Apple recalls iPhone power adapter: Prongs may break, but Apple assures ‘no injuries have been reported’

Apple Inc. announced a recall of the power adaptor it shipped with its iPhone 3G throughout North America and elsewhere. The company said it will provide a free replacement.
“Users with ultracompact power adapters should immediately stop using them until they exchange them for a new, redesigned ultracompact adapter,” according to Apple’s Web site. “Customer safety is always Apple’s top priority.”
The recall covers the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Japan and a handful of Latin American countries.
Apple reported that “under certain conditions” the prongs on the new ultracompact USB power adapter can break off and remain in a power outlet, creating a risk of electric shock.
The exchange can be accomplished via Apple’s Web site or by visiting an Apple store beginning Oct. 10. You’ll need your iPhone’s serial number to make the exchange.
The replacement units won’t be available until Oct. 10, so the company advises iPhone users to instead use the USB cable to power their handsets via their PC or by using a standard-sized USB power adapter with fold-up prongs or via a third-party charging accessory such as a car charger, the company said.
“We have received reports of detached blades involving a very small percentage of the adapters sold, but no injuries have been reported,” Apple said on its Web site.
Apple declined to comment on the potential financial impact of the recall, or how many devices are covered.
The power charger issue is just the latest in a long string of recalls in the wireless space. The most recent such issue centered on a recall of cellphone batteries by Nokia Corp., which cost Nokia’s battery supplier Matsushita Battery Industrial Co. Ltd. up to $172 million.