iPhone AC adapters failing
updated 01:55 pm EDT, Fri July 27, 2007
iPhone AC adapters failing
It appears that a number of wall power adapters (AC) for iPhones are failing. A post by Jason D. O'Grady reports that Rob Parker from the PowerPage podcast reported that his iPhone AC adapter, O'Grady and his wife all experienced an inability to charge their phones with their AC adapters. O'Grady writes: "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." Meanwhile, an Apple Discussions thread harbors several reports from other iPhone owners that are experiencing the problem. For most, simply connecting the iPhone to power via USB results in successful charging.
iPhone power
07/27, 02:11pm reply
I am not so sure it is the bricks. I have a 4G iPod power adapter that I use at work for my iPhone and it sometimes charges and sometimes it doesn't. I have a reliable charge in the dock, but a direct connect to the iPhone connector doesn't always work. Strange....
cartoonspin
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2003
happened to me
07/27, 02:42pm reply
this happened to me within 2 days of buying my iPhone. I was able to isolate the issue to the "brick". I took it into the Apple Store. Worked with a Genius. Confirmed that the brick was the problem... And he took a new brick off the shelf (retail packaging) and gave it to me gratis.
Great service... Not what I expected to happen at all!
Guest
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 1999
Yep.
07/27, 03:20pm reply
Mine too. Flaky really - worked about 50% of the time. The spare I bought is fine. Called Apple, replacement on its way.
mitchcohen
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2005
it is not an iPhone issue
07/27, 04:50pm reply
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.
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
Guest
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 1999
Reminds me of the time
07/27, 04:53pm reply
when a repair store let me borrow a brick
danviento
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2005
brick? what brick?
07/27, 06:00pm reply
There's a brick??
ohh... yeah. I'd never even noticed, and certainly never used it. USB charging is the only way to go.
Camelot
Mac Elite
Joined: May 1999
non story!
07/27, 06:19pm reply
This is such a non-story that not even mac-baiting c|net are reporting it. Only MacNN...makes you kinda wonder?
Feathers
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 1999
Apple will replace it
07/28, 10:20am reply
If you have a problem like this Apple will replace it for you. This is a non-story and Apple is doing everything it can to make everyone happy and I think is doing a very good job of it.
horvatic
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2002
Radio Shack...
07/28, 11:42am reply
Time to visit Radio Shack!
http://iphone.corank.com
Guest
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 1999
Actually...
07/31, 10:26am reply
Based on my experience, I'm not certain it's a non-story. I don't think it's a huge issue, but I've had this happen with my phone and a coworker's brick. It did wind up working with mine when I got home, but then happened again with my own brick. In both cases, there has been no underlying problem with the brick itself, and a restart of the phone resolved the issue. I have not seen these problems since wiping and restoring my phone.
I suspect a bug in the iPhone's software. I'm wondering if Apple hasn't implemented the power-anti-theft system in stealth to enable it at a later date with a software update ( http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070725-apple-anti-theft-system-would-leave-thieves-powerless--literally.html )
dogzilla
Mac Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 1999