Smartphones and portable chargers have potential safety hazards

Speakers: Li Ningjing and Sam Duckett

[Photo: Baidu.com]

More than one third of cell phones and portable chargers were found to have potential fire and electric shock hazards by the city's market watchdog.

The Shanghai Industrial and Commercial Administrative Bureau inspected 40 batches of cell phones and portable chargers sold at department stores, electric products outlets and markets in eight districts including Jing'an and Huangpu. 15 batches failed quality tests.

3 batches of mobile phones failed dielectric strength tests, meaning they carry a risk of causing an electric shock if their insulation systems lose power under certain voltages, threatening users' safety, officials said.

2 batches of mobile phones, made by Shenzhen Zhiyaotongxin Science and Technology Co and sold at the Jinyang Road branch of China Mobile Shanghai in Pudong New Area, were singled out for having serious quality problems.

They also failed conducted interference tests, which signifies that they will interfere with the normal operation of other electrical appliances and even the safety of the whole power network if the interference signal is strong, according to the bureau.

A similar problem was found with a batch of fake cell phones sold at the Wuwei Road outlet of Shanghai Dixintong Electronic Communication Technology Co.

The audio clip is from Studio+, produced by CRI.