After stumbling upon a photo of an iPhone plugged directly--no AC adapter--into the wall, I soon discovered that USB outlets, or wall sockets, not only exist, but are very easy to install.

The iPhone has a lot of eyes on it, so chances are Apple would prefer to handle the AC adapter problems quietly through in-store exchanges rather than having to recall them and admitting a problem ...

The stripped-down set is a replacement for the legacy World Travel Adapter Kit, which came priced at $39 and included six AC plugs, a USB power adapter and USB-to-30-pin cable.

Apple is surveying users in Brazil about the USB Power Adapters that came packaged in their iPhones, likely for market research concerning the ubiquitous iPhone accessory.