Are our manufacturers being honest with us?

Reddit users have recently claimed that Innoken may be doing a bit of a bait-and-switch with the cells in their batteries. specifically with the cell in the iTaste VV V3.0

Innokens product page  clearly lists the battery capacity as 800 mAh

however, the user photograph posted on Reddit shows what looks to be a Shenzhen Mai Ke Technology 680 mAh cell

before we go any further... disclosure time. I am in no way affiliated with either Innoken or the Reddit user making the claim. I do, however, own an Innoken iTaste 134.

Now, this is not the first time that reddit has seen an accusation of manufacturer dishonesty. I've seen this come up a number of times even in the relativly short time I've been vaping and using the electronic cigarette related subreddits, and this highlights an important issue for vaping.

Lets take a step back for a moment and consider the ongoing attempts to regulate, or even ban, electronic cigarettes as tobacco products. With the exception of disposables, electronic cigarettes, mods, and personal vaporizers are not tobacco products, while arguably the e-juice is. The distinction is important, because if the device is deemed to be a tobacco product, then vaping anything, even nicotine free juice is going to be treated, and regulated, and banned, as if it were tobacco use. Unfortunatly our politicians are having a hard time distinguishing between technology and tobacco.

Treating all electronic cigarettes as tobacco products would be somewhat like treating all bottled beverages as beer...

So what does this have to do with uncertainty about our hardware manufacturers?

Here's the thing, if we are to have any hope of fighting regulations that could cripple vaping, we need to convince the politicians, the public, and the media that vaping does not pose a public health risk, one part of accomplishing that is to show that our juice makers and hardware manufacturers are transparent about the materials going into their products, and that we, the consumers, know what we are buying and using. We can't convincingly argue that vaping is safer than smoking if we can't even confidently speak about our vaping hardware.

in short, we need to show that the vaping industry can self regulate, and can do it better than the FDA. Our part in that? We need to hold our vendors and manufaturers to a high standard. If they are not being honest with us, if they are not being transparent about what's in their products, and how they are made, and do right by their customers then we need to spend our money elsewhere.

This is a great opportunity for Innoken to lead the way by speaking out on the issue and demonstrating open and transparent communications with their consumers. If it turns out that their products don't live up to the advertized speifications Innoken needs to update their product to match the specs and to make things right with their customers. Let's call on Innoken to recall anything with lower than spec batteries and offer either refunds for or replacements for affected products.

UPDATE:

Innoken has responded here here

"Hi Everyone. I have recieved an update from George and he has asked me to post on Reddit in regards to this thread.

George said that this question has been brought up quite a few times and we will make an official response here and also have the response posted on our new official website.

The iTaste VV3.0 Battery is a high rate discharge battery and not a normal 3.5V. On this battery the 680mAh is the battery capacity when maximum electric current is reached however when a smaller electric current is used then the battery capacity is extended and is 800mAh.

The example they provided me with is, for example, when the voltage is 5V and if you use at 1.5 Ohm Clearomizer, it will use a larger electric current. When you use a 2.1 oHM Clearomizer (provided standard with the iTaste VV3.0) then the electric current is smaller and the battery capacity is 800mAh. The mold for for the battery is 800mAh but with the high drain the suppliers labelled the batteries as 680mAh.

If you have any questions about this, or if I have misunderstood the explanation, please let me know and we will continue this thread with the Innokin engineers. Thank you.

Edit: I have shared this thread with the team in China. When I am back in China with them we will be able to respond to questions properly.

As George said the molds of the batteries ARE 800mAh. It is something about the supplier labeling and the high drain that is in question. My misunderstanding of the explanation may be the cause of confusion. George did state the molds are all 800mAh.

I apologize I am not able to offer more insight at this time. As comments in this thread have pointed out I am a marketer and writer and my job focus is bringing information and requests from this, and other communities, directly to Innokin."