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When did Apple make lightning cable thicker?

M

mrtune

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 23, 2007
803
20
Today I went to replace my old iPhone 6 charging cord that was starting to come apart at the lightning end. Grabbed the cord out of my iPhone 7 Plus box and noticed it's much thicker than the old one.

Being curious I did some charging tests with a USB inline current meter. With my phone down to about 60% charge the old cord would charge at 1.3A (6.5W) and the new cord charges at 1.6A (8W). So looks like older lightning cords will slow down the charging speed compared to what Apple is currently shipping.

Figured I would share my findings as I searched first but didn't find the answer I was looking for.

PS. As a side note, kind of interesting that iPhones still ship with a 5W wall charger. They should toss the 12W ipad adapter into the phone boxes. But that's a different topic all together.
 
I know the longer cords are thicker because their length necessitates a larger gauge.

Was your old Lightning cord a 0.5 metre one?

Alternatively it could be due to the newer cords being free of environmental toxins, which I think started a couple of years ago? (It still varies by country).

This is assuming the old cord is genuine, however: the fact it carries a lower current raises suspicion in that regard.
 
mrtune said:
Today I went to replace my old iPhone 6 charging cord that was starting to come apart at the lightning end. Grabbed the cord out of my iPhone 7 Plus box and noticed it's much thicker than the old one.

Being curious I did some charging tests with a USB inline current meter. With my phone down to about 60% charge the old cord would charge at 1.3A (6.5W) and the new cord charges at 1.6A (8W). So looks like older lightning cords will slow down the charging speed compared to what Apple is currently shipping.

Figured I would share my findings as I searched first but didn't find the answer I was looking for.

PS. As a side note, kind of interesting that iPhones still ship with a 5W wall charger. They should toss the 12W ipad adapter into the phone boxes. But that's a different topic all together.
Click to expand...

I've wondered this too. Also the material on the cable is different. It's more course and not as supple as the previous cables.
 
Brookzy said:
I know the longer cords are thicker because their length necessitates a larger gauge.

Was your old Lightning cord a 0.5 metre one?

Alternatively it could be due to the newer cords being free of environmental toxins, which I think started a couple of years ago? (It still varies by country).

This is assuming the old cord is genuine, however: the fact it carries a lower current raises suspicion in that regard.
Click to expand...

Both cords were OEM cords. One from my iPhone 6 box (which I've been using for the last year) and one from iPhone 7 Plus box. Same length.

The older cord had some markings on the charge pin that looked like corrosion that might affect charge capacity, but I don't have a perfect old cord to compared against. Needless to say the older cord got tossed in the garbage as a result of my test.
 
Isn't this down to use? I've noticed that the cable tend to get more flexible and "smoother" with time, and also "feel" a somewhat flimsier as they get old.
 
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iDemiurge said:
Isn't this down to use? I've noticed that the cable tend to get more flexible and "smoother" with time, and also "feel" a somewhat flimsier as they get old.
Click to expand...

Measured it with a caliper. New cable is beefier than old cable, both the actual cable/strain relief and the plastic housing for the lightning plug. Significant enough that I noticed it right away the day I pulled it out of the box, before any kind of testing.
 
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I hadn't. Prices this but I need to check my wife's cable out now. If I can remember lol. Maybe my prayers have been answered and the cable won't fray in me anymore!
 
Happened to buy 2 1 m cables today at Apple store (replace one that was coming apart and one for carplay in new car) and noticed that cable seemed much thicker - I haven't measured but certainly seemed noticeably different. Good to know that I wasn't imagining things.
 
Cable from my 6s Plus and 7 Plus. In my hand the 7 Plus cable does appear thicker but the pic seems like they are identical. Or my eyes are bad...

Screen Shot 2016-10-19 at 2.28.11 PM.png
Screen Shot 2016-10-19 at 2.28.28 PM.png
 
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mrtune said:
Both cords were OEM cords. One from my iPhone 6 box (which I've been using for the last year) and one from iPhone 7 Plus box. Same length.

The older cord had some markings on the charge pin that looked like corrosion that might affect charge capacity, but I don't have a perfect old cord to compared against. Needless to say the older cord got tossed in the garbage as a result of my test.
Click to expand...
I take my old worn cords in for exchange, get new one free at Apple Store.
 
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There is definitely a different feel of the newer cables than older. I have a brand new Pre-iPhone 7 cable and my brand new iPhone 7plus cable. The Pre-7 cable is more tacky feeling, tangles easier and doesn't 'bounce back' as easily if you bend it. I much prefer the iPhone 7 cable.
 
iDemiurge said:
Do they really do that? Awesome if true.
Click to expand...
No I lied to make everyone envious...............geez.

Yes they really did that. I pushed the fact that I have always had applecare+ and the last time I did it I had to elivate to next level at Apple Store. But, yes they really have done it for me more than once. Returned four cables so far when the ends became undone with insulation splitting.

I also have purchased longer cables along with iPad power adapters. Never had a power adapter go bad on me. Just some of the cables.
 
HEK said:
No I lied to make everyone envious...............geez.

Yes they really did that. I pushed the fact that I have always had applecare+ and the last time I did it I had to elivate to next level at Apple Store. But, yes they really have done it for me more than once. Returned four cables so far when the ends became undone with insulation splitting.

I also have purchased longer cables along with iPad power adapters. Never had a power adapter go bad on me. Just some of the cables.
Click to expand...

Sorry mate, badly worded, didn't suggest you lied. It was just not clear to me under which circumstances they'd agree to do it. Does take a bit of talking or a device under warranty, but still good piece of info though.
 
I presumed it was the new iphone 7 that the cable got harder.

It is much better I think and easier to store when not using it.
 
iDemiurge said:
Sorry mate, badly worded, didn't suggest you lied. It was just not clear to me under which circumstances they'd agree to do it. Does take a bit of talking or a device under warranty, but still good piece of info though.
Click to expand...
No problem, more funning with you.

It just takes politely not accepting no as their answer. They will give some sort of, components not part of warranty, argument. I just didn't accept that response, citing my numerous Apple purchases and applecare+ purchases for which I had yet to make any claim against.

In the end a cable costing a few dollars, was not worth making a big deal over from their point of view. They can look up all the money I have spent on Apple products over the years.
 
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Mother in law just bought a iPad Pro last month and when I set it up I definitely noticed the cable was noticeably thicker and felt stronger.
 
I noticed this too. The gauge on the cable that came from my SE is noticeable heavier that the cable that came with my 5.

The SE's cable has noticeably bends and sort of folds into a square pattern, while the 5's cable curls into loops.
 
Sounds like you're using the iPad charger, wave goodbye to your battery, they ship with a 1A 5W charger for a reason!

mrtune said:
Today I went to replace my old iPhone 6 charging cord that was starting to come apart at the lightning end. Grabbed the cord out of my iPhone 7 Plus box and noticed it's much thicker than the old one.

Being curious I did some charging tests with a USB inline current meter. With my phone down to about 60% charge the old cord would charge at 1.3A (6.5W) and the new cord charges at 1.6A (8W). So looks like older lightning cords will slow down the charging speed compared to what Apple is currently shipping.

Figured I would share my findings as I searched first but didn't find the answer I was looking for.

PS. As a side note, kind of interesting that iPhones still ship with a 5W wall charger. They should toss the 12W ipad adapter into the phone boxes. But that's a different topic all together.
Click to expand...
 
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