OnePlus Aims to Rectify USB Type-C Cable Woes

We may earn a commission for purchases made using our links.

One of OnePlus’s most interesting products launched this year was a reversible (on both ends) USB cable. Naturally, to accompany the company’s flagship, the cable is reversible USB Type-C on one end. The compelling feature however is the other end having a reversible USB Type A connection.

These cables were sold “at cost” (according to OnePlus) and seem like a great companion to this year’s Nexus phones. However, as Google engineer Benson Leung explains, these cables cables do not comply with the USB spec and may cause damage to whatever is charging your device:

He writes:

It is not spec compliant (uses a 3A identifier resistor instead of the “Default USB Power” one), and may cause damage to your charger, hub, or PC USB port if you use it with #ChromebookPixel or #nexus6p#Nexus5x .

OnePlus appears to have taken notice and has addressed users in their own forums. In a post from the Co-founder Carl Pei, OnePlus insists the cables are fine for charging the OnePlus 2. Carl also makes it clear the two ways they will be fixing the cable problem:

1. Users who have previously purchased the out-of-spec cable will be able to apply for a refund at https://oneplus.net/support/type-c-refund and be refunded directly through PayPal. 2. OnePlus will be improving their cables by implementing the correct 56kΩ resistor.

This seems like very mature way to handle these cable issues, and it’s good to see OnePlus taking a level-headed approach to the issue. Obviously, it would have been ideal for these cables to meet the USB spec from the start, but at least they are correcting the problem. As an owner of a few of these cables they really will be a great product when they’re safe to use with Nexus devices. The double reversible ends make life just a little bit simpler.