iPhone 5s case incompatible with lightning-30 pin adapter.

[dantracht]

Got my black 5s yesterday and also picked up a black 5s case. I really like the case and the way my phone looked in it. I have clock radios all over my home and a few lightning to 30 pin adapters that I bought last year with the 5. When I tried to plug the 5s, with case, into my clock radio the lightning connection would not work. The case was too think at the bottom for the adapter to connect. So.....case was returned.

I must say I'm surprised at apple for missing that. Did they not think that people would maybe plug their phones with a case into a clock radio before going to sleep? Major oversight.

 

[Tammster]

My alarm clock has a lightning connector but with the new Apple case on it just won't connect. I ordered a lightning connector on Amazon. Hopefully that works.

I really wish the various case makers would leave more room open on the bottom for people who dock their phones.

 

[rockyroad55]

Got my black 5s yesterday and also picked up a black 5s case. I really like the case and the way my phone looked in it. I have clock radios all over my home and a few lightning to 30 pin adapters that I bought last year with the 5. When I tried to plug the 5s, with case, into my clock radio the lightning connection would not work. The case was too think at the bottom for the adapter to connect. So.....case was returned.

I must say I'm surprised at apple for missing that. Did they not think that people would maybe plug their phones with a case into a clock radio before going to sleep? Major oversight.

Doesn't your clock have inserts for different devices? My dock has this insert that is made for the classic ipod and that fits perfectly.

 

[dantracht]

It's not the clock radio, it's the bottom of the case. The case won't let the lightning connection connect with the iPhone.

 

[Becact]

Pretty sure Apple has decided to move forward with the lightning and not look back. Too bad about your radio, but I can understand their decision...

 

[matttye]

Pretty sure Apple has decided to move forward with the lightning and not look back. Too bad about your radio, but I can understand their decision...

Do you understand what he's saying? He's saying that the lightning to 30 pin adapter will not connect to his iPhone while it's in a case.

Nothing to do with the radio.

 

[veedubshafer]

Pretty sure Apple has decided to move forward with the lightning and not look back.

Which is the thing that surprises me most with them keeping the 4s.

 

[Becact]

Do you understand what he's saying? He's saying that the lightning to 30 pin adapter will not connect to his iPhone while it's in a case.

Nothing to do with the radio.

Yes, I understand. It has everything to do with the radio, because the radio is the old style 30 pin connector, and thus is now obsolete. I'm saying apple is not making new designs with backward compatibility in mind, for better or worse.

 

[matttye]

Yes, I understand. It has everything to do with the radio, because the radio is the old style 30 pin connector, and thus is now obsolete. I'm saying apple is not making new designs with backward compatibility in mind, for better or worse.

Apple is still selling the adapters so that old accessories can be used though. There's no reason why the case shouldn't work with the adapter.

Nobody is saying he should be able to plug the phone into the radio directly

 

[dantracht]

Apple is still selling the adapters so that old accessories can be used though. There's no reason why the case shouldn't work with the adapter.

Nobody is saying he should be able to plug the phone into the radio directly

Thank you, you get what I'm saying. I should be able to plug my phone, with the apple case, into the lightning adapter and then into my clock radios that have 30 pin connections. I can't with the apple 5s case. That's why I returned the case. I think it's a major oversight on apples part.

 

[matttye]

Thank you, you get what I'm saying. I should be able to plug my phone, with the apple case, into the lightning adapter and then into my clock radios that have 30 pin connections. I can't with the apple 5s case. That's why I returned the case. I think it's a major oversight on apples part.

Apparently the iPhones don't fit into the docks with cases on either.

I've been told it won't, but I'm hoping it will fit with my case which is less than a millimetre thick (0.3mm - so 0.6mm when you take both sides into account).

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

Ugh. Thanks for the post. This is exactly what I was intending to do. Apple needs to revise the lightning to 30-pin adapter.

 

[Nothlit]

It's always seemed odd to me that the lightning end of the lightning-to-30-pin adapter is bulkier than a regular lightning-to-USB cable.

Thanks for posting this, OP. It helps me to know that a lightning-to-30-pin solution won't work in my car as I was hoping, if I get a 5S with the Apple case. Guess I'll have to choose a different case or move to a bluetooth setup instead.

Edit: Oops, I guess I forgot that Apple sells two kinds of adapters... one with a cable and one that's just a single solid piece. Sounds like the OP is having problems with the single-piece adapter, not the cabled version?

 

[Richdmoore]

I have a 30 pin to lightning adapter (the one with the .2 m cord, and just ordered the apple 5s case.

Is this the one everyone is talking about, or the "block type" adapter with no cord?

 

[lordofthereef]

You need something like this. It's only $3! Or for thos who insist that these "cheap knockoffs" will damage their phone, this.

I would much rather grab some of those cables than get rid of the case, but that's just me. The Apple case is the nicest case I have ever seen for any iPhone. They did it right... only took them seven years! LOL. Here is to hoping Apple gets into the case business from here on out.

 

[melman101]

Yeah, I am surprised the Apple Employee didn't stop me from buying both together. I'm going to return the adapter and get that cable adapter. I ripped the bottom of the box, hopefully they take it back .

 

[dantracht]

Ugh. Thanks for the post. This is exactly what I was intending to do. Apple needs to revise the lightning to 30-pin adapter.

You're welcome, I had to learn the hard way, but at least they took the case back even though I opened the box. I think it's a major oversight, either the case needs to be redesigned or the adapter does. The cords displayed look cool, but I want to plug it into my clock radio, go to sleep and wake up, grab the phone and go about my business. That's just me. Apple should realize that people have tons of 30-pin clock radio with adapters out there and should have taken it into account. No worries, my clear plastic $2.00 case will do the job in the meantime.

A shame because that Apple case is beautiful, I have their iPad case and I love it too. I'm a fan of thin snug fitting cases that don't add bulk.

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Apparently the iPhones don't fit into the docks with cases on either.

I've been told it won't, but I'm hoping it will fit with my case which is less than a millimetre thick (0.3mm - so 0.6mm when you take both sides into account).

The dock either? That's another major oversight.

Don't even get me started with the 5C case, which my cousin remarked looks like a connect-four board.

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It's always seemed odd to me that the lightning end of the lightning-to-30-pin adapter is bulkier than a regular lightning-to-USB cable.

Thanks for posting this, OP. It helps me to know that a lightning-to-30-pin solution won't work in my car as I was hoping, if I get a 5S with the Apple case. Guess I'll have to choose a different case or move to a bluetooth setup instead.

Edit: Oops, I guess I forgot that Apple sells two kinds of adapters... one with a cable and one that's just a single solid piece. Sounds like the OP is having problems with the single-piece adapter, not the cabled version?

Yes the single piece adapter, not the cable version.

 

[TigerMe]

These are always tricky. I was bummed when I couldn't plug in my 5S into a cable that had the adapter on it. I just plugged it into another place that had a straight lightning cable. I don't think they are going to make everything fit all the time.

The dock is more surprising to me. I expect most people will buy the/any case and having to take it out to use the dock is a non-starter. I was going to get the dock but it's not that important relative to the case which is staying on the phone at all times.

You're welcome, I had to learn the hard way, but at least they took the case back even though I opened the box. I think it's a major oversight, either the case needs to be redesigned or the adapter does. The cords displayed look cool, but I want to plug it into my clock radio, go to sleep and wake up, grab the phone and go about my business. That's just me. Apple should realize that people have tons of 30-pin clock radio with adapters out there and should have taken it into account. No worries, my clear plastic $2.00 case will do the job in the meantime.

A shame because that Apple case is beautiful, I have their iPad case and I love it too. I'm a fan of thin snug fitting cases that don't add bulk.

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The dock either? That's another major oversight.

Don't even get me started with the 5C case, which my cousin remarked looks like a connect-four board.

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Yes the single piece adapter, not the cable version.

 

[zhenya]

You need something like this. It's only $3! Or for thos who insist that these "cheap knockoffs" will damage their phone, this.

That knock-off adapter will almost certainly only charge, not pass through music or any other signal to the device. The Apple adapter has a DAC in the actual adapter for just this purpose. Note that many of those reviews are for regular cables, not that adapter, and that many of the reviews for the adapter state that it won't play music.

FWIW, 30 seconds with a dremel tool will modify Apple's adapter cable to fit any case...

 

[dantracht]

These are always tricky. I was bummed when I couldn't plug in my 5S into a cable that had the adapter on it. I just plugged it into another place that had a straight lightning cable. I don't think they are going to make everything fit all the time.

The dock is more surprising to me. I expect most people will buy the/any case and having to take it out to use the dock is a non-starter. I was going to get the dock but it's not that important relative to the case which is staying on the phone at all times.

Not to mention that case was very hard to remove, I thought I was going to damage the phone!

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That knock-off adapter will almost certainly only charge, not pass through music or any other signal to the device. The Apple adapter has a DAC in the actual adapter for just this purpose. Note that many of those reviews are for regular cables, not that adapter, and that many of the reviews for the adapter state that it won't play music.

FWIW, 30 seconds with a dremel tool will modify Apple's adapter cable to fit any case...

That's what I mean! It wouldn't have been a big deal to widen the opening just a tad more, or leave it as an open bottom, like my current 2 buck case. We didn't need to have it mimic the holes of the speakers.

BTW, the one piece adapter works on all my clock radios, which are from different brands from different years. It charges and plays music. I have one in every room of my home and one in my office.

 

[Sodner]

Apples own dock does not work with their cases.

I am an Apple fan, but sometimes I just don't get them. All the talk about things "working in harmony" blah, blah, blah and their own phone, in their own case does not fit into their own dock.

 

[djc6]

This reminds me of when I bought Apple's Smart Case for my iPad, only to discover their own camera kit doesn't fit while the case is on. I had hoped their case and their accessories would work together.

 

[dantracht]

Apples own dock does not work with their cases.

I am an Apple fan, but sometimes I just don't get them. All the talk about things "working in harmony" blah, blah, blah and their own phone, in their own case does not fit into their own dock.

Agreed, it's baffling. Look at the 5C case for example. The holes in the back allow the "hon" of iPhone to show through, as well as part of that.....whatever that fcc thing is below. Didn't anyone look at this? For all their talk, how did they not look at the back of a case? It's a maddening lack of real world thinking.

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This reminds me of when I bought Apple's Smart Case for my iPad, only to discover their own camera kit doesn't fit while the case is on. I had hoped their case and their accessories would work together.

Especially when they charge a premium. When you're spending $50 on a case when you can get a perfectly good one for less than half the price on Amazon, you expect things to just....work.

 

[Sodner]

Agreed, it's baffling. Look at the 5C case for example. The holes in the back allow the "hon" of iPhone to show through, as well as part of that.....whatever that fcc thing is below. Didn't anyone look at this? For all their talk, how did they not look at the back of a case? It's a maddening lack of real world thinking.

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Especially when they charge a premium. When you're spending $50 on a case when you can get a perfectly good one for less than half the price on Amazon, you expect things to just....work.

Ya and the iPad dock did not work with if the smart cover was covering the screen, it had to be folded back. Again, puzzling.... I mean either do it RIGHT, or don't do it at all Apple.

 

[dantracht]

Ya and the iPad dock did not work with if the smart cover was covering the screen, it had to be folded back. Again, puzzling.... I mean either do it RIGHT, or don't do it at all Apple.

I know. They wait years to enter the case game too. You'd think they spent that time researching the heck out of it.