Amazon Bans Sale of Potentially Dangerous USB-C Cables - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Amazon Bans Sale of Potentially Dangerous USB-C Cables

by

Amazon has tightened restrictions on the sale of USB-C cables and adapters on its online store in an effort to protect customers from risky substandard products (via The Verge).

The online retailer added non-compliant USB-C cables to its list of prohibited items, following a flood of potentially damaging third-party cables onto the market. The new note on Amazon's page of undesirables prohibits "any USB-C™ (or USB Type-C™) cable or adapter product that is not compliant with standard specifications issued by 'USB Implementers Forum Inc.'"

The update was spotted by Google engineer Benson Leung, who has been testing USB-C cables sold by Amazon in an effort to highlight the risks of non-compliant products. Leung was spurred into action after a USB-C charging cable he bought destroyed a Chromebook Pixel he was working on in compatibility tests.

USB-C MacBook
Apple introduced the USB-C standard to its Mac range with the release of the 12-inch Retina MacBook. The new standard allows charging, data transfer, and video over a single connector. As a result, USB-C cables are capable of carrying a lot more power than traditional USB connectors, making faulty units a risk to computers and power supplies, and potentially a fire hazard.

Apple states in a support document that the 12-inch MacBook will charge from USB-C power adapters not manufactured by Apple if they adhere to the USB Power Delivery specification. Based on Leung's extensive testing, 30 percent of third-party USB-C cables currently available do not meet USB-IF standards. Apple's USB-C ports are designed to shut down if a larger-than-expected amount of power is detected flowing through cables, however Amazon's ban should mean cables that can damage or shut down a device will no longer be offered through the site.

Apple suffered its own USB-C problems when a "design issue" in charging cables shipped with certain Retina MacBooks failed to supply sufficient charge when connected to a power adapter. Apple is providing new, redesigned USB-C charge cables to MacBook owners with faulty cables at no cost.

Tags: Amazon, USB-C
Related Forum: MacBook Neo

Popular Stories

imac video apple feature

Apple Released Yet Another New Product Today

Friday March 20, 2026 2:39 pm PDT by
Apple has unveiled a whopping nine new products so far this March, including an iPhone 17e, iPad Air models with the M4 chip, MacBook Air models with the M5 chip, MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the all-new MacBook Neo, an updated Studio Display, a higher-end Studio Display XDR, AirPods Max 2, and now the Nike Powerbeats Pro 2. iPhone 17e features the same overall design as...
Read Full Article
ios 26 4 pastel

iOS 26.4: Top 10 New Features Coming to Your iPhone

Friday March 20, 2026 2:44 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 isn't the major update with new Siri features that we hoped for, but there are some useful quality of life improvements, and a little bit of fun with an AI playlist generator and new emoji characters. Playlist Playground - Apple Music has a Playlist Playground option that lets you generate playlists from text-based descriptions. You can include moods, feelings, activities, or...
Read Full Article • 51 comments
iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Wednesday March 18, 2026 7:39 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another six months or so, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component...
Read Full Article • 80 comments

Top Rated Comments

justperry Avatar
justperry
130 months ago
Buy Apple cables only people, until Apple do some sort of 'MFI' for USB-C or something.
Why?
This is NOT about Apple, this is about certified USB-C cables, if you buy a certified USB-C cable from ANY manufacturer you're good to go.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheShadowKnows! Avatar
TheShadowKnows!
130 months ago
Buy Apple cables only people, until Apple do some sort of 'MFI' for USB-C or something.
Nonsense. USB-C needs no MFI. Or, Apple tax. Be an educated consumer before you post bollocks.

USB-C is a mechanical specification that must comply with the USB-IF specification for power delivery. Independently of its mechanical characteristics for power delivery, USB-C cables are data-rated to either USB 3.1 (10 Gbps nominal), USB 3.0 (5Gbps nominal), and of course legacy USB 2.0.

My suggestion: Buy cables from monoprice.com. Their select series cables are the bees knees at great price. (No links with them, just a happy customer.)
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shareef777 Avatar
shareef777
130 months ago
Until such time as said cable destroys your $1200+ laptop, and Apple shrugs and says "where'd you get that cable?".
The smartass forum posters who brag about buying cables for $0.20 instead of $20 will not turn up to help you when it happens either.
Are you helping them pay for the $20 cable that's worth $0.20? As they noted, buy certified cables. Just doesn't have to be certified by Apple. Also, that language isn't necessary.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Glassed Silver Avatar
Glassed Silver
130 months ago
Until such time as said cable destroys your $1200+ laptop, and Apple shrugs and says "where'd you get that cable?".
The smartass forum posters who brag about buying cables for $0.20 instead of $20 will not turn up to help you when it happens either.
He specifically recommended CERTIFIED cables.
Speaking of cable quality, Apple is far from the golden standard.

I'd rather get a well built (maybe less beautiful) third party cable that is certified and sturdy.
Probably at the same price, maybe less, but at least it's safe and doesn't break after 6-12 months.

Glassed Silver:mac
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SBlue1 Avatar
SBlue1
130 months ago
Buy Apple cables only people, until Apple do some sort of 'MFI' for USB-C or something.
This is not about Apple cables or cables for Apple laptops. Its about genuine certified USB-C cables used to power other laptops as well as Apple laptops.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ActionableMango Avatar
ActionableMango
130 months ago
Buy Apple cables only people, until Apple do some sort of 'MFI' for USB-C or something.
Yeah i never understood why people choose to use 3rd party cables for an apple device, get the cable from apple. cheaping out on 3rd party cables that could damage your device or simply not work makes no sense, the cables from apple work and are covered. I don't even use the ones that came with the car charger from the 3rd parties too many issues or "this cable is not compatible"
We aren't talking about knockoff Apple lightning cables. We are talking about the new USB cables, which are an industry-wide standard.

For example nobody's going to buy a USB hard drive/Chromebook/Mouse/printer/etc., throw away the USB cable, and then get an Apple-branded USB cable for their non-Apple device. It's absurd.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments
Related Apple News: Mac Pro | Ipad Mini | Apple Watch Live Activities Fix | Mac | Iphone