Should You Buy a Third Party IPhone Power Adapter?
In this week’s Tech 911 , a reader writes asking about third-party adapters for the iPhone, specifically turning their device into a ticking time bomb with a one-shot.
Tick? Absolutely not. Explosive? Probably not. Are you taking risks ? Yes. Most people care? No.
So, about chargers
Lifehacker reader Gilese writes:
“So we know it’s bad to use cheap third-party cables to charge your iPhone, but what about little bricks that fit into the wall, or protrusions that plug into your car’s cigarette lighter? Is it safe to use laces with an Apple certified cord? “
The answer probably won’t make you happy: it depends on the circumstances.
I will dismiss my advice by saying that I am hardly an electronics expert like Nathan K. or Benson Leung , but I will do my best. Generally, Apple prefers that you use Apple devices – and only Apple devices – to charge your iPhone. But even the tech giant has a variety of third-party adapters and cables in its own online stores and retail stores. If the company were truly concerned that third-party products could damage or detonate its devices, it would not sell them.
However, the best suggestion I can give is also the most general one: do not buy power adapters or cables that have not passed the odor test. If something looks too good to be true – it might be extremely cheap compared to other power adapters you’re looking at, or it just looks like a crappy knockoff of a real power adapter – don’t buy it.
(Here’s an older but good comparison of what’s inside a real iPhone power adapter to a fake one if you want to play around a bit.)
When you’re shopping, do your research on products from the big, reputable brands you’ve heard of: Anker, Samsung, Belkin, RavPower, and more. Read reviews from others who have purchased power adapters and mark any time people have critical issues. when charging smartphones or tablets. Sometimes it just happens. If this seems to be the case with most people leaving a product review, then stay away.
You can also try to find out if certain adapters have USB-IF certification on the (non-commercial) USB Developers Forum, or if they are Apple MFI (short for Made For iPhone ) certified . This still does not guarantee that every certified power adapter will perform 100 percent flawlessly, but it can help reduce the risk that you are buying something that has not been tested in any way.
Do you have a technical question that is keeping you awake at night? Tired of searching and troubleshooting Windows or Mac issues? Looking for advice on applications, browser extensions, or utilities that you can use to accomplish a specific task? Let us know! Let us know in the comments below, or better yet, write to david.murphy@lifehacker.com .