Data cable falling apart - under warranty?

[KidFresh]

Does Apple offer replacement for the cable which came along with my 3GS? Genius appt. needed? It's starting to rip at the iPhone plug end under normal usage.

[jav6454]

I think it fall under wear 'n tear. However, this early and already tearing itself. Try the Genius and see what they say. I mean, my data cable from my 1st Gen has been squashed, flattened, and pretty much every no-no handling for a cable, and it still works and is still intact (its very dirty though).

[outphase]

You can walk into an Apple Store for a swap. You can also do it online at https://selfsolve.apple.com/GetWarranty.do

I have done it in the distant past for iPod headphones. It's quick and painless as long as you remember to return the defect cable.

[KidFresh]

Cool Thanks!

[AiralynRose]

Definitely under warranty. And I've even seen Apple replace these items (cables and iPod headphones) out of warranty.

[w3cum]

I have had to do this 5 times now... 4 with my 3g and 1 with my 3gs.... They are aware that the rubber seperates and they just give you a new cable

[DaGreat01]

I have had to do this 5 times now... 4 with my 3g and 1 with my 3gs.... They are aware that the rubber seperates and they just give you a new cable

I went a while ago for this same reason and the "genius" said that it is "normal" and that if it still works he won't replace it. He also pointed to the wall with all the expensive accessories. :(

[jav6454]

echo... echo.... echo.....

[milani]

I have had to do this 5 times now... 4 with my 3g and 1 with my 3gs.... They are aware that the rubber seperates and they just give you a new cable

I just taped mine up. Maybe I will phone Apple and see what they can do. I really don't think it'll matter - it's a design flaw. If you compare the 4th gen iPod Classic USB cable to the iPhone's cable, you can see where they cheaped out. This also explains why my iPod cable is still perfect, and my iPhone cable is literally falling apart (after 1/3rd the use).

[HarrisonB]

god what do you guys do to your cables? I have tons of USB and few firewire ones and have not broken or even torn one. LOL

[DaGreat01]

god what do you guys do to your cables? I have tons of USB and few firewire ones and have not broken or even torn one. LOL

It's not us it just the way the cable was made. My cable is coming off at the ends and it hasn't moved from my nightstand. However the cables from my 4+ year old nano is fine.

[HarrisonB]

It's not us it just the way the cable was made. My cable is coming off at the ends and it hasn't moved from my nightstand. However the cables from my 4+ year old nano is fine.

That's so weird.

[DaGreat01]

That's so weird.

Yea I know. If you feel what the new cable is made of and what the old one is made of you can tell that it is made of different things. It almost feels like the new cable is made of the same thing the headphone cables are made of. That soft rubber.

[HarrisonB]

Yea I know. If you feel what the new cable is made of and what the old one is made of you can tell that it is made of different things. It almost feels like the new cable is made of the same thing the headphone cables are made of. That soft rubber.

Ya, I have like 3 of the new cables and 4 of the old ones.

[KidFresh]

I just taped mine up. Maybe I will phone Apple and see what they can do. I really don't think it'll matter - it's a design flaw. If you compare the 4th gen iPod Classic USB cable to the iPhone's cable, you can see where they cheaped out. This also explains why my iPod cable is still perfect, and my iPhone cable is literally falling apart (after 1/3rd the use).
Well I now have a rubber band around the exposed wiring. A drop of liquid in it will probably fry my phone while charging.

[fishmoose]

I had the exact same priblem got it exchanged without a question asked, which is hard to do here in Sweden.

Apple seems to know they have a problem with the cable.

[DaGreat01]

Well I now have a rubber band around the exposed wiring. A drop of liquid in it will probably fry my phone while charging.

No really...the wires inside are insulated...

[mrtune]

Same thing happened to me (my cable is about 9 months old). I just grabbed some super glue and glued it a little bit, and went about my business. Not worth it for me to drive all the way to the apple store for a $20 cord. It was a 30 second fix.

[fishmoose]

Same thing happened to me (my cable is about 9 months old). I just grabbed some super glue and glued it a little bit, and went about my business. Not worth it for me to drive all the way to the apple store for a $20 cord. It was a 30 second fix.

But it's good for Apple to get to replace them, it costs them money and then they might do something about it!

[John T]

OP! I must admit I'm astounded at your post! You say you USB cable that came with your 3GS is "coming apart". This means the cable has been in use for, say, no more than a couple of weeks?

Properly handled, these cables should pretty well last a lifetime. How on earth did you manage to destroy it?

In all fairness this treatment does not warrant a new free one!!

Sorry to be so blunt but I'm astounded on the way some people look after their possessions.

[Prospekt]

OP! I must admit I'm astounded at your post! You say you USB cable that came with your 3GS is "coming apart". This means the cable has been in use for, say, no more than a couple of weeks?

Properly handled, these cables should pretty well last a lifetime. How on earth did you manage to destroy it?

In all fairness this treatment does not warrant a new free one!!

Sorry to be so blunt but I'm astounded on the way some people look after their possessions.

I know my cable hasn't moved from my nightstand and it is coming apart at the end. These cables are cheap

[mrtune]

But it's good for Apple to get to replace them, it costs them money and then they might do something about it!

The thing is, they won't. Apple used to use strain reliefs on the cords which helped them to last a long time. They have since decided to use these newer style ones because they look nicer. I don't see them going back to the uglier, yet better cables any time soon.

[DaGreat01]

OP! I must admit I'm astounded at your post! You say you USB cable that came with your 3GS is "coming apart". This means the cable has been in use for, say, no more than a couple of weeks?

Properly handled, these cables should pretty well last a lifetime. How on earth did you manage to destroy it?

In all fairness this treatment does not warrant a new free one!!

Sorry to be so blunt but I'm astounded on the way some people look after their possessions.

What are you talking about? It has very little to do with the way you use it. They just suck all together! Why cable started doing that about 2 months after i go it and it never moved from my nightstand.

You can tell that it is a different material than the older USB cables that are tough.

And i dont really see how it is "uglier" like the poster above said. I think they look the same.

[KidFresh]

No really...the wires inside are insulated...
I won't take that chance, thank you.

[deimos256]

hmmm i noticed the cable that came with my 3g is torn after doing nothing more than nighttime charging, maybe ill try for an exchange. The cable that came with my rather old 30 gb ipod is running strong

[sk2sep2304]

Do stores stock replacements? What info do they need? Serial #? does phone need to be present?

We have 5 iPhones and 2 are torn.

[w3cum]

No really...the wires inside are insulated...

The Wires inside the cable are insulated, however you are seeing the wire braiding that acts as a shield for those wires. I doubt it is acting like an rf shield like coax cable but it does serve a purpose. ANYTIME a cable of this sort starts to open up it needs to be taken out of service and replaced.

No the phone does not have to be present nor the Seriel# just bring in the bad cable show them, they will hand you a new cable adn keep your broken one

[DaGreat01]

The Wires inside the cable are insulated, however you are seeing the wire braiding that acts as a shield for those wires. I doubt it is acting like an rf shield like coax cable but it does serve a purpose. ANYTIME a cable of this sort starts to open up it needs to be taken out of service and replaced.

No the phone does not have to be present nor the Seriel# just bring in the bad cable show them, they will hand you a new cable adn keep your broken one

Unless you get an a-hole genius. I've tried but had no PCM. But I'm going to go agin and talk to one of the floor people. They swapped out one of my headphones once. He just took one off the famous accessories wall and took my old ones. So I'll try that...

[foobar0101]

The sync/charge cables for iPod and iPhone from Apple and all the knock-offs are the same: very flimsy construction, fall apart with normal wear and tear.

Only one I've seen that's different is this one, looks very solid http://cablejive.com/duraSync

[countrydweller]

Does Apple offer replacement for the cable which came along with my 3GS? Genius appt. needed? It's starting to rip at the iPhone plug end under normal usage.

Yes, just got mine replaced, via fedex though.

[Mexbearpig]

About a week into my iPod shuffle headphones the wire pulled away from the controls exposing the wires. Beaing a music junkie I couldn't stand without it for a few days. And I called Apple to see if it would be replaced and they said it would fall under abuse.

And the wire had to be stretched to cover all the wires. I mean really? I had about 1/2 inch of wires showing. :mad: Apple has really disappointed me here.

[cap'njack]

Wish I'd seen this thread before my iPhone 3G warranty ran out :mad:

Oh well never mind...I'll have a nice new shiney one when the new iPhone comes out (whenever that may be)

[milani]

Electrical tape fixes all...

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/8660/iphonefix.jpg

[Mexbearpig]

Electrical tape fixes all...

[^Pic above^]
yeah I did that with my old one to . After a month it was moving up and down on the wire leaving a bunch of black gunk.