Somehow I get this feeling that there are more USB-C issues yet to surface ...


The higher (than 5.0 volts) voltages and complex interaction between the two USB-C end devices, and with the USB-C cable itself, seems likely to create unwanted interactions. The expectation that all three parts of the USB-C puzzle will always obey all the rules seems risky.

In the linked exposé video, whether the 15 volts present on the cable end actually damages the '5 volt' smartphone would depend upon the protections built into the smartphone. Manufacturers may need to reinforce their input voltage circuitry to withstand unexpected high feed voltages, and to test with 'out of bounds' USB power source and cable configurations.

Update: Apparently USB-C could become a 'bad news thing' for newsworthy device failures. If people start viewing USB-C as 'dangerous' that would be an interesting turn.