So the thumbnail was slightly dramatic but there have been cases where inadequate chargers can catch fire. This is why you shouldn’t be tight with the most essential accessory for your device – always use a genuine Apple charger.
Using non-genuine chargers have been reported to cause damage to iPhones and iPads alike. More specifically they damage the U2 IC chip, a component on the board which is responsible for charging. Impairing the U2 chip will lead to a number of charging and battery-related problems.
1.The device will not charge.
Using a non-genuine or authorised charger can stop your phone from charging efficiently or at all. You may find your phone staying at low charge even when plugged in.
2. The device charges, but slowly.
An iPhone on average should take around 2 hours and 40 minutes to charge from 0% to 100%. If yours is taking more like 3 to 5 hours, then welcome to slow charge club.
3. The device will not turn on.
So it won’t turn on. Even when plugged in or having been on charge all night. Well, this means you either need a new battery or the U2 chip has gone. The “fun” thing is you won’t really know if the U2 chip is damaged until you get a battery replacement. If you replace the battery and it still won’t turn on, you will need to go see a board level repairer.
Summary
Don’t we all love a cliche, well here is one for you, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, so always use a genuine Apple charger. We don’t just give tech advice, we give life lessons too. If the charger you are buying on eBay costs £3.99 I wouldn’t expect it to be very good and I would not be surprised if issues start arising. Don’t be tight on a charger when your device is costing upwards of £400.
Our advice just to be safe, charge your device with the charger provided in the box. If you break it buy a new one from the original provider or make sure it’s a certified charger. For example look out for MFi cables for Apple devices, these are authorised by Apple.
