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- You should be careful about how you charge your iPhone 15.
- Using low-quality USB-C chargers could make it easier to accidentally fry your phone.
- This is because some USB-C connectors don't have safeguards for electricity surges.
Buyers of the iPhone 15 should beware: using the wrong USB-C connectors could fry your device.
Apple will release the new iPhone on September 22 and for the first time it will feature a USB-C port — marking a shift from Apple's Lightning connectors. This is the first time a new iPhone charger will be launched in over a decade.
Some USB-C cables and plugins can have fewer protections for your phone than Apple's official Lightning cables, so you should be wary of public plugins and cheap connectors. Apple recommends that iPhone owners use Apple chargers or other brands that meet certain safety regulations.
Using a charger that doesn't meet standards could put iPhones at risk, Jessa Jones, the owner of the mobile device repair shop iPad Rehab, told The New York Times.
The NYT's Brian X. Chen explains:
"High-quality chargers are essentially electronics with tiny circuit boards inside them. On Apple's official Lightning cable, there are two chips: One authenticates that the cable is made by Apple, while the other acts as a fuse that isolates damage to the charger. In the event of a power fluctuation, for example, only the charger would be destroyed and not the phone itself, Ms. Jones said."
Knockoff chargers may be less expensive but you could end up paying the price in future repairs. If you buy a charger that isn't Apple brand, you should look at the product's description and reviews. You can also use tools like Fakespot when shopping on Amazon to make sure you're getting a quality product. Ideally, your charger should be MFi.
Apple's MFi — or Made for iPhone — program is meant to help protect users, whether or not they choose to buy Apple chargers, according to Tom's Guide. MFi phone chargers have to pass safety regulations to make sure that users are not at risk while charging their devices. Brands like Amazon Basics and Otterbox, for example, sell MFi chargers.
Apple and MFi chargers may protect your iPhone from high-voltage outlets. Still, you should be careful when plugging your phone into hotel room outlets, airplane seat outlets, car consoles, and other public outlets.
If you plug a low-quality charger into a high-voltage outlet, it could electrocute your phone, Jones told the Times. Being knowledgeable about where you plug your phone could prevent an emergency trip to the Apple store.