, if Apple did indeed use cheaper parts so they can sell the iPhone at a lower price, then what can we expect?

[js818]

Well if you only where a bit informed before talking trash about cheaper parts wise guy. The fact of the matter is you are paying more for the new iphone 3g since the plan is 10 dollars more expensive than the older iphone. So you may not pay for it up front but you will in the long run. So apple didn't use cheaper parts it just had ATT pay the difference so it could market the phone cheaper and then of course ATT gets there money back by locking you in the 2 year contract.

[Lerianis]

Shouldn't this have been caught BEFORE these things were shipped, if they were that darn flimsy? Just me, but I have NEVER had a product where the electrical port plugs broke off inside the wall outlet.... not even with a bargain-basement extension cord.
If Apple or their supplier made these things that flimsy...... some real questions about 'quality-control' should be asked.

[ElDudde]

Shocking, absolutely shocking!

[Perry_Clease]

Good one

[ElDudde]

Krazit, you are a wimp of major proportions. NOT ONE WORD THAT YOU MAY RECEIVE A SHOCK as a result of this APPLE screw up. What a pansy you are.

Here's what Information Week said: "The adapter can break off in the wall socket and pose a shock risk, so the company is offering an exchange program beginning Oct. 10."

"CBSTV" at 4:30 PM today said, "I think Apple is overreacting with this recall -- but I suppose it's better to be cautious than take a chance in this case." Geez, what a major legal mind you have. How many billions of dollars do you think the lawyers would sue APPLE for if only one person died from an electric shock? Duh?

What a total cover up this article represents. APPLE puts out an adapter which can cause an electric shock - which would kill your ass dead as a door knob - and this Krazit moron doesn't mention a word about "shock" Please................

[AppleSuxLeo]

Krazit is a Whipple Kiss-A**

[Vegaman_Dan]

Don't shoot the messenger. He gave links to the full resources and information available. That was all that was necessary.

[natronforever]

Billions of dollars? Really? That's Exxon/Mobil lawsuit territory. I might question what kind of legal mind you have. I don't think that a dubiously fatal electric shock would garner the same level of litigation as spilling over 10 million barrels of oil along Alaska's Prince William Sound. Perhaps Apple isn't the only one overreacting.

[mooreoftom]

I agree with natronforever that ELDudde overblew his post. Or should I say the only thing he blew was hot air. ELDudde must be a leftist liberal who acts out of pure emotion and uses disinformation to help his case. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe it was misinformation used out of pure ignorance!

[donjb]

If microsoft distributed such a thing the Apple-slaves would be howlng instead of saying how nice it is that Apple did a recall ( as if it is charitable act.. LOL). Apple is not the company it used to be me thinks.

[MIAagain]

Many Mac users can be much like over zealous cult followers. I wonder how many would off themselves if Apple went belly-up?

I do have to admit that I've dealt with Apple's CS department in the past, and quite honestly found it to be some of the best (and fastest) customer service I've ever gotten. I described the issue (bad jack on an iPod dock) and without even a request for the bad one, Apple sent me a new one priority mail. I was a bit shocked.

In my opinion Mac hardware, even though a bit proprietary, is damn nice stuff (although I hate the cosmetics). Too bad the OS, being so clinically boring and colorless, will never get me to crack the wallet for a Mac. I'm sitting here typing on a PC that cost me literally 25% of an equivalent Mac...and it has ALL the components I WANTED.

[HighwayHome]

The unit is made in China or some other labor cost saving country, no doubt. You get what you pay for.

[rapier1]

Apple just can't get a break with the 3G now can it?

[HeySoSueMe]

I dunno, seems like they get to break a prong or two :)

[Perry_Clease]

We have two of the power adapters that fall under the recall. I just gave them a little enhanced interrogation test and the prongs were solid, didn't snap, though I didn't go so far as torture testing. Examining the design what I suspect is happening is that the prongs don't snap off flush with the outlet, but can pull out of the adapter or the two parts of the housing separate.

Cute little buggers, would be great for traveling. For those of you who do not have these model adapters they are cubes about an 1" on a side.

There is an Underwriters laboratory UL logo on the adapter.

[AppleSuxLeo]

Snicker , snicker...those new I am a PC ads are having the desired effect. Apple can`t even get a power adapter righr...in the meantime , Windows powered PC`s put men in space , the moon , and beyond.
Real kick-A** men (Techno Viking/Rashad Evans) use Windows PC`s...loser-dweebs use Macs.

[canberra_photographer]

All these power adaptors for mobile phones and other electronics are made by a handful of manufacturers in China and Taiwan. Many dozens of them get recalled every year due to design and performance problems which may cause overheating, injury and fire. I'm not saying it's okay, but it's certainly not unique. I would suspect Apple's very unique design made it even more likely the OEM would stuff it up, given that they can't even get the boring wall bricks for other brand right.

[HeySoSueMe]

There is a sense of greater disappointment when Apple products fail to satisfy given their history of producing such elegant products in the past (and present I should add).

Quality assurance of one?s vendors is essential. Blaming a third party for a product that has your name on it doesn't get you off the hook.

[kmp091]

Hmm... the power adaptors in my country for the iPhone 3G is significantly different from that design. While it may not be as compact, it sure is less prone to detached prongs. It's actually kind of like the MacBook chargers than the above pictures.

This leads me to ask, "why bother making these things different from country to country?".

[dude7895]

Different countries have different outlets, an American plug would not fit into a European outlet.

[lotek1013]

Apple Iphone is becoming a bigger problem then its worth.

[mooreoftom]

I assume you are joking or just being cynical as Apple has already sold 5,000,000 of these things in only one quarter and is set to sell another 5,000,000 by the end of the year. Assuming they are all the $199 model (though obviously not) that is at minimum $995,000,000.

[globalist_agenda]

Where do you think the adaptors were made? China perhaps? Were they evaluated by any kind of government safety bureau? Oh, I guess in a globalist free-trade world you don't need product safety testing. "We Must Not Be ISO-LATIONIST.".

[Naphtali14]

My power adapter seems just fine..