Apple has issued a recall of one of its iPhone chargers across 37 countries. The company has said that "in rare cases, the Apple 5W European USB power adapter may overheat and pose a safety risk."
The charger was included with its iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S between October 2009 and September 2012 in the affected markets. It was also sold separately as a standalone accessory.
The recall affects one specific model of the charger; it is identified as "Model A1300" on the adapter itself, and also features a solid grey "CE" regulatory mark; the newer Model A1400 (which has the CE mark outlined in grey) is not affected, and not included in the recall.
Apple says that its customers" safety is its highest priority, which is why it has voluntarily organised this recall, and will replace the unit with a newer, redesigned model free of charge in the 37 markets identified on this support page. Note that, despite this recall involving the "European" power adapter, some markets outside of Europe are also affected, including Indonesia, Vietnam and South Africa, while the United Kingdom is absent from the list entirely.
You can take your A1300 adapter to any Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for a replacement. The company will need to verify your iPhone serial number, so you will need to take your iPhone with you to qualify for the exchange. You may also contact Apple directly if you are unable to get to one of these locations.
Source: Apple Support via Engadget | image via Apple
This article was updated after publishing to remove the word "curiously" from the penultimate paragraph.