Here's why Apple's iPhone charger is so expensive
Share:
Ken Shirriff tore down one of those adapters to get a deeper understanding of what drives the price and found out some interesting things, and an in-depth analysis you can check out on his site at the source below. And here are the technical details about the iPhone charger:
"Apple's power adapter is clearly a high-quality power supply designed to produce carefully filtered power. Apple has obviously gone to extra effort to reduce EMI interference, probably to keep the charger from interfering with the touchscreen. When I opened the charger up, I expected to find a standard design, but I've compared the charger to the Samsung charger and several other high-quality industry designs, and Apple goes beyond these designs in several ways...
"Apple's design provides extra safety in a few ways... the super-strong AC prongs, and the complex over-temperature / over-voltage shutdown circuit. Apple's isolation distance between primary and secondary appears to go beyond the regulations...
"Apple's iPhone charger crams a lot of technology into a small space. Apple went to extra effort to provide higher quality and safety than other name-brand chargers, but this quality comes at a high cost."
Still, there’s a hefty premium on the price as you’d expect, but at least now you know what justifies it, right?
source: Ken Shirriff via Gizmodo
Teardown of the iPhone charger Fullscreen
More popular slideshows
10 great Android widgets you should try
09 Apr 2013, 08:08
Samsung Galaxy S4: 10 exclusive or little-known features review
05 Apr 2013, 07:17
Best Android phones to get this spring
17 Apr 2013, 09:48
5 smartphone apps banned by... Google
16 Apr 2013, 07:24
Samsung Galaxy S 4 hands-on
14 Mar 2013, 18:32
Google+ surpasses Twitter to take number 2 social network after Facebook
28 Jan 2013, 00:58
Share:
Giveaway: Asus Transfomer Pad 300 with keyboard dock, Jambox Speaker and 
"Completely redesigned" new iPhone not to be affected by 28nm chip shortages? 
50 Comments
1. darktranquillity posted on 21 May 2012, 07:26 41 8
Simple, iphone is overpriced same goes with the charger.
30. PhoneArenaUser posted on 21 May 2012, 16:57 5 1
0402 SMD resistor = $0.002
0805 SMD capacitor = $0.007
SMD transistor = $0.02
fusible resistor = $0.03
1A 600V (1J) diode = $0.06
thermistor = $0.07
Y capacitor = $0.08
3.3uF 400V electrolytic capacitor = $0.10
TL431 = $0.10
1.5uH inductor = $0.12
SCD 34 diode = $0.13
2801 optocoupler = $0.16
1HNK60 transistor = $0.22
USB jack = $0.33
100uF tantalum capacitor = $0.34
L6565 IC = $0.55
330uF tantalum polymer capacitor (Sanyo POSCAP) = $0.98
flyback transformer = $1.36
Does it look like ~ $30.00 ?
OVERPRICED!
48. saadgadit posted on 23 May 2012, 02:42 0 1
And the amount of research they put in to place ol this stuff where it is??
49. PhoneArenaUser posted on 24 May 2012, 13:17 0 0
You think that it took a lot of time to make researches?
+ $0.05 for each device and here you go...
2. Droid_X_Doug posted on 21 May 2012, 07:27 21 2
Somehow, I suspect there is a design patent held by Apple on their charger. Sigh.
3. andro. posted on 21 May 2012, 07:32 24 1
To be honest all proper decent phone chargers are safe and efficient as long as they are not the 5.99 bargin basket variety. We stocked official apple chargers but no longer do because they didn't sell as nobody bought them or wanted to spend so much for so little,its the apple overpricing policy as usual.
A decent 3rd party apple charger was half the price and outsold the apple branded one 20:1. Seeing an offical apple charger side by side in a store almost double the price of official htc,samsung,sony micro usb chargers really puts the apple cash gouging policy into perspective.
7. SuperAndroidEvo posted on 21 May 2012, 07:57 4 1
I know what you mean. People will always go for the cheaper ESPECIALLY if it comes from a decent 3rd party manufacturer.
+1 you Mr. Bender! lol
31. gallitoking posted on 21 May 2012, 17:05 2 8
keep enjoying those plastic phones with a cheap charger... not my fault you can afford a above average charger..
33. remixfa posted on 21 May 2012, 17:20 2 1
you need new lines. you and taco both. its so tired and stupid. I expect better trolling out of you, gallito. now become a man troll and take it to the next level!
37. RazaAsad posted on 21 May 2012, 21:56 0 1
:) Love your comment. I have the same opinion about both and in beginning I assumed they did that on purpose to spoil Apple's brand image and then I learned they are plain "stupi*". It is said "An intelligent enemy is better than a dumb friend" :) No offense.
38. gallitoking posted on 21 May 2012, 23:10 2 4
I am not here to agreed with everyone... fandroids are the dumb ones... saying the Apple chargers is expensive when their inferior charges cost about the same...look closely and will see who is dumber
39. andro. posted on 22 May 2012, 04:55 2 1
what gave you the impression we can't afford it?! I could easily afford to buy dozens but having enough mental sense means I can get the exact same elsewhere for a much better price.
Its hilarious how I fans trolling has now gone from "you have cheap phones" to you have below average chargers!
43. InspectorGadget80 posted on 22 May 2012, 14:11 0 0
keep enjoying your FRAGILE GLASS PHONE
50. ChollaAnythingApple posted on 28 May 2012, 08:54 0 0
i agree with you.
4. xtplnet posted on 21 May 2012, 07:37 11 6
I am sure Apple design for the products are topnotch but they are not as revolutionary as Nokia . They amaze me with Nokia N9 and Nokia Pureview.
19. frydaexiii posted on 21 May 2012, 09:37 3 3
Do people even know the meaning of revolutionary anymore?
What so revolutionary about the N9?
and sure the Pureview is the first phone with a 40+ MP camera, but it still runs Symbian, what so revolutionary about that?
25. xtplnet posted on 21 May 2012, 12:37 1 1
I am sorry dude , to undustand what revolutionary about N9 you have to use it once . Its simple swipe UI and Polycarbonate material make you wana keep the phone in hands all time.
44. InspectorGadget80 posted on 22 May 2012, 14:13 0 0
so you rather spend 30$ on a expensive charger rather then save money for gas or other needs? I think you're the only hater & idiot on here. At least we can remove and replace OUR BATTERY unlike your crappy enclose door
6. e.wvu (unregistered) posted on 21 May 2012, 07:49 10 5
Since the charger is soooo innovative, they must charge you a fortune for it.
35. Lucas777 posted on 21 May 2012, 19:20 0 1
it is pretty innovative though.. for example it turns the power on/off 70,000 times a second just to make sure it gets the right voltage... and i personally would never spend the money for one, but it is innovative-- idk if said innovations are necessary though
9. pandamaja posted on 21 May 2012, 08:09 15 2
Artice: NOPE. Its expensive because it has an apple logo on it somewhere.
10. remixfa posted on 21 May 2012, 08:10 9 2
zomg, they crammed an extra 2mm of wiring at a cost of $0.001. That soo justifies the hefty price tag!
11. bigbmc26 posted on 21 May 2012, 08:13 6 0
Am I missing something? Most OEM charge $30 for the USB charging adapter. BlackBerry has it for $29.99 on their site. Samsung has it for $29.99. They're all overpriced, lol. I guess the difference is retailers have the option of discounting the other OEMs. Nazi Apple doesn't believe in discounts, that would take money out of their pockets.
12. ibap posted on 21 May 2012, 08:19 1 0
bigbmc has it right.
MSRP is largely a joke these days. Except when it is Apple.
Even the comment earlier about the 5.99 bargain bin variety - discontinued designs that were manufactured in large quantities can often be had for that price or less, and are OEM. They work fine, and let you keep chargers easily in multiple places. Until they figure out how to put a really long-running battery in heavily used phones, you need to do this.
13. mercorp posted on 21 May 2012, 08:21 1 8
This showed that Steve Jobs cared for his followers.
Now will Samsung do the same?
Or even better,give us wireless charging with the galaxy s IV.
14. dcgore posted on 21 May 2012, 08:27 6 0
"Steve Jobs cared for his followers" lol. I have this image of him holding a Moses like stick while thinking how to care for his followers. Hahahaha
15. willywill_evo posted on 21 May 2012, 08:30 3 1
here a reason why NOT to buy the iphone expensive chager...HP has there chager for $5 and it charges your tablet or your phone
https://m.hpdirect.com/hp/product/detail.do?itemId=FB341AA%2 3ABA&categoryId=2239933&path=H ome%257CAccessories%257CAdapte rs%2B%2526%2BBatteries%257CHP% 2BTouchPad%2BPower%2BCharger
18. Synack posted on 21 May 2012, 08:59 1 0
Yeah and this charger is the fastest charger I've ever seen in my entire life. I frickin love it.
16. tward291 posted on 21 May 2012, 08:40 0 1
most chargers straight from the oem are from 15.99 to 29.99 so i dont understand why its over priced because of apple also people claim the iphone is overpriced but the galaxy s3 is going for 800 bucks i can build a pretty nice desktop with that money
46. InspectorGadget80 posted on 22 May 2012, 14:15 0 0
That's WITH OUT CONTRACT. Iphone will always be over price including their over price accesories.
17. androidsbiggestfan posted on 21 May 2012, 08:44 3 0
Seriously, did you really need to write an article about this? This is not news or something people legitimately care about.
47. InspectorGadget80 posted on 22 May 2012, 14:16 0 0
Their just bored and would do anythiny for attention.
20. theoak posted on 21 May 2012, 09:50 0 4
I will say I like the iPhone charger for the fact that it does not have any lights or LEDs. My bedroom already looks like a Christmas tree with lights here and lights there from this device and that receiver and this charger and that charger. I don't need to know if a certain charger is plugged in. I plugged it in, I know its in there already ;) Apple chargers are the only chargers that I leave by my bed side without having to put a Christmas tree of lights there too.
Does that justify the price ... that's another story ;)
21. MorePhonesThanNeeded posted on 21 May 2012, 10:13 1 0
NIce but doesn't Apples charger cost the exact same as other OEM official chargers? Each charger is built to work perfectly with the OEM phones hence why your Moto phone will charge rather quickly on it's own charger but slowly on another OEM charger and it also might get pretty hot.
@theoak, not sure what kind of phone you have been using but I can't remember the last time I saw a cell phone with a charger that has some sort of LED light on it. Last time I saw one of those was way back on the HTC MDA. You got lost somewhere eh? Most phones come with travel chargers that are light and also have USB built in, none of that extra crap. This sounds like another story of someone praising Apple for normal stuff everyone else does when they have rapid chargers for their devices. Apples charges need to be sturdy as there is only one model for each charger to service, so it better not have any faults. If you don't understand basically since Apple has very little in way of differentiating products, their chargers should be built to near perfection. Other OEM's have multi voltage chargers that can charge aa vast array of their products without breaking or causing a meltdown. SO I don't find apples chargers so above everyone else as their chargers usually work on just one iteration of a product. Take that how you want it
23. theoak posted on 21 May 2012, 10:22 0 1
Then I need to know where you shop ;)
Every charger or replacement charger I have purchased that came with a phone, laptop, camera, in short electronic device has some sort of little light attached to the thing detailing, charged, charging, plugged in, whatever. What I find amusing is that these chargers claim "energy star", but yet they have a light on the thing, even when it is not plugged into a device and not charging.
I am not disagreeing with you. I am just saying my shopping experience has not been as successful ;)
22. dirtydirty00 posted on 21 May 2012, 10:17 2 0
WAIT... is anyone going to defend the charger? LOL!!!
Im sorry but my not so safe charges have yet to cause a fire. My not so safe chargers have yet to break my screen.
Ill stick with my not so safe chargers that use plain old usb wires. that are available everywhere for a cheap price.
you can keep you high overpriced safe chargers if it helps you sleep at night while your phone charges.
24. DigitalMD posted on 21 May 2012, 12:04 2 0
Wow, you think this is a fanboy tear-down or what? LMAO
27. humandroid posted on 21 May 2012, 14:22 0 0
Herpity derp derp duuurrr! And $100 Monster HDMI cables are totally worth it too! And BOSE! And $300 tshirts!
28. lubba posted on 21 May 2012, 14:49 1 0
After pulling the iPhone apart, total component price was about the same as the Nokia Lumia900, yet the iPhone sells for about 500$ more off contract. WTF! Talk about overpriced!
32. gallitoking posted on 21 May 2012, 17:08 2 3
this is why fandroids are on hate mode
"compared the charger to the Samsung charger and several other high-quality industry designs, and Apple goes beyond these designs in several ways."
41. InspectorGadget80 posted on 22 May 2012, 13:55 0 0
you do realzie some people don't WANT TO SPEND 30$ on a charger. you can buy a 30$ itune gift card and use that to buy music or 30$ to pay for your gas. such a idiot
40. InspectorGadget80 posted on 22 May 2012, 13:55 0 0
When i tell a customer when buying a charger for their iPhone/Ipods. I tell them you're only paying for the name. You can BUY A UNIVERSAL charger for 19.99 or 10$. Both does the same thing. When ever you see a Apple logo on their accessories like a SD CARD ADAPTER it's 30$. Why pay more when u can save money on a universal charger. some Apple FANS doesn't know what's what.
