Did you recently buy an iPhone 3G? Do you have an ultracompact Apple USB power adapter like the one pictured on the right? If so, stop using it immediately.
According to an Apple press release issued last Friday, there’s a design flaw with the metal prongs that can cause them to break off and get stuck in the electrical outlet. Users may receive a shock when trying to remove the metal pieces, but so far no injuries have been reported.
It’s estimated that Apple sold more than 4 million 3G iPhones since it was introduced in July. The defective power supplies were supplied to the following regions: United States, Mexico, Canada, Japan, and Latin America.
If you do own an ultracompact Apple USB power, there are 2 ways you can exchange it for a new, redesigned adapter.
- Order a replacement adapter via Apple’s website. These replacement adapters will ship within 3 weeks, starting on Friday, October 10.
- Exchange your adapter at an Apple Retail Store starting on October 10.
Product recalls are not unusual in the computer industry, but Apple usually manages to avoid them. The last Apple recall was in August 2006, when Apple had to recall 1.8 million Sony laptop batteries because they had a tendency to overheat and catch on fire.
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