A major tech manufacturer has had to issue a global recall on a popular official Apple accessory, urging people to “immediately stop using it,” after discovering a serious fire hazard.
Belkin, which makes the BoostCharge Pro Fast Wireless Charger for the Apple Watch and their Power Bank 10K, has told consumers to stop using these products and store them somewhere safe, dry and away from flammable material. Anyone who has purchased one of the affected £80 portable black rectangular chargers should be able to contact the company for a refund.
The issue that has caused the product to be recalled appears to be a fault with its lithium battery, which could overheat and cause a dangerous fire. However, only certain models of Belkin’s Chinese-made charger, which is sold on the official Apple website, contain this fault.
Apple users who own this accessory should check the back of their power bank for its model number. If this number reads BPD005, you should immediately disconnect it and contact Belkin, which has also urged people not to throw their faulty chargers in the bin.
After discovering the fault, the company urged consumers: “If you have purchased the Belkin BoostCharge Pro Fast Wireless Charger for Apple Watch + Power Bank 10K, BPD005, it is important that you immediately stop using it, disconnect it from any power supply or other products, and contact us for further instructions.”
They also added: “No injuries have been reported, and no other Belkin wireless chargers or any other Belkin products are affected by this recall.”
This is the second Belkin-made charger to be slapped with a recall in recent years, the Daily Mail reports. In 2021, their Boost Charge Portable Wireless Charger + Stand Special Edition (WIZ003), was also pulled from shelves over fears of fire and a shock hazard posed.
These portable wireless chargers can still be purchased online, as only a number of them made in 2023 were found to be faulty. Belkin-made chargers that do not have the batch number BPD005 are not affected by this recall and are not thought to pose a fire risk.