Knockoff Chargers Killing People in China-Is Your Xiaomi Charger Real?
Leave a commentJune 20, 2015 by ...
I’ve got good news and bad news for you about made-in-China tech. The good is that it has the potential to make your life more convenient. The bad is that it can kill you, literally.
On the 9th of this month in southern China a woman’s charred remains were found near the burnt remains of an ‘IPhone’ charger. Apparently the device was too successful at energy transfer.
In any event, this isn’t the first time that a Chinese was harmed while charging an iPhone. In fact, in 2013 a guy went into a coma after being shocked and in the same month a lady in Xinjiang died. Almost one year later, another woman died from the same thing.
The problem is that all of those Chargers were fake. China is redolent with knockoff goods. Streets are littered with mom and pop shops peddling anything but the original. I guess Chinese are tapped after spending $900 on a phone so they skimp on the accessories. As a consequence they run the risk of disaster.
Xiaomi has experienced problems, but there is a difference. It is true that fake Xiaomi kit is ubiquitous, but that doesn’t mean it’s less toxic than the legit gear.
A year ago the Chinese government test Xiaomi chargers and half were underpowered and the majority represented a fire hazard.
WTF?
Yeah, in China it seems like you have to worry about the originals as much as the illicit copies. Xiaomi is the largest cell seller in China and if their goods are so poorly made, then what does it mean for the rest of Chinese kit?