E-commerce giant Amazon has announced that it is imposing a ban for the marketing of non-standardized USB Type-C cables on its platform. Amazon said that the ban is a response to the increasing number of reports over the hazards of using substandard products.

USB Type-C cables are used by most high-end products ranging from laptops, tablets and smartphones. Among the highly rated devices using USB Type-C are the Apple MacBook, Google Pixel laptops and new models of Google Nexus smartphones. USB Type-C ports are used for both charging the device and transfering data.

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USB Type-C cables appeals to users as it improves on its predecessors by being reversible, which means that it can connect to the port regardless which way up users plug it in.

However, there are reports that some brands of USB Type-C cables on Amazon do not comply with industry standards. A test performed by Google engineer Benson Leung revealed that some USB Type-C products marketed on Amazon do not work with the devices they were supposed to be connected with. To make matters worse, a substandard USB Type-C cable completely damaged Leung's 2015 Chromebook Pixel after a test.

As a response to this alarming reports, Amazon has added fake USB Type-C cables to its list of prohibited electronics. According to Fortune, this includes USB Type-C cables and adapter products that are not compliant with the standards required by the USB Implementers Forum Inc.

Leung spotted the change and posted a statement on his Google+ account. "Really great news, but we all have to continue to be vigilant and call out any bad products we find on Amazon and other stores (both online and brick and mortar) as we find them," he wrote.

Despite the changes Amazon is making, it is still possible for merchants to sell possibly defective USB Type-C on the platform which is why tech experts encourage users to always check product reviews as well as report products that are defective.

TagsAmazon, USB Type-C, Amazon News, Amazon update, USB Type-C cable, defective USB Type-C, USB Type-C port, USB Type-C cables