Apple recalled the iPhone 3G's ultracompact USB power adapters over shock risk

Apple ran a voluntary recall of the ultracompact USB power adapter that shipped with the iPhone 3G in the United States and other regions. The defect was structural: the metal prongs were not sufficiently anchored, so under normal insertion and removal cycles the plastic anchors holding them fatigued until a prong snapped off at the pivot where metal meets plastic. A detached prong often stayed wedged in the wall outlet, still connected to the building's power supply, so touching it meant a shock.

There was no way to tell a hazardous unit from a safe one without knowing the mark: affected adapters are the A1265 model with no green dot on the bottom surface between the prongs, sold with iPhone 3G units purchased between October 2008 and September 2009. Apple told owners to stop using any adapter without the dot immediately, warning that continued use risked the prong breaking during daily operation and leaving energized metal in the socket.

The remedy was a free exchange, not a repair: Apple replaced affected adapters with a redesigned version whose reinforced prong assembly is certified by the green dot, through Apple Store Genius Bars, authorized service providers, or an online portal that verified serial numbers and shipped replacements.

A free worldwide exchange: every affected A1265 ultracompact adapter replaced with the redesigned green-dot version at no cost.

The ultracompact housing anchored the metal prongs in plastic that fatigued at the pivot points; the pull force of a tight wall socket eventually exceeded the shear strength of the internal fasteners.

A prong that detaches stays wedged in the outlet and keeps its connection to building power, so the failure turns an everyday object into an exposed live conductor with no housing over it.

The danger was invisible: an adapter whose prongs seemed secure could still be compromised, which is why the guidance was to stop using every unit without the green dot, loose-looking or not.

Older electrical infrastructure with higher-friction outlets increased the mechanical stress, so identical adapters aged differently depending on where they were used.

Miniaturization spends mechanical margin: the ultracompact shell left the prong anchors too little fatigue margin, and the defect surfaced only through daily use.

Owners could verify safety at a glance: a green dot between the prongs meant the reinforced, redesigned version; its absence meant the unit had to be retired. Apple arranged free replacements in stores and by mail so owners far from an Apple Store were covered, and the guidance was to retire affected adapters rather than repair, glue or tape them. The recall covered adapters sold with the iPhone 3G in the United States and other regions.