Why we only Promote the Technology Brands that We Do
In this article we explain why third party accessories designed for Apple products can fail, of Apples MFi programme and what steers us in selecting the brands that we do.
When our very own staffer ‘That Courier Guy’ started out in the business, they started with their own trusty I-Phone in a nice new smart case – they figured it would be good to have a durable case for the job…and then it happened. They ran out of battery. “I was sitting there, having to wait for ages just for my phone to re-charge enough through my car charger so that I could carry on with my round…my ETA’s going from yellow, to amber to red…it was a nightmare! I got home so much later, my missus was not happy!!!”
That was enough for our trusty You-Tube personality to think it was time to get a phone battery case. So onto a large web-based shop he went and ordered what he thought would be the answer to all their problems, give them peace of mind and not have that experience ever again. All was going well for a couple of months, until the night before his next super busy round in the run up to Christmas, when that dreaded message came up ‘This device is not supported by Apple’. The round of all rounds ensued the next day; ‘That Courier Guy’ was not a happy guy…
Tech failure can literally ruin a day, and add unnecessary stress to a job that just doesn’t need the aggravation of something so basic yet so important breaking down on us. Which is why at Couriersdepot.com, we have dug deep into researching which brands to offer you.
What causes a product to ‘Fail’?
Very often a manufacturer will introduce a software update, and this can cause havoc. One of the UK’s largest courier companies had multiple device failures for route loading in 2020, with drivers having to wait 15-20 minutes for data loading, due to a software update. Updates can interrupt the connectivity of devices, if the manufacturer does not approve them, with their having been such issues in the past. Third-Party accessories, if not approved by the manufacturer, may fail just as ‘That Courier Guy’ found to his cost. The old adage “Buy on price, buy Twice” is around for a reason, and when it comes to something that you fundamentally rely on, it pays to pay a little more for that piece of mind. Think of it this way, if you needed a new battery for your car, would you buy one that had the risk of failing? You just wouldn’t would you?
At Couriersdepot.com we want our customers, our fellow couriers to know that when they buy through us, that they’re getting a quality product that is backed by a meaningful guarantee – not just six months long…
MFi – I’ve heard about that, what is it?
No, it’s not about a former flat-pack furniture manufacturer (the writer is showing their age here…), but a certification process that Apple introduced way back in 2005 as a means of ensuring parity of quality between their products and third party products. To use an analogy, it’s like a luxury carmaker approving a company not related to their supply chain to manufacture a part they already make. That part can be supplied to garages to fit on cars. In fact it exists with some car manufacturers having an ‘Approved Part’ programme. The thing is, Apple have set the bar very high, so that to gain certification, third party manufacturers have got to have a quality regime that pretty much matches Apples. The products they make must have durability for function that is close to theirs. From Apples point of view, this ensures that the brand maintains its reputation as a quality, high performing product and not misconceived just because a third party charger fails after a couple of months…Such is Apples rigorous standards that only 2% of all those who apply for certification are successful. The result? MFi is now a respected and coveted certification and gives the user peace of mind in purchasing the product.
The branding for the certification is clear and smart…very…Apple. And as we can now appreciate, for good reason. In fact, it can only be used with Apples permission, and cannot be changed in any way and is Trade-marked by Apple, It also comes with very stringent guidelines as to how and where it can be used on packaging. It is practically a brand all by itself.
Safety
As with anything electrical, safety is critical. Given the fact that leaving a device to charge overnight has been common practice for quite sometime, (a lot of heat is generated in the charge process) the quality of any electrical item has got to be high. As such, Apple requires any potential holder of the MFi certification to use the highest quality materials in their chargers, cables, battery cases etc. Apple dictates that metal must be used in their charging components, and even have an MFi chip incorporated that ensures that the charging of the device is measured in terms of the current used and voltage in conjunction with iOS, thus ensuring its safe operation and reliability. It’s critical that the heat generated by the charging process is managed, and reinforces the case for choosing an MFi charger. Apple even goes so far as to say that if you use a third party accessory that damages your phone, your warranty will be void!
At the end of the day would you rather have a device charging over-night with a charger you’re not 100% sure of than a charger that has gone through rigorous safety checks?
There are a myriad of choices out there when it comes to mobile phone accessories – at Couriersdepot.com we want you to know that whatever accessory you choose through us, that it has passed the most stringent safety tests undertaken by its manufacturer. Couriersdepot.com will only recommend such products that we can stand by in absolute confidence of their reliability and safety.
Comentários