[Danger] Three serious risks of third-party charging cables

Where do you buy your iPhone charging cable when you buy it?

In addition to genuine products, there are third-party Lightning cables used to charge the iPhone, and cables with various characteristics are on sale.

Many people may choose a third-party charging cable because it's cheaper, but keep in mind that there are safety risks.

This time, I will explain the risks of third-party charging cables.

* Prices in this article include tax.

1. What is a third party product?
2. Advantages and disadvantages of third-party charging cables
3. What is MFi certification that you can use with confidence?
4. Risks of third-party charging cables without MFi certification
5. Third-party charging cable confirms MFi certification

Image source:

What is a third party product?

The literal translation of a third party is the term third party.

In other words, peripherals and parts manufactured and sold by a manufacturer different from the manufacturer of a certain product are called third-party products.

Third-party products can also be rephrased as external products or non-genuine products.

On the other hand, peripheral devices manufactured and sold by the same manufacturer as a certain product are called genuine products.

Speaking of iPhone chargers, the ones sold by Apple are genuine products, and all the ones made by manufacturers other than Apple are made by third parties.

Apple's genuine charging cable is only similar to the white cable that comes with the iPhone, and it is hard to say that there are many variations.

In contrast, third-party charging cables come in a wide variety of types to meet the different needs of iPhone users from each manufacturer.

If you're looking for an iPhone charging cable at a consumer electronics retailer or online shop, you'll find quite a few, but in fact almost all are third-party.

Advantages and disadvantages of third-party charging cables

Image source:

As you've seen, most of the charging cables sold around you are made by third parties, so many people will pick them up without knowing it.

Is it okay to use a non-genuine third-party charging cable?

Now let's take a look at the pros and cons of iPhone's third-party charging cables.

merit

The advantage of using a third-party charging cable is that you will be able to choose from a wide variety of cables that are not available in genuine products.

If you're not happy with the genuine charging cable that came with your iPhone, it's a good idea to choose a third-party charging cable that suits you.

So what are the advantages of a third-party charging cable over a genuine product?

You can choose a high-strength charging cable

Perhaps many iPhone users have had the experience of having their charging cable broken.

In particular, the genuine charging cable is not strong enough, so if you use it for a long time, it may break in the cable or the connector part may be torn off.

If you use your iPhone while charging it, the cable will be overloaded and the risk of disconnection will increase.

Of course, those who use it while charging should change the usage, but those who often break the charging cable should choose a high-strength charging cable.

Third-party products have charging cables that are stronger than genuine products.

The material of the cable and connector part is made of stronger material than the genuine product, and it has a structure that is hard to break.

Some third-party charging cables, which sell for their high strength, come with a one-year warranty and can be replaced with new ones in the unlikely event of a disconnection.

Charging cables that come with a warranty may be more expensive than genuine ones, but you can save money in the long run by reducing replacements due to disconnections.

It is recommended for people who often break the wire and frequently replace the charging cable.

You can choose charging cables of various lengths and colors

The length of the genuine charging cable can be selected from 3 types of 0.5 / 1.0 / 2.0m.

There are plenty of length variations, but if you're looking for a charging cable with a length that isn't available in the genuine product, we recommend a third-party.

Third-party products also sell long cables over 3m and short cables such as 0.1m and 0.3m.

The long cable is useful when used in a large room or away from the outlet, and the short cable is useful when used with a mobile battery.

Also, there are more colors available from third parties, and you can choose red, gray, or other items that are not available in genuine Apple products.

Cheaper than genuine

Third-party charging cables have the advantage of being cheaper to buy than genuine ones.

The genuine one costs 2,200 yen for a 1m charging cable, while some third-party products sell for less than 1,000 yen.

One of the strengths of third-party products is that they can be purchased for less than half the price of genuine products.

However, if the charging cable is too cheap, many of them will be of low quality, so be careful.

We'll talk about the risks of using a bad third-party charging cable later, but it can cause malfunctions not only in the cable but also in the iPhone itself.

When choosing a third-party charging cable, make sure you can use it with confidence before purchasing.

You can buy it anywhere

If you want to buy a genuine charging cable, you'll need to buy it at a store or Apple Store that sells accessories for Apple products.

Depending on the electronics retail store, it may not be available, so it may be difficult to purchase it if you need it in a hurry due to a sudden malfunction of the charging cable.

Even in such a case, you can easily purchase a third-party charging cable.

Charging cables are also sold at home electronics retail stores and convenience stores, so even if you need them suddenly, you can get them immediately, which is another advantage of third-party products.

Demerit

We found that third-party charging cables have advantages that genuine products do not have, such as low prices and features and variations that genuine products do not have.

So, if you're buying an iPhone charging cable, it's better to have a third party, but that's not the case.

Third-party charging cables have some disadvantages you need to know before you buy.

If you're thinking about buying a third-party charging cable, it's important to understand the disadvantages and risks.

Now let's take a look at the disadvantages of third-party charging cables.

May become unusable due to iOS update

iOS, which is the basic system of iPhone, is updated regularly so that older models can use the same functions as the latest models and problems can be improved.

Regular iOS updates are essential if you want to continue using the same iPhone.

However, third-party charging cables may become unusable with this iOS update.

Even if the charging cable that has become unrecognized and unusable due to the iOS update is not broken, it can no longer be used and you have to buy a new one.

It's important to understand that if you use a third-party product, it can suddenly become unusable like this.

On the contrary, the cost may be high.

If the charging cable becomes unusable due to an iOS update, of course, there is no other way but to buy a new one.

In addition, some inexpensive charging cables are of poor quality, and it is not uncommon for them to break down or break immediately.

Even if you look at Amazon reviews, there are many voices saying that it can no longer be used immediately.

If you repeatedly buy a new one every time the charging cable breaks down, the cost may be higher than if you bought a genuine product.

Not only are they expensive, but they can also lead to significant risks, which we will discuss later.

Careful consideration will be required when choosing a third-party charging cable.

What is MFi certification that you can use with confidence?

Image source:

We have found that third-party charging cables have advantages that genuine products do not have, but have the disadvantage that they can quickly become unusable.

I don't want to be able to use the charging cable I purchased.

To avoid this risk, be sure to choose one with "MFi certification" when choosing a third-party charging cable.

If you have a charging cable with MFi certification, you can continue to use it with confidence without being disabled by the update.

What is MFi certification?

MFi certification is an abbreviation for "Made For iPhone / iPad / iPod" and is a proof that it is an officially recognized accessory for compatibility with Apple products.

This means that MFi-certified charging cables are third-party products that have been approved by Apple for quality.

The MFi certification mark is only allowed to be displayed on products that have passed Apple's examination from the manufacturing process to the operation check.

Not all products can be displayed on their own, so you can think that you can buy a charging cable with MFi certification with confidence.

On the other hand, a charging cable without MFi certification will cause unexpected troubles, so be careful.

Most third-party charging cables sold at home electronics retailers are MFi certified.

However, there are many products that do not have MFi certification in the charging cables sold on the net and general stores.

Whenever you buy a third-party charging cable, make sure you have "MFi certification".

Risks of third-party charging cables without MFi certification

So what if you use a third-party charging cable that doesn't have MFi certification?

Now let's look at three scary risks of using a charging cable without MFi certification.

Let's take a closer look.

The terminal may be damaged

Using a charging cable that is not MFi certified can damage your device.

The lack of MFi certification can be of poor quality and may not have the proper voltage or current to charge your iPhone.

If the battery cannot be charged with the appropriate voltage and current, it will put a load on the iPhone battery, which will accelerate the deterioration of the battery and, in the worst case, lead to the failure of the main unit.

Accidents that cause the smartphone battery to explode are frequent, but it is said that the main cause is the use of a poor third-party charger.

By applying excessive voltage to the battery, the temperature of the terminal tends to rise, and if the high temperature condition continues, the battery may ignite and explode.

If the charging cable just breaks, then if the cheap cable breaks the expensive iPhone, there's nothing wrong with it.

Be careful when choosing a third-party charging cable and make sure you have MFi certification.

Cables are fragile and may cause fire or burns

Charging cables that are not MFi certified are less durable and more prone to failure.

If you use a third-party charging cable that doesn't have MFi certification just because it's cheap, you'll end up buying it over and over again, which can be costly.

Also, charging your iPhone with a broken cable can cause electric shock and burns.

In the worst case, it can cause an iPhone to ignite, explode, or even catch fire.

Accidents that are believed to be caused by actually charging the iPhone when charging without MFi certification are occurring in various parts of the world.

Just because it's cheap, it's wise to avoid using a charging cable that doesn't have MFi certification.

Sometimes you can't sync or charge your device

Charging cables that are not MFi certified may not be recognized on iOS in the first place.

If the charging cable connected to your iPhone is not recognized on iOS, you will not be able to transfer or sync data, or even charge it.

Also, as explained earlier, even if it is usable at first, it may suddenly become unusable due to an iOS update or the like.

Isn't it too risky to use something that can become unusable every day, even if the cable isn't broken?

If you're buying a third-party charging cable, verifying MFi certification is still a must.

Third-party charging cable confirms MFi certification

Image source:

If you're buying an iPhone charging cable, it's safest to choose a genuine one.

However, there are advantages that third-party charging cables do not have in genuine products, and many people are thinking about purchasing them.

Using a third-party charging cable is not always dangerous.

However, it's worth understanding that some products carry significant risks.

If you buy a third-party charging cable, make sure you have MFi certification.