OnePlus is selling a host of inexpensive USB Type-C adapters and accessories that seem to work fine. However, Google engineer Benson Leung exposed the faulty USB Type-C cables and advised warned users against the USB Type-C adapter by OnePlus.
Leung made the statement through a post on his Google+ account, stating that the USB Type-C adapter by OnePlus should not be used with Google's Chromebook Pixel laptop or Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P smartphones, as the adapter utilizes the wrong identifier resistor.
"Oneplus needs to get the message that their accessories are out of spec," Leung added, linking to the product being sold on the OnePlus website.
When asked if the OnePlus USB Type-C cable damages the device being charged or just the charger itself, Leung said that the incorrect amount of current going into the device will cause damage over time.
The problem lies with USB Type-C fast charging technology, which is not present in the OnePlus 2 smartphone but is seen in devices such as the Chromebook Pixel, the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P. Fast charging will have devices drawing 3 amperes of current for charging, but the USB Type-C adapter by OnePlus will only deliver around 2.2 amperes. This is still fast, but a fast-charge device that is calibrated and designed to receive 3 amperes worth of current will suffer stress on its battery and components. Damage that can be done over time ranges from minor ones, like a loss in battery capacity to major ones, such as causing the device to brick due to a fried processor or NAND chip.
Several users have attempted to contact OnePlus regarding Leung's findings. One user said that he received an answer from the company, who noted that the issue is being escalated. One user, however, claimed that he spoke with a OnePlus representative that recommended the USB Type-C adapter to be returned at their own expense for testing.
Leung even noted that none of the USB Type-C adapters out in the market today are spec compliant, though several companies have contacted him, asking instructions on how to fix the adapters and cables to become compliant with USB Type-C specs.
