Apple's Lightning Authentication Reportedly Cracked, Unauthorized Third-Party Cables Coming

[MacRumors]

Chinese firm iPhone5mod has introduced (via M.I.C. gadget) a new iPhone 5 Flash Lightning Dock, marking one of the first claimed efforts to implement Apple's Lightning connector standard on a mass production basis. The move comes as Apple has been maintaining tight control over the standard and has yet to authorize any third-party manufacturing facilities to produce Lightning-equipped products.

iPhone5mod is actually offering the dock in two parts: a lighted USB-to-Lightning cable and a white dock similar to Apple's previous-generation docks but which accepts a Lightning cable in the rear and offers a Lightning connector for interfacing with the device. Each part is offered individually for $19.90, or together for $39.90.

We spoke with representatives of iPhone5mod, who informed us that they are currently using original Lightning controller chips from Apple's supplier, ensuring proper functionality. The chips serve to assist with dynamic assignment of pin functionalities in the connector and converting signals received through the connector for output at the other end of the cable.

iPhone5mod did, however, inform us that they have also obtained cracked chips that bypass Apple's authentication functions and that the cracked chips are working just as well as the original chips, suggesting that we may soon see a significant increase in unauthorized third-party Lightning accessories.

Article Link: Apple's Lightning Authentication Reportedly Cracked, Unauthorized Third-Party Cables Coming

[iEnvy]

Interesting, might look more into this. Wonder how it will fair with cases.

[shanmugam]

cannot blame these knock offs apple is greedy!

[KnightWRX]

Interconnection specifications should never be priopietary. Talk about locking you into a single vendor for accessories, and in this case, one that can't even sell the spare cables/adapters since they don't have any stock.

[ihonda]

sounds sketch, ill stick to my 6 lighting cables i already have, the connector is way to small to hold up the phone on the dock, your just asking for something to snap off.

[Icaras]

Wow. Look at the size of that USB connector.

[Nightarchaon]

Apple wants to hold off device makers from incorporating this into devices so they can sell a load of $25 "adpaters" that cost 2 cents to make

[Kenrik]

Awesome, we need some $3 - $5 knockoff cables on Amazon/Ebay considering most people need to buy a lot of them to keep in various places (car, laptop case, next to the bed etc..)

[unplugme71]

why doesn't it light up pink?

[Oberhorst]

Alright! Now the same in black please and without those ridiculous lights! I wouldn't mind if the USB connector was a little smaller, too.

[unplugme71]

Originally Posted by Icaras

Wow. Look at the size of that USB connector.

not big enough

[nevesis]

Give me that dock NOW.

[Akarin]

The connector on the dock is really small... I wonder if the phone stays in place on it and is stable enough or if there are risks of damaging the connector on the iPhone.

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

eBay keeps killing the auctions for any Lightning cables that aren't Apple original.

[Hakone]

Can it support USB 3.0 speeds?

[KdParker]

Is this really worth 40 dollars?

[KnightWRX]

Originally Posted by Icaras

Wow. Look at the size of that USB connector.

Problably all the required parts to "light-up" the cable are in there.

[iRCL]

Don't see why you would need the chip just to make the dock, since the cable would already have the chip and you could just pass-through all the wiring.

I would consider buying the dock except they don't even show the underneath.. I expect it to be cheap unfortunately (unlike the iPhone 4 dock from Apple that I really loved)

Might as well wait for a few more to hit the market

[unplugme71]

finally able to see the video, too bad the data doesn't go from iPhone to MacBook

[iRCL]

Originally Posted by ihonda

sounds sketch, ill stick to my 6 lighting cables i already have, the connector is way to small to hold up the phone on the dock, your just asking for something to snap off.

Sounds like someone's mad that they bought 6 lightning cables from Apple

[unplugme71]

apple is not making a dock probably because it would have to sit in the dock more in order for it to remain stable and not break the connector

[Kaibelf]

Originally Posted by shanmugam

cannot blame these knock offs apple is greedy!

Last I heard, it's up to a vendor to decide what they want to charge, and then you decide if you want it or not. You don't decide what you feel you should pay, and if you don't like their pricing, just steal things.

[zorinlynx]

I trusted third party cables with the 30 pin standard because the 30 pin standard didn't have any smarts in the cable. The 30 pin connector had pins such as GND, +5V, USB + and -, analog audio L and R, etc. Even the most incompetent company in the world would have a hard time ****ing up a cable.

But with the new Lightning standard I'm going to have a hard time trusting third party cables. An implementation error could mean a fried phone or unreliable operation. It'll be interesting to hear reports from those braver than I trying this stuff on their phones.

Maybe in a year or so when third party accessories are perfected I'll consider it. But definitely not now.

[JaySoul]

Hope this is real. If not, "they" will crack the code properly soon enough.

It can't be that difficult.

[Intarweb]

Well, that didn't take long.