Loose lightning connector?
Lately I have noticed that when using the earphones that came with my phone my music randomly stops, skips songs, Siri constantly interrupts, and my phone thinks I unplugged the earphones which requires me re-plugging it. I was about to buy a new pair of earphones but I actually narrowed the problem down to my earphones not being faulty (maybe a bit), but instead it is the lightning connector that doesn't hold the plugged in accessories properly.
The lightning connector holds the cable, so it doesn't fall out on it's own, but I am able to shake whatever cable is plugged in to the left and right, which makes my phone think I unplugged the current accessory, whether it be my earphones or my charger. This isn't a huge problem with my charger because my phone is stationary for most of the charging periods, but it renders my earphones unusable, since any movement, no matter how minimal it is, causes issues with whatever I am listening to/watching.
Does anyone know:
How much would repair costs?
Can it be due to the lightning hole being too dirty?
Can I attempt a repair myself?
Any tips and answers from people who experienced this before are highly appreciated!
iPhone 8 Plus, iOS 12