Lightning sucks

I'm not clear why so many people have problems with cables. I have had the same cables for years, and they are in perfect condition.

I might suggest that folks need to treat the cables with some care. When rolling them up for storage, roll them gently and carefully. When unplugging from a device, grip the plug itself, don'y pull on the cord. Take care not to bend at the connection point between the plug and the cord...and so on.

These suggestions do not take any special effort, and if the cables are treated with some care, they should last a very long time, as mine do.

I just re-read this post, and it sounds kind of snotty...sorry about that!

That was not my intention. It was just to suggest that a little care will help keep cables in good shape.

This really is an old chestnut!

Firstly, Apple don't make the cable - they, like the majority of manufacturers, buy materials "off the shelf".

Secondly - and the clue was in the post. As has been explained many, many times before, if it is continuously bent and kinked, the PVC covering on the cable will eventually fatigue and fracture. On inserting and removing, always hold the plug and never pull on the cable.

MacPC said:

It's happening again. Of all the fancy stuff Apple put in to the iPhone, Apple never seem to know how to make a sturdy cable, the lightning cable on my iPhone5 starting to go. they is a kink at the junction between the cable and the lightning plug. Now the iPhone can only be charged when I put it in certain way. Bad connection. This happen with my iPhone4 with the old cable, with my friend's iPhone using the old cable. Does this happen to any of you? I am definitely not going to pay Apple another $20.00 for this poor workmanship!

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Never have had any problems with any cables. I bet if you take it back to apple they will just give you a new one.

Bring it to an apple store they will replace the cable for free.

I still use the cable that came with my Gen2 Nano, with the little clips on the sides of the plug. It's only 6+ years old.

MacPC said:

It's happening again. Of all the fancy stuff Apple put in to the iPhone, Apple never seem to know how to make a sturdy cable, the lightning cable on my iPhone5 starting to go. they is a kink at the junction between the cable and the lightning plug. Now the iPhone can only be charged when I put it in certain way. Bad connection. This happen with my iPhone4 with the old cable, with my friend's iPhone using the old cable. Does this happen to any of you? I am definitely not going to pay Apple another $20.00 for this poor workmanship!

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As others have suggested, maybe if you and your friends look after the cables, they will last much longer. I still have cables from my iPhone 4 that I have now passed onto family members and they are still in perfect condition.

Shrink pretty much said it best.

This happened to my i5 cord right out of the box. The first time I tried to pull it apart this happened. I guess the glue didn't work very well. Still works though.

Browns2212 said:

This happened to my i5 cord right out of the box. The first time I tried to pull the apart this happened. I guess the glue didn't work very well. Still works though.

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Why wouldn't you ring apple and get a replacement for that?

MacPC said:

It's happening again. Of all the fancy stuff Apple put in to the iPhone, Apple never seem to know how to make a sturdy cable, the lightning cable on my iPhone5 starting to go. they is a kink at the junction between the cable and the lightning plug. Now the iPhone can only be charged when I put it in certain way. Bad connection. This happen with my iPhone4 with the old cable, with my friend's iPhone using the old cable. Does this happen to any of you? I am definitely not going to pay Apple another $20.00 for this poor workmanship!

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Happens to my children, but never to me.

I went to Home Depot one day not long ago and they had iPod/iPad/iPhone charger kits. Kits included AC Adapter / Car Adapter / Cable. They were originally $19.99 and close out for $4.49. I bought 10 of them and now have spares in stock for my children.

I have an iPhone 4 I got on release date and am still using the original cable that came with that.

I suspect that you, like my children are using the phone with it plugged into the cable too much and stressing the cable beyond its designed capability.

MacPC said:

It's happening again. Of all the fancy stuff Apple put in to the iPhone, Apple never seem to know how to make a sturdy cable, the lightning cable on my iPhone5 starting to go. they is a kink at the junction between the cable and the lightning plug. Now the iPhone can only be charged when I put it in certain way. Bad connection. This happen with my iPhone4 with the old cable, with my friend's iPhone using the old cable. Does this happen to any of you? I am definitely not going to pay Apple another $20.00 for this poor workmanship!

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Your lightning cable is still under warranty get it replaced for free. I abuse mine to hell and its fine. I think this is a personal problem.

Kissaragi said:

Why wouldn't you ring apple and get a replacement for that?

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Do I have to call them or can I just take it to a store and show them?

I guess it's under warranty (got it in October) and they probably would replace it anyways.

Not sure. I've really never dealt with returning an Apple product, etc.

Update: I just contacted Customer Support on Apple.com and then are sending me a new one. I just have to send in my defective cord once I receive the new one or they will charge me $30.

Browns2212 said:

Do I have to call them or can I just take it to a store and show them?

I guess it's under warranty (got it in October) and they probably would replace it anyways.

Not sure. I've really never dealt with returning an Apple product, etc.

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Id ring first, they might just send you a new one or make you a genius appointment if theres an apple store nearby.

Theres clearly a manufacturing error there which can happen to any product, they should be happy to replace it for you.

MacPC said:

I am definitely not going to pay Apple another $20.00 for this poor workmanship!

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It's not poor workmanship, it's user error.

Don't yank on the cord.

Kissaragi said:

Id ring first, they might just send you a new one or make you a genius appointment if theres an apple store nearby.

Theres clearly a manufacturing error there which can happen to any product, they should be happy to replace it for you.

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I didn't bother calling. My closest Apple store is an hour away (Ann Arbor, MI).

So, once I get the new cord they will have (I'm assuming) a return slip with pre-paid postage. I'll just send it back.

Thanks.

Just get a certified third-party cable: For example AmazonBasics, Griffin, Belkin, as well as Monoprice.

Most of them are stronger than the Apple one, using a cable material akin to regular USB cables, and plugs that have a plastic stray relief instead of the tubes Apple uses:

Get a new one. If it was a manufacturers defect and not caused by outright abuse (for example, my son decided to see if scissors would cut the cable of my iPhone 4 once... they did), they will replace the cable for FREE.

If there are obvious signs of abuse all bets are off.

There is NO indication there are any problems with the cables durability. They do not hold up well to scissors though, and I believe Apple should take responsibility for that...

itjw said:

There is NO indication there are any problems with the cables durability. They do not hold up well to scissors though, and I believe Apple should take responsibility for that...

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And they also don't hold up well to puppy teeth. I think Apple needs to do better testing!

I used to really hate the new connector, but after using it a couple of weeks it's seriously grown on me, I love the damned thing.


I'm still using the USB cable that came with my original 2nd gen ipod, I don't know what you do with your USB cable...

Han Solo 1 said:

And they also don't hold up well to puppy teeth. I think Apple needs to do better testing!

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This is easily bigger than "scuffgate". Why can't Apple use quality materials for their cables??? Why can't they hold up to small explosions and natural disasters?

Wasn't Apple thinking about the consumer? I spent $19.00 on this cable, and I have certain expectations for quality. 1) it must be indestructible and 2) it must function under all circumstances forever.

If it can't even do that I might go buy a Samsung. I swear! Don't make me do it!!!

If you are gentile with the cables they last. But I agree they are extremely fragile for their intended use. The old cables come apart where the cable meets the connector from people yanking the connector out by the cable. It's hard for Pete with fat figures to grip the head of the connector so they just pull by the cable. Apple needs to make cables that are robust and can take a billion yanks.

I was talking to my dad the other day about how apple is the master of making rubber that absorbs dirt. Seriously why do they make everything out of that soft absorbent white rubber? It gets dirty fast, you can't really ever get it clean and fully white again, and its not that durable to boot. The keyboards are the same way, I would never get a white one always black. And also what's with the rubber on the earbuds? Maybe they changed it for the ip5 earbuds but the 4s and prior buds rubber just disintegrates in like 1-3 years even if its just left alone in the box.

Apple sucks at making rubber parts. They make one sweet phone though.

Shrink said:

I'm not clear why so many people have problems with cables. I have had the same cables for years, and they are in perfect condition.

I might suggest that folks need to treat the cables with some care. When rolling them up for storage, roll them gently and carefully. When unplugging from a device, grip the plug itself, don'y pull on the cord. Take care not to bend at the connection point between the plug and the cord...and so on.

These suggestions do not take any special effort, and if the cables are treated with some care, they should last a very long time, as mine do.

I just re-read this post, and it sounds kind of snotty...sorry about that!

That was not my intention. It was just to suggest that a little care will help keep cables in good shape.

Click to expand...

Yep, my cables are in perfect condition too, all I do is roll them up carefully and put it on the shelf

I have 3 lightening cables and none of them have problems, they're actually still in good condition. Heck I still have 2 30 pin connectors from the iPhone 4 and they're still in good condition.

Maybe you got a defective cable or something.

Add me to the list of people who have to question just what some people do with their cables. The 30 pin connector cables from each of my iPhones (original, 3GS, and now 4S) all still work fine, as does the one that came with the iPod Classic I bought last year, and I in no way consider myself to be a person to baby these cables.