As we learned last year, not all USB Type-C cables are created equal… and just because you can plug any cheap cable with the right size plug into your USB-C capable device doesn’t mean you should.
Sometimes a bad cable that doesn’t fully comply with USB-C specifications can actually damage your phone, tablet, or laptop.
Fortunately, Google employee Benson Leung has been helping separate the good cables from the bad by leaving detailed reviews at Amazon.com… and now Amazon has officially updated its list of items that are prohibited for sale. Non-compliant USB-C cables and adapters are now banned.
The news was brought to our attention by Leung himself, who notes that Amazon’s new policy is a step in the right direction. But it doesn’t mean non-compliant cables and adapters will disappear overnight.
It will still be up to users to report bad products to Amazon if and when they pop up in the online store. In fact, some of the cables Leung has already left negative reviews for because their non-compliance with the USB Implementers Forum specs are still available for purchase.
And Amazon is just one store. There’s no telling how many other retailers will continue to sell potentially dangerous USB-C products.