Mobe-maker OnePlus 'fesses up to flouting USB-C spec

Adapter and cable are fine with OnePlus' own phones, but other kit could cook

In early November Google chap Benson Leung caused a stir when he wrote an analysis suggesting manufacturers of cables and power adapters weren't paying attention to the USB Type-C spec. Manufacturers' inattention, he worried, might result in devices being damaged as they suck down too much power.

Leung's concerns appear to have been justified, as a manufacturer called OnePlus has 'fessed up to designing a dodgy power supply.

“Recently it has come to our attention that two of our products, the OnePlus Type-C cable and the OnePlus USB Type-C adapter, are using a resistor that may not be fully compatible with some third-party devices,” writes staffer “Carl” in the company's forums. “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. 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.”

OnePlus' own phones won't have a problem with the adapter, but if you use the device to power other products “this could result in damage to the power source (third-party charger, USB port, etc.) if the device and power source do not have an internal mechanism to self-regulate the amount of power flowing to or from them.”

OnePlus says that if customers bought the adapter in question without also buying its OnePlus2 phone, it will “offer an opportunity to apply for a refund on those products”.

Details of how to do so for North American and European customers can be found here. Chinese and Indian customers can receive a refund at point of sale. ®