Photos Claiming to Be of New Lightning Cable with Reversible USB Connector Surface

[recklesslife85]

What? Have you been using 5$ chinese rip offs? They are much more durable than the old ones.

Nope, ones from Apple store and in box.

 

[jayducharme]

I'm not sure what the rumored photos are depicting, but this is supposedly the actual USB 3.1 connector, and looks quite different:

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/130338-what-is-type-c-usb-3-1-faster-charging-quicker-data-smaller-mobiles-and-the-death-of-ac-laptop-chargers

 

[Intelligent]

Nope, ones from Apple store and in box.

You must have had bad luck, or I am very careful.

 

[mw360]

I'm not sure what the rumored photos are depicting, but this is supposedly the actual USB 3.1 connector, and looks quite different:

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/130338-what-is-type-c-usb-3-1-faster-charging-quicker-data-smaller-mobiles-and-the-death-of-ac-laptop-chargers

Depicting this…

http://pdfaiw.uspto.gov/.aiw?docid=...PGNR.%26OS=DN/20140206209%26RS=DN/20140206209

the reversible standard USB connector illustrated in the Apple patent which is linked in the article

 

[2010mini]

All for a new lightning cable as the current ones are poorly made and rip apart after a few months.

How? Mine are still like new going on a year since I got them.

 

[MartiNZ]

Up to 100W charging (potential to replace even laptop charging ports), so should enable faster charging. 10 Gbps data, which is faster, but iOS devices might not be able to take advantage of all of that due to storage speeds. Smaller, reversible connector.

Wow, that first part is impressive - so at some point the magsafe port -could- be just an extra USB instead? I guess it probably wouldn't happen though, unless Apple could add magnetism to the USB.

 

[irnchriz]

Working in Apple retail, the most common complaint (many many times a day) is that the Lightning cables have stopped working. They don't last for most people, myself included, and you are very lucky.

Due to the removal of cancer causing chemicals the sheaths of the cables are weaker and easier to break with abuse, but you have to wonder what kind of moron keeps using a cable once it splits even slightly without either replacing or taping it up so it doesn't split further. When you see a frayed cable end that the user is a complete moron, they probably keep driving their car when oil warning light s come on etc.

----------

same, hate them. two of mine are already an exposed dangerous mess (they still work but i am just waiting for the day i get electrocuted). meanwhile the old ones from my iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 are still working perfectly without any exposed wires.

also i am very "anal" about those kind of things, like the cable of my macbook pro and the iPad still have the plastic on it.

I too think you are anal, maybe thats the problem, it looks like it has been up yer bum

But seriously, who keeps using cable till its that frayed before putting tape on it???

 

[bushido]

I wouldn't worry about getting electrocuted from a lightning cable.

What do you do to your cables, do all of them go like that or is it just one? A single bad one I could understand, lots of bad ones and I get the impression it's not the cable. I've got around 20 30pin/lightning/macbook/earphone cables and never had a problem with any of them

this happened to two of my lightning cables, my 4 old school iPad / iPod / iPhone / iPhone cables still work fine without exposed wires. I think it happens cuz i use the phone while charging a lot but it still shouldnt happen especially considering what they charge for a new one. I dont know how to put it in english but i kinda blame that you can plug it in either way but the cable itself wants to be plugged in a certain way so the wire itself twists in the opposite direction of the lightning bit plugged into the phone itself. does that make sense lol? it puts too much pressure on the cable twisting left when it should rest easy on the right kinda

What the.. @_@

That's worse than what one of my cats sometimes does to cables.. (stupid cat chews cables!) .. Some of them are clearly defective then? I've had nothing like that.

that one still charges as normal, i am too much of a cheap to buy a new one. ill just wait for the next iPhone

 

[Jsameds]

same, hate them. two of mine are already an exposed dangerous mess (they still work but i am just waiting for the day i get electrocuted). meanwhile the old ones from my iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 are still working perfectly without any exposed wires.

also i am very "anal" about those kind of things, like the cable of my macbook pro and the iPad still have the plastic on it.

Couple of mine look like that too and I like to think I take care of my stuff. None of my other cables have the same issue, or any issues come to think of it.

 

[freediverdude]

You're holding the cable wrong.

 

[Binarymix]

Yeah, Apple's going to release a cable standard that isn't in a single one of it's products.

Maybe in a few years, but not now.

And those photos aren't USB C.

 

[Gjwilly]

That, plus that Apple will immediately apologise and replace the cable - pronto!

Except they won't.
If your iDevice isn't still under warranty then they won't replace the cable.
At least that's what I experienced.

 

[B4U]

I am an Apple customer myself. And logged in here just to call out your comment.



As the OP said: they just "stop working"! As a customer I don't care whether that's because the very obvious "the wire comes loose", the "chip has exploded" or whatever technical reason!

For me "they just stopped working" - and that's all I care about! That, plus that Apple will immediately apologise and replace the cable - pronto!

I expect a cable to last forever (and expensive one as the lightning ones for sure)!



Fair enough...



What?! I expect to be able to "stuff a cable into my handbag" as much as I want and how I want it!

So you admit - as an apparent Apple employee - that your Lightning cables were not designed to last during "normal daily operations" such as "stuffing the cable away"?!

I tell you what: I "stuffed cables into my handbag" - well, pockets, tiny little drawers, you name it - and they never "stopped working"!

And now you come and tell us to "manage our cables better"! WTF!

I logged in just to up vote you.

 

[Azzin]

Well mine do so how can you possible say they dont if they do. Apple cheap out on them, only thing they do it with.

Ah, so now, it's yours that has an issue.

Earlier on, you stated that "the current ones are poorly made and rip apart after a few months".

Which is it?

FWIW, I've got several Lightning cables here at home. One of them is that one that came with my launch day iPhone 5 and lives next to my bed.

It's used every night. Some nights it charges my 5S and some nights my iPad Air, but either way, it's been used every night for nearly 2 years and looks like it did when I took it out of the phone's box and plugged it in to the charger.

I've also got a couple of (genuine) cables that sit under the side table next to the sofa.

Again, those were ordered and delivered on launch day with my iPhone 5 (note-NOT 5s) and they are used again to charge my Air and my 5S.

Guess what? Nothing wrong with those either.

 

[Iconoclysm]

All for a new lightning cable as the current ones are poorly made and rip apart after a few months.

I have about 10 of them, a couple have ripped apart but those sat in the sun, were used daily in the car, and had been washed with window cleaner at least a few times. Possibly the combination of those things stiffens up the rubber outside casing and causes this to happen.

 

[MrX8503]

Apple cables don't fray on their own. Every Apple cable I've seen that frays is due to mishandling. Having said that, none of my Apple cables have frayed.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Up to 100W charging (potential to replace even laptop charging ports), so should enable faster charging. 10 Gbps data, which is faster, but iOS devices might not be able to take advantage of all of that due to storage speeds. Smaller, reversible connector.

----------



All it would take is a longer cable to overcome this. It doesn't seem a difficult problem, so where are they? Please Apple.

How long are you talking here? 2 meters is plenty.

 

[Gjwilly]

I have about 10 of them, a couple have ripped apart but those sat in the sun, were used daily in the car, and had been washed with window cleaner at least a few times. Possibly the combination of those things stiffens up the rubber outside casing and causes this to happen.

I think UV damage might play a big part.
The only Lightning cable I've had fray was the one kept in my car.
The cable is velcroed in place and the phone sits in a cradle so strain is not the issue.
It just broke down and frayed on its own.

 

[Jett0516]

Yes!

My ports are ready!

That's what she said..

 

[Parasprite]

I agree, the USB standard port does not have room for flipping the plug over. My point being that the jack and the plug standards would both have to change to allow plugging the thing in right side up and upside down. Kinda like they did with the. lightning plug/jack.

I don't understand why Apple patented something which is impossible.

Unless they designed a connector that moved, sort of slid out of the way to make connection depending on orientation. Not that it wouldn't be extremely prone to failure, not fitting right, shorting out, and generally expensive to produce... but it wouldn't be technically impossible.

But yes, we definitely need a new plug in order to do this right. It's unfortunate that the huge benefit of USB over other ports (namely that it is Universal, and backward- and forward-compatible) would be lost completely until it was adopted, also severing anything made before it... unless they could make a small, cheap adapter that also don't make it look like I have a pack of chewing gum plugged in (PS/2 adapters anyone?)...

 

[Iconoclysm]

The USB photo is definitely bogus. It's a standard Type A plug stripped down. The proposed USB type C plug is approx the same size as the existing Micro-USB you'll find on all phones (par the iPhone) nowadays.

These would be reversible Type-A connectors if anything, yes. That doesn't mean it's a bogus photo, especially not "definitely bogus".

 

[Parasprite]

When you see a frayed cable end that the user is a complete moron, they probably keep driving their car when oil warning light s come on etc.

Eh...not always. Pets can do things without you noticing and it isn't all that rare to have kids chewing on cords as well. That being said, if it's near the connector or isn't obviously being forced around a bend that probably isn't the case.

 

[TrentS]

Ugh!!

Still no magport for this yet!?

 

[Alphabetize]

Does the Lightning connector do anything special for the iDevices? What advantages do they have over standard micro USB?

 

[cmaier]

All for a new lightning cable as the current ones are poorly made and rip apart after a few months.

I must have a dozen of these between my home, office, car, and travel kit. Not even my 5 year old who uses one every day has managed to destroy any of them. They seem fine to me.