Fraying iPhone USB cables

Question

Level 1

6 points

Fraying iPhone USB cables

Since may 11th of this year I have had issues with more than one cable. I am currently on cable #5 in this shortf timeframe. Honestly I think this is rediculous. I have done nothing but treat these cables with utmost care. They generally last roughly 2-3 weeks before fraying. And it's not a gradual thing. It just happens. This time it happened on Tuesday, it was fine one minute the next it is frayed.

Even with this current one we put electrical tape on it to act like a flexible splint, to thicken and reinforce the problematic area ( it is the side that connects to the phone). I've done a google search looking for answers, and have found this seems to be a common issue with these cables. I've had apple store associates that have been wonderful and replaced the cable with no problem. I've also had associates accuse me of cutting the cable myself (why would I do that?!?).

So I'm now officially at my wits end on this saga. I can't use third party cables like dynes, griffin or monster because my phone has issues with charging (it will show charging for a short
while but then it will say fully charged, or the phone will continuously sit and vibrate like it is connecting to the cable. So where do I go from here? This current one was replaced the day before the 3Gs was released.

Any ideas? I don't abuse my gear, so why is this happening? I have had bad luck with so many of these lately I'm about to throw the **** thing out of the window or run over it. I honestly think having that stiff thicker piece of plastic coming out of the brick is a huge design flaw and should go back to the older style iPod cables with the indented section that
gradually goes thinner to provide flexibility and such.

Thank you for listening to m rant. Any helpful adive would be fantastic.

- Lisa

iPhone OS 3.0

Posted on Jul 10, 2009 2:16 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Jul 10, 2009 3:45 AM in response to silverpixels

Great Scott! What are you doing? I am not trying to belittle your problem at all, especially as you say you do not abuse these, but 5 in such a short time is (at best) bad luck. I have had cables for months for the iPhone; 18 months for the iPod touch; and I am still using daily an iPod Firewire cable from about 4 years ago.

Perhaps you could put online an image or two; and explain what it is you do to the cables (folding, wrapping?) that could cause such damage and so quickly?

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Answer 2

Jul 22, 2009 8:19 AM in response to silverpixels

I have had the same problem. I've had two become frayed and over a very short period of time. I have never seen this issue beforee. I have owned all sorts of iPods which use the exact same cable for synching. I suspect that there's something about iPhone and the iPod Touch which cause this to occur. I'm not sure if it's due to the need to recharge so much or what but it does appear that these cables are not sturdy enough. The only thing I can recommend is to take the cables to the Apple Store along with a receipt to prove that these are all relatively new products. Apple should be ashamed that they are producing such low-quality products.

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Answer 3

Jul 29, 2009 10:52 AM in response to silverpixels

I am seeing this issue with all cables from Apple. My iPhone cable and MBP power cable have the same issue. It looks like some cheap rubber is used for the cables.

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Answer 4

Oct 7, 2009 4:14 PM in response to silverpixels

I've had the same problem with my iPhone cord. Searched Google, lots of other people having the same problem. Some are lucky to get replacements under warranty, but the rest of us, no luck.

Some people mentioned a hardened sync cable, looks interesting, but haven't gotten one yet. Would be interested to hear if anyone has tried it. http://cablejive.com/duraSync

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Answer 5

loingra

Level 1

0 points

Oct 7, 2009 10:47 PM in response to silverpixels

i have been noticing that this is a problem...my iphone cable was coming apart so i had to have it replaced, my dads phone cable came apart, my girlfriend, and my moms cable. all in the same spot right below the end that goes in the phone...i think its time for a recall!!!

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Answer 6

Oct 8, 2009 1:44 AM in response to loingra

My cable too is starting to fray and I have given nothing but care and attention to my phone and cables

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Answer 7

Oct 8, 2009 2:00 AM in response to Shaftymorgan

I have a couple of generic sync and mains chargers I got on line from ebay .... no problems with any of them and the cable seems a little bit thicker than my official apple one

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Answer 8

Oct 8, 2009 4:16 AM in response to silverpixels

The one supplied with my iPhone started to come apart recently whilst I was I hospital, it just decided one day that the sheath would detatch at the phone end. It seems much inferior than the cable that came with my iPod mini back in 05. The old cable had release buttons so it was easier to pull the plug out without grabbing the cable and the junction between the plug and cable was much sturdier. I think this issue is merely a result of cost cutting in manufacture and design.

I've since borrowed an iPod classic cable from a friend which is similar in design to my first iPod mini cable and it charges my iPhone without issue.

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Answer 9

Oct 9, 2009 4:15 AM in response to myfoosbarred

I have one of these duraSync cables from CableJive. It is really sturdy.

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Answer 10

Dec 29, 2009 12:55 PM in response to mjkrooker

I happen to think there is an intrinsic flaw both in the engineering and the materials for the iPhone and MagSafe cables. I have Sennheiser headphones which are 10 years old! -- and the cable's still good, the connections still good, with a lot more pulling and flexing than Apple cables I've had which seem to go out after about six months no matter what you do.

The rubber reinforcement at the USB end of the cable -- and at the MagSafe power brick end of that cable -- is simply too stiff, and the rubber sheath around the wires too inflexible, so that they will snap really easy with very little stress.

I don't know why Apple hasn't recognized this immediately, it's such an obvious problem.

I can only hope that in the future Apple will choose different materials and do something about the engineering of these cable ends so that they'll last at least as long as the cheapest cables out there made by anyone else. It's really mystifying to me why they've done this, unless it's financially the popcorn/movie model, where they're making their profits at this point primarily thru cable and MagSafe replacements.... (joke).

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Answer 11

Jaylana

Level 1

0 points

Jan 29, 2010 5:37 PM in response to realtrance

Well, I'm glad it's not just me! My girlfriend was blaming me for fraying iPhone cables...but I've actually be much nicer to them than to our iPod cables. She's using her video iPod cable for everything, I have the cable from her iPhone in my car (yay for built in USB) for a power supply and my iPhone cable in the house for general use. Both of these cables are fraying badly at the phone end of the connector for no apparent reason. There are no signs of other stress, they just don't seem to be as sturdy. Both of these cables are less than six months old.

Meanwhile, the original USB cables that we got four or five years ago with our video iPods are just fine...and I'm pretty sure I have not been nice to mine. I've dragged it all over five states, made it fit in different locations, tripped on it, even, and while it's looking a little gray, it shows no other signs of wear and tear.

I'm thinking a trip to the Apple Store is in my near future and I will hope for the best!

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Answer 12

Jan 30, 2010 12:05 PM in response to realtrance

realtrance wrote:

I don't know why Apple hasn't recognized this immediately, it's such an obvious problem.

Probably because you're over-exagerrating the case. There are a a few of you that have an issue and there are tens if not hundreds of millions that don't.

I have had a Mac portable since 1992 with the first portables. I've had every type of Pod, three Macbook Pro's and iPhone and not once have I had a problem with cables (apart from when I personally chopped a cable by accident).

I can't comment on individuals failures as I am sure they are genuine failures well within six sigma tolerances. Five failures for one person however suggest a dodgy supplier of fake cables if not purchased from Apple, or in the most polite terms, user caused failures.

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Answer 13

ECONOMAN

Level 1

9 points

Apr 13, 2010 6:31 PM in response to silverpixels

At $20 apiece plus the trouble associated with getting there, Apple should do a better job designing these important components.
I have purchased 4 or 5 of the things ($100) and, frankly, if you are forced to pay $20 for a cable, it should last as long as the phone. If it breaks completely, you find yourself with a $300 paper weight because you cannot charge the phone.
Seems trifling, but I'm angry. Can't Apple provide a decent cable for the exorbitant $20?

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Answer 14

louis135

Level 1

0 points

Apr 15, 2010 8:57 AM in response to ECONOMAN

this has happened to my whole family we have 6 iphones and all the cables has frayed and i look at the difference to my brothers old ipod touch cable and the iphone cables are much more flimsy and easy to brake now i would like to see a change in these cables because im paying 52 pounds a month for my contract so i would like a decent cable for my iphone

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Answer 15

Tamara

Level 6

13,738 points

Apr 15, 2010 10:01 AM in response to ECONOMAN

We have both our cables from 2 years ago and use them almost every day and both still look like new.

I'm not sure if you realize this but you can buy 3rd party cables. I have a third cable in the car and paid $4 for it.

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