Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple iPhone Lightning Dock Review: Simple Design With Broad Compatibility, but Some Stability Concerns

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
67,606
37,996



Apple's history of iPhone docks is rather hit-or-miss, with the company's recent designs generally tailored tightly to the profiles of the iPhones they were designed for, preventing the use of cases on the iPhones and making the docks incompatible with later iPhone designs.

That changes with the new iPhone Lightning Dock, introduced yesterday a full eight months after the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The new dock forgoes a form-fitting iPhone-shaped depression in favor of a simple Lightning connector embedded in a small, slightly pliable nub to cushion the device as it rests on the connector.

lightning_dock_iphone.jpg
iPhone 6 Plus with Apple Leather Case on iPhone Lightning Dock​

The design has some advantages: it offers a clean and simple look and it'll fit any iOS device with a Lightning port, including many of those with cases. The lack of a recessed docking area also keeps the iPhone's Touch ID home button easily accessible while the device is docked.

There are definitely some downsides, however, with the most obvious being stability. With the Lightning connector being the sole means of support for the iPhone, the device does tend to rock side to side if bumped. And while the Lightning connector is very firmly embedded in the base of the dock and does not feel in danger of being damaged, users may have concerns over potential damage to their iPhone's Lightning port if the device should happen to be bumped strongly while mounted on the dock.


Click here to read more...

Article Link: Apple iPhone Lightning Dock Review: Simple Design With Broad Compatibility, but Some Stability Concerns
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/review/apple-iphone-lightning-dock/
I wouldn't touch this with a 10-foot pole if I was someone who EVER touches the iPhone while charging. Which I am. (And I know there are others who can still use this: for charging while asleep, say. But why not just charge flat, then?)

If someone nudges you or your foot slips while tapping an icon (or swiping Notification Center) near the top--or you just misjudge the feather-light tap you intend--you could apply MASSIVE force to your iPhone's Lightning port. And how about your half-asleep flailing arm in the morning when the alarm goes off? (Worse: imagine using it with an iPad/Mini, which some are bound to do: it's a an available charger, after all.) Plus, the audio-out encourages use of the device while docked.

Normally I'd say Apple's engineers aren't going to miss something obvious and fail to plan/test for it--so I half expected the connector on this to be very loosely flexible, for instance. But if it's too stiff--and it seems to be--I have to side with physics on this one. (And if it IS very bendy, that would make it harder to use the phone.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lever

Luckily third-party docks (some with adjustable back support) are still to be had.
 
Does anyone else have problems with lightning cables? My family seem to get through one a month!
 
The audio line-out port is an improvement. What I want is a simple lightning cable with line-out and charging; in order to use an external amplifier, I have to run lightning -> 30-pin -> Fiio line-out cable -> amplifier, and I can't charge the phone at the same time.

ETA: looks like the previous lightning dock had a line-out port too. Why not in a single cable?
 
Mike Oxard said:
Does anyone else have problems with lightning cables? My family seem to get through one a month!
Click to expand...

Many (not all) of my old 30-pin cables would die on me after about 2 years, and show fraying long before that. So far (a bit over 2 years) I've never had a Lightning cable fail, nor seen any sign of wear. (I do have a Griffin one that's finnicky, but not getting worse.) My family members seem to have had the same experience: 30-pin bad, Lightning good!

Depends on handling, of course. Anything cord can be damaged depending how you treat it.
 
Mike Oxard said:
Does anyone else have problems with lightning cables? My family seem to get through one a month!
Click to expand...

We have eight cables (two offices, two cars, two sides of the bed and two in the kitchen/living room). Zero issues. All are the apple cables except the one in my car (apple certified though).

Edit: Have owned most of them for two years and they look brand new.
 
The full article states: "General stability against tipping is solid, as the weighted dock base means it doesn't feel top-heavy with an iPhone mounted on it".

If true, I may buy this. But I'll let someone else check that first, please.
 
Mike Oxard said:
Does anyone else have problems with lightning cables? My family seem to get through one a month!
Click to expand...

We have a 1 1/2 year old iPad mini, an iPhone 6 since it came out and and another iPhone 6 which is using the original cable from my iPhone 5. We have never had to replace a cable and the new ones that came with my 5s and 6 are just spares now.
 
two great things about this dock:

1) DAC and audio out jack

2) a plug-in lightning port. there are times on my other docks where ive wanted to charge something outside of the dock but could not. this fixes that.

for $39 it's much cheaper than my $89 ElevationLab dock (the famous kickstarter one), which pretty much sucks for an iphone 6 due to the dock's absurd size, and doesnt allow me to use headphones or unplug its cable.

----------
Jett0516 said:
This doesn't look like it was Designed by Apple.
Click to expand...

nonsense. it looks almost the same as their other lightning dock for the iphone 5:

http://9to5mac.com/2013/09/10/apple-gets-back-in-the-iphone-dock-game-with-5c-and-5s-docks/

----------
nagromme said:
(Worse: imagine using it with an iPad/Mini, which some are bound to do: it's a an available charger, after all.)
Click to expand...

we dont have to imagine -- there are photos of that in the review.

also, you can unplug the lightning from the rear of the dock and plug it into your ipad if you wish.

----------
iConnected said:
The full article states: "General stability against tipping is solid, as the weighted dock base means it doesn't feel top-heavy with an iPhone mounted on it".

If true, I may buy this. But I'll let someone else check that first, please.
Click to expand...

thats what the review is for.
 
Last edited:
iConnected said:
The full article states: "General stability against tipping is solid, as the weighted dock base means it doesn't feel top-heavy with an iPhone mounted on it".

If true, I may buy this. But I'll let someone else check that first, please.
Click to expand...

If you bump it around, the dock will definitely move a bit, but it doesn't really feel like it wants to fall over unless you give it a decent whack. The direction most prone to tipping is forward, which you'd expect since the iPhone sits at the front of the dock. But the phone leans backward a bit, so you need to give it a decent push for it to fall over.

It's by no means immune to falling over, and it's less stable than something like an Elevation Dock that's really big and hefty. But for most people I think this one should be stable enough unless you're frequently flinging stuff around your desk.
 
Picked up two last night at my local Apple Store and they look beautiful on our bedside tables. I really missed having the dock from Apple and I absolutely love the new uber minimal look. Having no recessed area gives it an even cleaner look which I'm enjoying a lot. I thought there would be stability issues, but it feels very stable to me.

And I'm just finally happy to see Apple allow people using their designed cases to use with docks. This has been an issue since Apple released the bumper case for the iPhone 4, and continued with the leather case for the iPhone 5/5s. So now I've got my Apple silicone case on using the dock. Couldn't be happier :)

Now if Apple could please release two more docks for the iPad Air and Apple Watch next....
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: qwaliti
mdelvecchio said:
thats what the review is for.
Click to expand...

Thanks - but you know like in The Newsroom, where they wouldn't air a news report until they had two solid sources? I thought that was a pretty good principle.

----------
WildCowboy said:
If you bump it around, the dock will definitely move a bit, but it doesn't really feel like it wants to fall over unless you give it a decent whack. The direction most prone to tipping is forward, which you'd expect since the iPhone sits at the front of the dock. But the phone leans backward a bit, so you need to give it a decent push for it to fall over.

It's by no means immune to falling over, and it's less stable than something like an Elevation Dock that's really big and hefty. But for most people I think this one should be stable enough unless you're frequently flinging stuff around your desk.
Click to expand...

Excellent detail and reassurance - thank you very much indeed for elaborating :)
 
iConnected said:
Thanks - but you know like in The Newsroom, where they wouldn't air a news report until they had two solid sources? I thought that was a pretty good principle.
Click to expand...

Love your use of The Newsroom to make this point (but oh how I wish it hadn't been cancelled)!
 
Last edited:
Mike Oxard said:
Does anyone else have problems with lightning cables? My family seem to get through one a month!
Click to expand...

Yes, we do also. I blame my tween daughter for yanking the cords, although that's not a problem with other types we have.

--

As for the dock, the new Apple one came too late for my family. After reading terrible reviews of the older Apple dock, and of other replacement ones, I found these from China. They came within ten days, and we love them for the price (compared to the $40 Apple wants for theirs!):

iphone-dock.png

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251866732521

This dock is especially nice since you don't have to give up a cable, as it already has one built-in.

Works fine with a case, too.

A little awkward with TouchID, but usable because of the slight cutout.
 
uwbadger said:
Why not in a single cable?
Click to expand...

Then people would be complaining that they had to buy yet ANOTHER (over-priced) cable. This way, people can use the lightening cable that came with their phone, and any 1/8" audio cable they a) already have, or b) can get real cheap from RadioShack (if they still have a store near by).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back