Apple did not engineer lightning charging right

[Tiger8]

It's a typical scenario when a software tries to do too much, and cannot do it reliably, but the vendor does it anyway.

I have an iPhone 5, 1.5 year old now, always used Apple / Apple certified third party cables, now all of a sudden it stopped accepting the genuine Apple cable, giving me the error that 'this cable is not certified' and refusing to charge.

I cleaned the 'lint' in the lighting port on the phone (funny, I thought Apple claimed to have converted to it saying that 30 pin one gathers dust... I never had a single problem with 30 pin) and it still does not work.

It charges for like 2 minutes and then gives the error message and stops. I think it's a software glitch.

Thank you Apple for screwing your loyal customers!

 

[MacDawg]

Because your one phone isn't charging Apple engineers screwed up the whole design?
OK

 

[Tiger8]

Because your one phone isn't charging Apple engineers screwed up the whole design?
OK

where did I say the whole design?

Google it, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of users who have had issues with apple cables not charging their phone, even their 5s. Some had to erase and do a full restore. Like I said, it's IOS trying to be 'smart' and incorrectly identifying Apple cables as knock offs, tell me, how is that considered a well designed product? I thought the whole point of apple is software and hardware that 'just works'

 

[ALMF]

Do you have other cables? What happens when you try a different cable? Maybe yor cable went bad.

 

[Tiger8]

Do you have other cables? What happens when you try a different cable? Maybe yor cable went bad.

I tried with my other cable, it works the first 2 minutes, and then stops.

Today at work I borrowed my colleague's cable, it charged for a few (got it to start) but then again stopped. It seems like it measures voltage or something like that and keeps on disconnecting.

 

[maflynn]

Maybe its the phone that is defective and not the port?

 

[Tiger8]

Maybe its the phone that is defective and not the port?

Problem started on Friday, what could cause such thing? The phone was never dropped, been handled with extra care, and haven't had issues at all.

I have a strong hunch it's an iOS glitch, it's software blocking the charging process by misidentifying the cable in my opinion.

 

[blueroom]

A DFU restore often fixes most firmware problems, else take it to Apple for a diagnosis.

 

[MacDawg]

Why not take it to the Apple store and let them give it a look

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

where did I say the whole design?

Google it, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of users who have had issues with apple cables not charging their phone, even their 5s. Some had to erase and do a full restore. Like I said, it's IOS trying to be 'smart' and incorrectly identifying Apple cables as knock offs, tell me, how is that considered a well designed product? I thought the whole point of apple is software and hardware that 'just works'

And there are millions without problems, so your argument is not really useable.

Electronic hardware sometimes fail. Quite normal, and not a reason to go on a childish rant.

 

[Tiger8]

And there are millions without problems, so your argument is not really useable.

Electronic hardware sometimes fail. Quite normal, and not a reason to go on a childish rant.

Missing the point, not a single person with iOS 6 or before have had a problem like that, including people who have had iPhone 5 with iOS 7. It's not a hardware issue, it's software, and I hate the fact that even charging your phone is under the mercy of Apple's buggy code.

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A DFU restore often fixes most firmware problems, else take it to Apple for a diagnosis.

Why not take it to the Apple store and let them give it a look

Thanks. I will, my phone is out of warranty, how much will they charge to diagnose it? I don't know because I never needed to go to Apple before for repairs, been a customer since 2008

 

[MacDawg]

Thanks. I will, my phone is out of warranty, how much will they charge to diagnose it? I don't know because I never needed to go to Apple before for repairs, been a customer since 2008

No charge to take it in and have it looked at

 

[Deguello]

Problem started on Friday, what could cause such thing? The phone was never dropped, been handled with extra care, and haven't had issues at all.

I have a strong hunch it's an iOS glitch, it's software blocking the charging process by misidentifying the cable in my opinion.

You do get that immediately prior to any hardware problem, the hardware was functioning properly, right?

if you think it's an iOS software glitch, why do you also think it's an engineering problem?

 

[I7guy]

where did I say the whole design?

Google it, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of users who have had issues with apple cables not charging their phone, even their 5s. Some had to erase and do a full restore. Like I said, it's IOS trying to be 'smart' and incorrectly identifying Apple cables as knock offs, tell me, how is that considered a well designed product? I thought the whole point of apple is software and hardware that 'just works'

You're able to deduce that from a quick web search? Ok then.

 

[Tiger8]

You're able to deduce that from a quick web search? Ok then.

I do software and hardware for a living, not going to list my credentials here but this is my domain. So no, it's not just a 'quick search'.

 

[I7guy]

I do software and hardware for a living, not going to list my credentials here but this is my domain. So no, it's not just a 'quick search'.

Okay, I'm not going to list my credentials either. I am positive you cannot deduce anything of the like from a web search within any meaningful statistical sample that would be acceptable under scrutiny. In other words you formed an opinion.

 

[C DM]

Missing the point, not a single person with iOS 6 or before have had a problem like that, including people who have had iPhone 5 with iOS 7. It's not a hardware issue, it's software, and I hate the fact that even charging your phone is under the mercy of Apple's buggy code.

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Thanks. I will, my phone is out of warranty, how much will they charge to diagnose it? I don't know because I never needed to go to Apple before for repairs, been a customer since 2008

Is it really known that not a single person had this kind of issue with iOS 6? Were there other issues that people had due to hardware/software that many similar complex devices can and do run into here and there without it being some sort of inherent widespread flaw?

 

[Superman80]

Im using 99p cables from ebay and have never seen this message. (although the plug is an apple one)

 

[Small White Car]

The OP isn't totally wrong.

I've had to throw out 6 lightning cables over the past year and a half. (All Apple-made)

I had maybe 3 of the old dock-connector type cables go bad over the previous 8 years.

If the lightening cable IS well designed then it means Apple's build qualify has gone to crap. I honestly don't know which it is.

 

[wxman2003]

where did I say the whole design?

Google it, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of users who have had issues with apple cables not charging their phone, even their 5s. Some had to erase and do a full restore. Like I said, it's IOS trying to be 'smart' and incorrectly identifying Apple cables as knock offs, tell me, how is that considered a well designed product? I thought the whole point of apple is software and hardware that 'just works'

So based on "hundreds, if not thousands", which by your numbers would equate to less than 1% of the millions of iphones sold that use lightning cables. So less than 1% are defective. I would say that means Apple is producing a superior product, considering a 4% defective rate is acceptable by industry standards.

 

[localboy28]

The OP isn't totally wrong.

I've had to throw out 6 lightning cables over the past year and a half. (All Apple-made)

I had maybe 3 of the old dock-connector type cables go bad over the previous 8 years.

If the lightening cable IS well designed then it means Apple's build qualify has gone to crap. I honestly don't know which it is.

Why did you chuck them out?
Apple replace them if they are faulty

 

[red41]

Why did you chuck them out?
Apple replace them if they are faulty

Because it's hard to go down to the Apple store. It's easier to buy them and the go online and complain about it. Also the OP is right, Apple needs to recall all of their iphone 5 and 5s until his iphone cable starts working. Remember this is OP's domain.

 

[Botts85]

I cleaned the 'lint' in the lighting port on the phone (funny, I thought Apple claimed to have converted to it saying that 30 pin one gathers dust... I never had a single problem with 30 pin) and it still does not work.

I'm going to limit my comments to the excerpt.

I serviced thousands of iPhones while working at the Genius Bar. At least 10,000 to be specific.

I saw hundreds of 30 pin docks not charging due to lint. A friend still at the fruit stand sees iPhone 5/5c/5s phones with lint. He hasn't mentioned a significant change in the rate of lint complaints at the bar.

My friend did say that a difference with the lightning cables is that he hasn't seen the amount of corrosion like was seen in the 30 pin cables.

The lint stopping charging issues isn't unique to the Lightning cable. WRT the rest of your comments, a small failure rate isn't unheard of in daily use devices. I am sorry for your luck, but considering there are millions of Lightning devices on the market, it indicative of design flaw.

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The OP isn't totally wrong.

I've had to throw out 6 lightning cables over the past year and a half. (All Apple-made)

I had maybe 3 of the old dock-connector type cables go bad over the previous 8 years.

If the lightening cable IS well designed then it means Apple's build qualify has gone to crap. I honestly don't know which it is.

Apple would have kindly swapped your Lightning cables for free, barring any pet or recliner caused damage.

The dock connector cables did fail, we had a bag at the Genius Bar that we could just grab from. The Lightning cables are apparently seeing similar failure rates.

Apple's cable jackets are not as robust as they once were, but they are now PVC free, and far better for the environment and user from a health perspective. You can literally feel the difference between say a 2006 and a current MacBook Pro charger.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I have two iPhones, 3 ipads and two iPods and have never had a cable go bad.

 

[shawndc1]

It's a typical scenario when a software tries to do too much, and cannot do it reliably, but the vendor does it anyway.

I have an iPhone 5, 1.5 year old now, always used Apple / Apple certified third party cables, now all of a sudden it stopped accepting the genuine Apple cable, giving me the error that 'this cable is not certified' and refusing to charge.

I cleaned the 'lint' in the lighting port on the phone (funny, I thought Apple claimed to have converted to it saying that 30 pin one gathers dust... I never had a single problem with 30 pin) and it still does not work.

It charges for like 2 minutes and then gives the error message and stops. I think it's a software glitch.

Thank you Apple for screwing your loyal customers!

same thing happ to me yesterday, my charger started acting crazy on sunday and on monday it stopped completely!!!! i had the charger from radio shack with warranty so i just exchanged it for another but i thought it was strange until i seen this post