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Apple Recalls iPhone USB Power Adapters
Fecha de publicación: 9/22/2008
Apple has received reports of detached prongs involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold

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Apple is facing public-relations woes again. This time it involves a USB power adapter's metal prongs that can break off and get stuck in a power outlet. The issue leaves consumers at risk of electric shock.

Apple said it has determined that, under certain conditions, the new ultracompact Apple USB power adapter's metal prongs malfunction. Apple declined to reveal what those conditions are. No injuries have been reported.

"Apple has received reports of detached prongs involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold, but no injuries have been reported," the company said in a media alert. "Customer safety is always Apple's top priority, so it has voluntarily decided to exchange every ultracompact power adapter for a new redesigned adapter, free of charge."

Another iPhone Problem

While Apple's latest woe doesn't relate directly to the iPhone 3G handset itself, it is connected. Apple said the ultracompact USB power adapters were supplied with every iPhone 3G sold in the U.S., Japan, Canada, Mexico and several Latin American countries. The USB power adapter was also sold separately as an accessory.

Apple stressed that the USB power adapters supplied with original iPhones or supplied with iPhone 3G units sold in other countries are not affected. In any case, Apple is offering a new, redesigned adapter that should be problem-free. Users with the potentially problematic power adapters should immediately stop using them until they exchange them, the company said.

"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," Apple said.

For consumers who aren't sure if they have the USB power adapter in question, Apple has posted images online and suggests comparing the adapter to those images. The new, redesigned adapters have a single green dot on the bottom.

The replacement adapters will be available starting Friday, Oct. 10. Consumers have two options: They can order a replacement adapter online and receive the new adapter within three weeks. Or they can go into an Apple store to make the exchange.

Apple Avoids PR Nightmare

Compared to iPhone 3G connectivity issues and the MobileMe outages, the power-adapter issue is minor, said Michael Gartenberg, vice president of mobile strategy for Jupitermedia. In fact, if the power-adapter issue didn't come on the heals of these other notable glitches, he said, there would hardly be a mention of it.

Unlike the widespread laptop battery issues that have plagued several PC manufacturers and injured consumers, Apple's adapter issue is relatively benign, at least so far. Still Apple is being safe rather than sorry, Gartenberg said, avoiding any potential consumer injuries by taking swift action.

"Not unsurprising, as we move to more and more devices that require their own chargers and these things proliferate, we are going to see a greater number of issues associated with them by virtue of the sheer numbers," Gartenberg said. "Apple did the right thing by getting ahead of the issue, making the announcement, essentially doing the voluntary recall. At the end of the day it's not going to be a big deal for Apple."

Fuente: Yahoo.com/News
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