I get this error sometimes with my Apple cable and iPhone 5. These days I have to get it seated just exactly right or it doesn't charge. So, I wonder how much of this issue has to do with these aftermarket cables missing some important circuitry vs just a QC issue with the end connector with that being a QC issue that even Apple's products suffer.
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Unauthorized Third-Party Chargers May Damage iPhone 5 Charging Circuitry
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I still can't believe its not butter..
Samsung uses proprietary chargers, memory cards etc..
I think people are missing the point here.
They have to adhere to the same standard and I am willing to bet most car manufactures do that. That's not the issue. The issue becomes when people use the dirt cheap rip offs from like Hong Kong, China, or something. Those have the chance to be bad for any device.
Overpriced accessories sold under the Apple name is the cause of this problem.
At the risk of being castigated, let me add that someone should hire an editor to proof what is written before it's published here.
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Where do you think those car chargers are made?
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Proprietary? Micro-USB cables?
At the risk of being castigated, let me add that someone should hire an editor to proof what is written before it's published here.
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Where do you think those car chargers are made?
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Proprietary? Micro-USB cables?
Well my point wasn't where they were made. My point were the knock off ones that don't have the pass any tests or adhere to any standards. Ones like this: http://www.righto.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and-why-you.html
Those don't list absolutely any safety info and when broken down clearly show they do not meet the specs they should meet.
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There are multiple companies that go by their own proprietary protocols, not just Apple.
While I will admit that I do not know a ton about the USB Charging Standards, I did find this:
"...You might think USB chargers are interchangeable and plugging a USB device into a charger is straightforward, but it turns out that it's a mess of multiple USB charging standards,[10][11][12] devices that break the rules,[13] and proprietary protocols..."
This is a big problem across the board. I used my kindle charger for a long time with my iPhone 4, and it eventually killed the battery. Why? It was only charging at 4.7v instead of 5v. Gah.
And at the same time they sell millions of crappy adapters themselves for four years.
http://www.apple.com/uk/support/usbadapter-european/
http://www.apple.com/uk/support/usbadapter-european/
That's not what they say. It's not only Apple chargers that are Apple-certified. There are many MFi third-party chargers, and they likely won't cause circuitry damage like this.
Why anyone would purchase an $800 device and then go buy the cheapest charger possible to save $15 or $20 is beyond me. Perhaps people don't understand what goes into the power supply? I've had no problems with better quality third-party ones (I have a griffin charger), but would not trust some super cheap no-name one. Not only are you risking your device, there could be fire and electrocution potential as well. Here's a good article i read a while back:
http://www.righto.com/2012/10/a-dozen-usb-chargers-in-lab-apple-is.html
http://www.righto.com/2012/10/a-dozen-usb-chargers-in-lab-apple-is.html
Yeah, quite right! And where is the 12ft cables as well? I need one in my kitchen! And also I need one 24ft for when I am in my garden doing BBQ!
This claim is misleading folks. I manage a service center that's repaired thousands of Apple and iOS devices going back to the Wallstreet PowerBook. We perform board-level component repair, we don't just swap assemblies as the vast majority of repair shops do.
The charge controller referenced in this piece fails to function regardless of brand of charger or cable used. We've seen an equal number of issues in handsets that were charged exclusively with Apple accessories.
These phones were designed to be charged and synchronized from a range of USB ports, including those found in the plethora of computers that a user might own. To claim that only an OEM USB charger is appropriate is complete nonsense. Furthermore, the referenced regulator is an actual regulator - it's very function is to accept a fairly wide range of current input and, say it with me, regulate it!
The batteries used in all Apple products are capable of charging at a much higher rate, AND they utilize a built-in limiter that automatically stops the charging process when the cell(s) reach 4.2 volts.
The number one reason that a phone battery fails to charge within it's normal service life is due to allowing cell voltage to drop below 2.5. Once this occurs, a Lithium cell is irreparably harmed. A fully charged Lithium cell measures 4.2v. And again, the battery contains a built-in limiter circuit that prevents the voltage from exceeding this value. Over-charging is impossible except in rare occasions where this on-board limiter fails.
The typical scenario that leads to the issues claimed in the article are two-fold:
Battery fails to charge: Cellular handsets will auto-shutdown when cell voltage reaches 3.2 - 3.7 volts. If the battery is not recharged within several hours, often shorter if the battery is subjected to excessively high or low temps, cell voltage will drop below 2.5, which causes permanent damage.
Failure of the regulator IC located on the iPhone's mainboard: in our experience, this chip rarely fails. What does fail is the solder joints on the battery-facing side - most likely due to heat cycling. We've successfully re-flowed the solder joints on this component and restored normal operation.
The chief reason for the regulator component to actually fail is shunting the V+ lead to ground, and main cause of this is a damaged cable. Most people don't recognize internal cable damage and will continue to use. As soon as you notice a lump or bubble anywhere on the charge cable - especially near the connectors, the internal conductors have been compromised and the cable should be recycled.
And just for the record, OEM Apple cables are not particularly durable. As the focus has shifted from function to form, durability has suffered tremendously. We've seen non-MFi cables with excellent built quality, and we've seen MFi cables that are of unbelievably poor quality. Regardless, cables should be treated carefully, and should never be allowed to twist - as when using a phone that is charging. It's fairly easy to inadvertently twist the cable when using it in this manner.
Bottom line: inspect whatever charge cable you use regularly and replace at the first sign of internal damage - it's easy to spot if you take the time to look carefully. Another useful piece of advice; many name-brand cables sold on, or by Amazon are counterfeit. We see dozens of examples of this every week. Same goes for cases. We highly recommend purchasing name brand accessories directly from the manufacturer's web sites when possible.
The charge controller referenced in this piece fails to function regardless of brand of charger or cable used. We've seen an equal number of issues in handsets that were charged exclusively with Apple accessories.
These phones were designed to be charged and synchronized from a range of USB ports, including those found in the plethora of computers that a user might own. To claim that only an OEM USB charger is appropriate is complete nonsense. Furthermore, the referenced regulator is an actual regulator - it's very function is to accept a fairly wide range of current input and, say it with me, regulate it!
The batteries used in all Apple products are capable of charging at a much higher rate, AND they utilize a built-in limiter that automatically stops the charging process when the cell(s) reach 4.2 volts.
The number one reason that a phone battery fails to charge within it's normal service life is due to allowing cell voltage to drop below 2.5. Once this occurs, a Lithium cell is irreparably harmed. A fully charged Lithium cell measures 4.2v. And again, the battery contains a built-in limiter circuit that prevents the voltage from exceeding this value. Over-charging is impossible except in rare occasions where this on-board limiter fails.
The typical scenario that leads to the issues claimed in the article are two-fold:
Battery fails to charge: Cellular handsets will auto-shutdown when cell voltage reaches 3.2 - 3.7 volts. If the battery is not recharged within several hours, often shorter if the battery is subjected to excessively high or low temps, cell voltage will drop below 2.5, which causes permanent damage.
Failure of the regulator IC located on the iPhone's mainboard: in our experience, this chip rarely fails. What does fail is the solder joints on the battery-facing side - most likely due to heat cycling. We've successfully re-flowed the solder joints on this component and restored normal operation.
The chief reason for the regulator component to actually fail is shunting the V+ lead to ground, and main cause of this is a damaged cable. Most people don't recognize internal cable damage and will continue to use. As soon as you notice a lump or bubble anywhere on the charge cable - especially near the connectors, the internal conductors have been compromised and the cable should be recycled.
And just for the record, OEM Apple cables are not particularly durable. As the focus has shifted from function to form, durability has suffered tremendously. We've seen non-MFi cables with excellent built quality, and we've seen MFi cables that are of unbelievably poor quality. Regardless, cables should be treated carefully, and should never be allowed to twist - as when using a phone that is charging. It's fairly easy to inadvertently twist the cable when using it in this manner.
Bottom line: inspect whatever charge cable you use regularly and replace at the first sign of internal damage - it's easy to spot if you take the time to look carefully. Another useful piece of advice; many name-brand cables sold on, or by Amazon are counterfeit. We see dozens of examples of this every week. Same goes for cases. We highly recommend purchasing name brand accessories directly from the manufacturer's web sites when possible.
I see your sarcasm, but why so dismissive over people's needs?
How many of us charge our phones near our beds? Not everyone has an outlet within four feet of their nightstand/bedside. Wanting a longer cable isn't at all ludicrous. And to be clear, Apple does provide a 6 foot cable. They just may not stock them everywhere (you may need to order online)
If Apple insists on requiring a cable with special parameters, it would make sense for them to sell different lengths. Otherwise people are going to be bringing in broken phones because they used the wrong cable. And do you think Apple is declining repair under warranty on these devices? My bet is most simply don't turn on, they check for water damage, and swap it right out.
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This issue.....
deserves a throughfull investigation by consumer advocates groups, hardware tear-down companies or even Apple itself. In the case of Apple, only to shut out rumors and the cynical side a big chunk of us have.....But more seriously, for safety concerns and brand protection....
deserves a throughfull investigation by consumer advocates groups, hardware tear-down companies or even Apple itself. In the case of Apple, only to shut out rumors and the cynical side a big chunk of us have.....But more seriously, for safety concerns and brand protection....
I've had official Apple cable fail in the car. The rubber around the base tore and, while it worked for a while, eventually became unreliable.
I never got the error message on my 5 or 5S with an official cable, even the damaged one, but I did on older iPhone models which utilized the 30-pin.
I don't know what an acceptable amount of wear and tear is. I generally plug the cable in, put the phone in the X-mount about my tachometer, drive to work, and repeat on my way home. The cable in question wore down after about six months of use like this. Similar things happened with the 30-pin (maybe slightly longer, I don't remember at this point). *For sake of honesty, I also have a 30-pin cable, I think from an original iPod, that looks like it has been through three bombings and it still works, or it did before we got rid of the last of our 30-pin devices*
The real question is, if it's a $20 cable, why are so many folks having issues (I don't know numbers, but I have certainly seen my fair share of complaints and ratty cables; maybe my evidence is anecdotal)? I am not one to look at production cost and then get outraged when Apple charges X times that amount to sell, but these cables are costing pennies to produce. I have heard the argument that "there is more tech in these cables". This may be true, however the 30-pin cable was always that price too. My guess is the price point is just at a level Apple knows people will pay.
Yes, I was being sarcastic ( sorry ) because I genuinely thought it was 3 meters (but 6 feet you meant 2 meters which is just about right.
Why isn't there a charging standard that requires all USB ports to provide the same regulated voltage to be approved as USB? If there isn't, then why doesn't Apple make the iPhone in such a way that it draws power correctly from any USB port, as long as that USB port is within the regulations of the USB specification? The fact that the iPhone can charge through USB may mislead people into thinking that all USB ports are a safe charging outlet for the device. If that's not the case, then just use a proprietary charger like Nokia did, which doesn't make people think that it can charge with a universal solution.
USB is supposed to be USB. And that means 5V, no less and no more. As long as everyone's clear on that why is it causing problems?
USB is supposed to be USB. And that means 5V, no less and no more. As long as everyone's clear on that why is it causing problems?
I'm fine with apple telling people not to use non approved 3rd party accessories, though how does one know which are the approved ones?
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You thought 6ft was 3 meters??? Lol.
I'm just curious that you do not know your own height approximately in meters.
But to the point in hand, being from the Uk u knew now long 6 feet was
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You thought 6ft was 3 meters??? Lol.
I'm just curious that you do not know your own height approximately in meters.
But to the point in hand, being from the Uk u knew now long 6 feet was
At least they dont damage your phone, plus they have warranty as well.
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"you're charging it wrong"
Dont believe stories that Apple tells you.
Yeah please don't.
Trying to be a smart ass?
I use European units of measurement, regardless of where I live.
F. O. now.
Due to the poor battery life of my phone, I have to have a cable at home, one at work and one in the car. That is unless I want to have to carry a single one with me everywhere as very few other people around me have a lightening connector I can borrow and those who do have usually have their phone plugged in.
So three cables, at $19 that's $57 just for some cables (not including the plugs).
"A few extra dollars".