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

Friday August 15, 2014 4:28 am PDT by Richard Padilla
Apple may be shipping a new Lightning cable that features a reversible USB connector with forthcoming iOS devices, reports Chinese website Dianxinshouji.com (Google Translate, via Nowhereelse.fr).

reversible_lightning_1
The source shares a few photos of the new cables said to be from Apple supplier Foxconn, with the images showing a USB connector that is attached to the center of its metal casing. By comparison, the USB connector on Apple's current Lightning cable attach against the bottom of the metal housing's inner surface.

reversible_lightning_2
While it is unable to tell for sure whether these cables are legitimate or not, it is possible that Apple could ship new Lightning cables to match the forthcoming USB 3.1 cables that will soon come with newer smartphones. As revealed last week by the USB 3.0 Promoter Group, the USB 3.1 Type-C cable comes with reversible ends and will start shipping next year. An Apple patent for a reversible USB connector also surfaced last month, perhaps further indicating that the company will look to equip its newer devices with new Lightning cables at some point.

Furthermore, a report this past May from Mac Otakara claimed that Apple is preparing an upgraded Lightning cable to accommodate high-definition playback on Made for iPhone audio accessories, which may include a next-generation version of its In-Ear Headphones. Apple also introduced Lightning Cable MFi specifications for headphones in June, which could also be integrated with newer Lightning cables.

Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 6, next-generation Retina iPad mini and iPad Air 2 by the end of this year, as a new Lightning cable could technically be packaged with those devices.
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DaveMcM76
57 months ago

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


What on earth have you been doing with them? I'm still using the original lightning cable that came with my iPhone 5 getting on for 2 years ago and it's still in near perfect condition...
Rating: 76 Votes
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recklesslife85
57 months ago
All for a new lightning cable as the current ones are poorly made and rip apart after a few months.
Rating: 35 Votes
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szw-mapple fan
57 months ago
Yes!

My ports are ready!
Rating: 31 Votes
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TMay
57 months ago

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.


And, yet, 100's of millions of Lightning cables haven't failed.

How can that be?

Such is the nature of anecdotal evidence common on these threads.

In California, some 12 (probably even a few more) people were struck by lightning during storms in the last month. Nobody writes about the 38 million that weren't struck.
Rating: 27 Votes
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mazecookie
57 months ago

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.


I work in Apple retail myself. And registered here just to call out your comment.

If you actually work in retail, you will know they don't just "stop working". They wire comes loose under the wire housing near the lightning connector.

This is for one of two reason. Either the cable is mishandled by tugging the cable to remove it from an iDevice, rather than using the white nib to remove it.

Or, when people are storing the cables, they are not cable tying them correctly (if at all), and the cable is receiving too much strain. Typical example is just stuffing a cable into a handbag.

If you genuinely work at an Apple store, and you're also having lightning cable issues, I would maybe book yourself in for an appointment at the bar and speak to one of your colleagues (because you obviously haven't already) and get yourself educated to manage your cables better. I would be very surprised if you are having lightning cable issues and you work at an Apple store.

Also, saying "very, very lucky" almost proves to me you don't work at an Apple store, of the tens of millions of lightning cables that are in the wild, and the portion that comes back into your store, i would say you have to be extremely, extremely unlucky to have an issue. Let alone an employee.
Rating: 24 Votes
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till213
57 months ago

I work in Apple retail myself. And registered here just to call out your comment.


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


If you actually work in retail, you will know they don't just "stop working". They wire comes loose under the wire housing near the lightning connector.


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)!

This is for one of two reason. Either the cable is mishandled by tugging the cable to remove it from an iDevice, rather than using the white nib to remove it.


Fair enough...

Or, when people are storing the cables, they are not cable tying them correctly (if at all), and the cable is receiving too much strain. Typical example is just stuffing a cable into a handbag.


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!
Rating: 23 Votes
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japanime
57 months ago

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


Just poorly made, same things happened to my brothers.


The same thing happened to your brothers? They were poorly made and ripped apart? :eek: :D
Rating: 22 Votes
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yoyo5280
57 months ago

What on earth have you been doing with them? I'm still using the original lightning cable that came with my iPhone 5 getting on for 2 years ago and it's still in near perfect condition...


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.
Rating: 18 Votes
Avatar
Azzin
57 months ago

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


Except they don't.
Rating: 16 Votes
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springsup
57 months ago

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


All of Apple's cables do that, because they design them without proper strain relief (they think it looks ugly, and it does, but it also doesn't turn brown and shred itself).

Lightning cables do this, Thunderbolt cables, MagSafe cables, 30-pin cables too. I have A MagSafe cable which is about a year old, replaced once already and is held together with tape (despite the high power being transferred). Meanwhile, I have an old-style 30-pin connector with the holding fins and an honest-to-goodness strain relief; I got it with my 5G iPod and it's still immaculate after nearly a decade of use (with other products).

I can't believe there hasn't been a class-action suit about this yet. Almost every Apple customer will experience it.

There was a redditor who worked at Apple saying that Engineering had repeatedly asked for strain reliefs on the cables but we're overruled by the Design department.
Rating: 16 Votes

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