Recently, the experience of an iPhone 15 Pro Max user was a wake-up call for us. He used an unofficial USB-C cable, which not only damaged the phone, but also burned himself in the overheating. This incident reveals an important question: the importance of iPhone users in choosing a data cable after the European Union forced Apple to switch from Lightning to a USB-C port.
Apple has long stuck with its proprietary Lightning cable, even though that means users need to buy specific accessories. Despite rumors that Apple is doing this to get royalties from its MFI (accessories for iPhone) program, the truth may be more complicated. However, with the launch of the iPhone 15, Apple has finally adopted the USB-C interface, which is a more common standard in the market.
Still, users need to be cautious when choosing accessories. A Redditor named NoisilyMarvellous shared his story and**, showing the wreckage of his iPhone 15 Pro Max and a melted USB-C cable. This not only damaged his phone, but also left burns on his hands.
From his description, we learn that the incident happened overnight, when the phone was charging. He was using a "general-purpose" USB-C cable from Amazon and appeared to be the culprit in the incident. Although he tried to find out the root cause of the problem, many netizens pointed to the quality of cheap data cables.
Thankfully, all iPhones since iPhone X support wireless charging, which gives this user a temporary solution. However, this incident reminds us that opting for low-quality accessories can have serious consequences.
As a veteran iPhone user, my advice is to stick with the official cable, whether it's included with it or purchased from a trusted manufacturer. Apple's MFI-certified cables or USB-C cables that ship with MacBooks and iPads are good options. Generic cables that are unusually inexpensive online should be avoided.
By the way, let's popularize Apple's MFI certification standards
Apple's MFI-certified data cable has several special features:
Security: The MFI-certified data cable will have Apple's hidden authentication chip inside, which will be cut off immediately when the voltage output is abnormal to ensure safety. In addition, the inside of the data cable is also reinforced with a metal braided mesh and aluminum foil layer, which increases the durability of the data cable and also improves the safety of data transmission and charging.
Compatibility: The MFI-certified data cable has an Apple certified chip hidden inside, and there is metal protection on the chip. The certified chip and the power management chip inside the iPhone form the charging system of the iPhone. If any of these three parts are not certified and controlled by Apple, iOS devices cannot be charged according to Apple's charging scheme. Therefore, using an MFI-certified data cable ensures full compatibility with iOS devices.
Quality assurance: The data cable that has passed the MFI certification is more advanced in quality, and Apple has strict quality requirements for MFI certified products, including product design, materials, production processes, etc., which need to meet Apple's standards. Therefore, the MFI certified data cable can provide a better user experience in terms of quality.
In the end, this story is not only for iPhone users, but any device user who uses a USB-C cable should learn from it. When choosing accessories, quality should always come first and avoid risking damaging the device or even injuring yourself in order to save a few bucks.