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Broken Lightning Cables

george-brooks

george-brooks

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 31, 2011
732
16
Brooklyn, NY
I was at the 5th Avenue Apple Store today getting a new iPad for my mom and while looking at some iPad minis, the salesman looked through countless dead floor models to find me a working one. He said they have been having numerous problems with lightning cables breaking as a result of customers aggressively using them, therefore causing the floor models to not charge and their batteries to drain. I haven't had any problems with my lightning cable so far, but I am concerned that the smaller size makes them less robust. Has anyone had problems yet?
 
macingman

macingman

macrumors 68020
Jan 2, 2011
2,147
3
I think the problems are only due to so many people plugging the phones in and out constantly which is very different to normal use.
 
Jordan921

Jordan921

macrumors 603
Jul 7, 2010
5,069
2,171
Bay Area
Most people are pretty rough with the display models so while trying to charge them again they probably put to much force on the cables.
 
J

JAT

macrumors 603
Dec 31, 2001
6,473
124
Mpls, MN
It may be more about Apple's silly lack of cable restraints than the connector. Apple's cables are always less robust than they should be. People pull cables out by holding the middle of the cable, not good with Apple's.
 
K

Kashsystems

macrumors 6502
Jul 23, 2012
358
1
The closet Apple store I live in usually has a few hundred people inside whether I walk by or visit. I do think most cables are designed for the 1000s of bacteria filled hands tugging and pulling at everything at a constant basis.

It is why my germ-phobic self has hand sanitizer on ready after I am done with a walk through in the store. To be the worst is when you can clearly see the iPad covered in greasy food like fat substances all over their screens.

I bet the cables just melt quickly from all that grossness.
 
zhenya

zhenya

macrumors 604
Jan 6, 2005
6,929
3,677
This doesn't surprise me as the first time I handled a lighting cable I could see that it was going to clearly be less durable than the old style. It sticks out way too far for how secure a fit it is.

What hasn't been mentioned here so far is that the 30 pin cables lasted extremely well in stores. I was always impressed that the iOS devices had held up, because they get way more use than devices with USB, but the USB tablets are always dead from damaged connectors.

Maybe Apple will update the lighting connector in the future with MagSafe like I was hoping for from the beginning. :D
 
Prime85

Prime85

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2012
652
0
This is one reason I got AppleCare+ on my iPhone. If my lightning cable or headphones break then I get free replacements for 2 years
 
scaredpoet

scaredpoet

macrumors 604
Apr 6, 2007
6,627
342
Unless you make a habit of yanking the iPhone towards you hard, stretching against the full length of cable and forcing a 90 degree bend on the connector., I doubt you're going to have problems.

My iPhone 5 and lightning cable are both just fine, and I've had mine since just after launch day.
 
zhenya

zhenya

macrumors 604
Jan 6, 2005
6,929
3,677
scaredpoet said:
Unless you make a habit of yanking the iPhone towards you hard, stretching against the full length of cable and forcing a 90 degree bend on the connector., I doubt you're going to have problems.

My iPhone 5 and lightning cable are both just fine, and I've had mine since just after launch day.
Click to expand...

You can say that, but the reality is that devices like these get plugged in thousands of times in their lives, tripped over, sat on, tugged on by kids, a millions things that you can never imagine. While I personally am not hard on such connectors in general, I know that many people are and that accidents happen. Apple has always excelled at making robust and durable ones. It's not clear that remains with this new connector.
 
scaredpoet

scaredpoet

macrumors 604
Apr 6, 2007
6,627
342
zhenya said:
You can say that, but the reality is that devices like these get plugged in thousands of times in their lives, tripped over, sat on, tugged on by kids, a millions things that you can never imagine.
Click to expand...

I still don't think that the displays in the Apple Store represent common household usage, even rough usage. If you look at how the connectors are configured in Apple Stores, there's a very tight bend that is imparted on the cable, causing constraint strain. I've seen a few old dock connector cables get split on displays, too, so I'm not so sure that amount of abuse is only going to wreck a lightning cable.
 
zhenya

zhenya

macrumors 604
Jan 6, 2005
6,929
3,677
scaredpoet said:
I still don't think that the displays in the Apple Store represent common household usage, even rough usage. If you look at how the connectors are configured in Apple Stores, there's a very tight bend that is imparted on the cable, causing constraint strain. I've seen a few old dock connector cables get split on displays, too, so I'm not so sure that amount of abuse is only going to wreck a lightning cable.
Click to expand...

Of course it's not a common use case, that's the amazing thing about the old connector, that it held up amazingly well even in the stores. If something broke, it was usually the cable (which often continued to work even if the plastic split). I'm not convinced the new one won't sometimes do internal damage to the devices.
 
L

LaynieGorilla

macrumors 6502
Jan 1, 2011
486
29
PA
I just got my replaced for free on Black Friday.. It had a short. I thought that was quick for two months..my 4 had the wires exposed after awhile and lasted for about a year
 
Mr_Brightside_@

Mr_Brightside_@

macrumors 68040
Sep 23, 2005
3,747
2,035
Toronto
Applejuiced said:
I can only imagine the mileage and abuse those floor models and wires take every single day with thousands of customers plugging them in and out.
Click to expand...
I was having issues with mine that came with my phone. I charge it on my bedside table and whenever I unplugged it it would fall to the floor. Last week the cable stopped charging my phone, and plugging it into my computer (cable only, no phone attached) prompted a message saying the USB device was drawing too much power. Very strange. I've an extra cable that I've been using, but I'll test the flaky cable further and see about a G bar apt.
 
Applejuiced

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
Mr_Brightside_@ said:
I was having issues with mine that came with my phone. I charge it on my bedside table and whenever I unplugged it it would fall to the floor. Last week the cable stopped charging my phone, and plugging it into my computer (cable only, no phone attached) prompted a message saying the USB device was drawing too much power. Very strange. I've an extra cable that I've been using, but I'll test the flaky cable further and see about a G bar apt.
Click to expand...

Same thing with mine.
It always falls on he floor when I unplug my phone:)
 
C

CaCohen0509

macrumors regular
Jan 2, 2010
186
10
i was at the freehold raceway mall apple store and i saw at least a dozen snapped lightning connectors with iPads and iPods lying down on the tables. People are monsters
 
F

Floydpink

macrumors member
Oct 7, 2012
53
24
Orlando Florida
I just replaced my lightning cable and I'm gentle with my stuff.
Mine was apparently a short and I was not the only one they had seen at the Genius Bar that day with the same problem.

Other than that, no problems.
 
D

Deliro

macrumors 65816
Sep 20, 2011
1,142
1,336
I hope my lightning connector holds up better than the 30 pin connectors. The outer rubber coating on each is torn and frayed. I'm not rough with them at all. The only one that has held up is the griffn cable.

My MBA MagSafe adapter seems to be on the path too. Time to break out the ghetto fix with electrical tape.
 
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