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Topic: iPhone

iPhone AC adapters failing

Summary: There appears to be a problem with the failure rate of Apple's iPhone AC adapters (part# MA816LL/A).Rob Parker from the PowerPage podcast reported that his iPhone AC adapter died about a week after bringing it home on 29 June.

Jason D. O'Grady

By for The Apple Core |

iPhone AC AdapterThere appears to be a problem with the failure rate of Apple's iPhone AC adapters (part# MA816LL/A).

Rob Parker from the PowerPage podcast reported that his iPhone AC adapter died about a week after bringing it home on 29 June.

Both me and my wife's iPhone AC adapters died within 24 hours of each other. I notice mine was having trouble yesterday when I grabbed my iPhone in the morning only to notice that it hadn't charged overnight. Last night I grabbed my wife's adapter and it was dead too.

I tested both with other iPhone USB cables, iPod USB cables, with and without the iPhone dock and in several known-good power outlets. Nada. Both phones charge fine when connected via the cable to our Macs so I'm pretty confident that it's the bricks.

Rob return his to the Apple store for a replacement, so I'll probably do the same some time this week.

Apple hasn't reported anything about a systemic problem with the adapters, but there are plenty of reports of them failing on the Apple discussion forums.

Topics: iPhone, Mobility

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Talkback

11 comments
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  • anecdotal evidence

    and the internet echo chamber at full force, so it must be true.
    frgough
    Reply Vote

    • don't be silly

      This is an Apple product after all. These stories are made up by MS Shills I tell you, it NEVER happened!
      Badgered
      Reply Vote

  • Ditto.

    Yup, mine died in less than a week. I took it to the apple store last nite. They didn't
    ask any questions or look at the receipt. Just walked to the back and handed me a
    new one. So that would lead me to belive it is a common problem.

    ERIC
    Eric A Pot
    Reply Vote

    • Customer service, remember?

      <i>So that would lead me to belive it is a common problem.</i>

      Or, you know, just good customer service. You can test that theory, you know. Take
      the cable you know is working, and go back to the same store. Tell them that it's not.
      See if they replace it on the spot. I bet they do.
      TheBreen
      Reply Vote

  • apple link?

    gives this;

    The specified thread [0] was not found.

    Useful links:


    thats helpful
    richvball44
    Reply Vote

  • Jason ... any sign of overheating?

    Jason - did you get the impression that the chargers were overheating at all? I'd love to get my hands on a dead one to put it on the autopsy table ...
    Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
    Reply Vote

  • My sister just charges her on the computer...

    ...and never has problems with it. The AC adapter failing, however...I've had an iPod
    adapter fail after a couple of weeks.
    nix_hed
    Reply Vote

    • "My sister just charges her on the computer... "

      ...so that means if she wants/needs to charge the phone overnight, she has to have her computer on just to charge her phone? What a piece of modern techno-crap. ;-) And she paid how much for this convenience?

      Apple has really come up with a great idea this time. A non user replaceable battery in a cell phone. Now there's a really good idea.
      IT_Guy_z
      Reply Vote

  • There is no "iPhone" AC charger.

    Jason - One problem with this report - Look at the charger that came with your
    iPhone - it does not say iPhone - it says iPod - this is the same charger you get
    with the iPod. Literally the exact same one. So this is not an issue with AC
    adapters for the iPhone. This is a proven charger.

    I would guess the percentage of failures of the charges is the same as for the iPod
    - which is not high.

    Just a vocal minority. Really this looks to be a non-story.

    Rob W
    host - Today in iPhone Podcast
    http://www.todayiniphone.com
    podcast411
    Reply Vote

    • lol

      [i]There is no "iPhone" AC charger[/i]

      If the charger came with the iPhone... then it can reasonably be called an iPhone charger. If he had said "My iPod charger is now dead", many would not realize he was talking about the charger that came with his iPhone.

      [i]I would guess the percentage of failures of the chargers is the same as for the iPod - which is not high.[/i]

      I would guess that if in one household 2 chargers failed, those users might find it annoying.

      [i]Really this looks to be a non-story.[/i]

      Only if it doesn't affect you. ;)
      Badgered
      Reply Vote

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    tomlin21-24319035676893835085146735905770
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