OnePlus Offers Refunds For Gimped USB-C Cables, But Only If Purchased Separately
If you purchased a USB Type-C cable from or adapter from OnePlus, bad news, it's not up to spec. The good news? An engineer at Google has been taking companies to task for selling non-compliant USB Type-C cables and adapters by leaving detailed negative reviews on Amazon. More recently, he called out OnePlus for being guilty of selling a non-compliant cable and adapter as well, and now the handset maker is offering a refund.
The USB Type-C spec as laid out by the USB Implementers' Forum (USB-IF) is fairly new. That in itself isn't a problem, but the issue with many first generation cables and adapters is that they use the wrong type of resistor.
"Our cable and adapter use a 10kΩ resistor, but according to version 1.1 of the Type-C port standard, these products should be using a 56kΩ resistor," OnePlus acknowledged in a blog post. "The issue is that the cable and adapter are designed for a maximum of 2 amps of power, but the resistor will allow fast-charging devices to try to draw more power than a power source may allow."
The problem with using the wrong resistor is that it allows the Type-C end device to determine what current to pull. If the Type-A end doesn't support the higher current, it could lead to damage to the charger or USB hub on the Type-A side.
To OnePlus' credit, they're manning up, so to speak, and offering refunds to anyone who purchased one of the company's USB Type-C cables or adapters. Because they're safe to use with the OnePlus 2 handset, the company isn't replacing the ones that were bundled with the phone.
"We will be providing this service up until December 31, 2015. In the meantime, our team has already begun developing improved Type-C cables and adapters with 56kΩ resistors," OnePlus said. "We’ll keep you posted when they’re ready for release."
If you're eligible for a refund, fill out the online application and someone at OnePlus will be in contact.
The USB Type-C spec as laid out by the USB Implementers' Forum (USB-IF) is fairly new. That in itself isn't a problem, but the issue with many first generation cables and adapters is that they use the wrong type of resistor.
"Our cable and adapter use a 10kΩ resistor, but according to version 1.1 of the Type-C port standard, these products should be using a 56kΩ resistor," OnePlus acknowledged in a blog post. "The issue is that the cable and adapter are designed for a maximum of 2 amps of power, but the resistor will allow fast-charging devices to try to draw more power than a power source may allow."
The problem with using the wrong resistor is that it allows the Type-C end device to determine what current to pull. If the Type-A end doesn't support the higher current, it could lead to damage to the charger or USB hub on the Type-A side.
To OnePlus' credit, they're manning up, so to speak, and offering refunds to anyone who purchased one of the company's USB Type-C cables or adapters. Because they're safe to use with the OnePlus 2 handset, the company isn't replacing the ones that were bundled with the phone.
"We will be providing this service up until December 31, 2015. In the meantime, our team has already begun developing improved Type-C cables and adapters with 56kΩ resistors," OnePlus said. "We’ll keep you posted when they’re ready for release."
If you're eligible for a refund, fill out the online application and someone at OnePlus will be in contact.
