Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iPhone 5 Lightning to 30-pin adapter

Just received my long awaited lightning to 30-pin adapter (three of them) for my iPhone 5 only to discover that to charge my phone in the car or listen to music in my office on my Altec Lansing, I have to take the case off. This rather defeats the purpose of a having a case, invites accidental damage to the phone, and, in general, is pain in butt to take the case off everytime. Clearly, Apple didn't think this one through. The adapter needs to be redesigned so that the pin part is longer. It's simply too short, and again, won't fit with cases. This doesn't affect just me; if affects millions of consumers who have purchased the iPhone 5. An alternative solution is to cut the case but I paid handsomely for a handmade, wooden case and I'm not keen on taking an exacto knife to cut the hole bigger.


Has anyone else discovered this little snafu????


Jean

Posted on Oct 17, 2012 4:16 PM

Reply
19 replies

Oct 17, 2012 8:15 PM in response to jeanie1951

Oops-

I just bought two of these adapters and they do not work with the Otter Box iPhone 5 covers. I refuse to monkey with the case to use the adapter. This is an enormous miscalculation by Apple. I understand changing the power plug-but not making a useful adapter... is unforgiveable. Now I need to hassle with the return. I hope they are wise enough to simply admit their mistake and exchange the adapters without a "restocking" fee.

Craig

Oct 17, 2012 8:44 PM in response to Craig Weil

How could Apple miscalculate? Apple doesn't make cases. They make phones. And they can make phones any way they want. If the case manufactures tried to rush a product to marked that doesn't work with the iPhone 5, that's their problem. They could have waited until the iPhone 5 was released to figure out the exact specifications to make a case that worked properly.

Oct 17, 2012 9:06 PM in response to gdgmacguy

Even the most successful company in the world can miscalculate. Apple is not made up of a bunch of Bozos. They could have given specs to companies to let them know the necessary requirements for the adapter. The new power source was a major change in the iPhone and the needs of their customers- which bear the brunt of this new plug- should have been anticipated on ALL levels, including for the needs of their case suppliers. Also, Apple is all for a streamlined appearance-or it has been. So, cases designed to adapt to the adapter would defy the new phone design to some degree. In short, they could have thought this through much better. Lastly, the cost of the adapter is too high.

Oct 18, 2012 3:52 AM in response to jeanie1951

@gdgmacguy: Yes, Apple makes phones. And Apple makes adapters for those phones. And Apple made an adapter that won't plug into those phones when they are in a case. The cases work fine with the iPhone 5. The issue involves the adapter. The pin on the adapter is not long enough to plug into the iPhone 5 with the case on. Apple hires geniuses but sometimes genius gets in the way of practical. Somebody at Apple should have put a case on an iPhone 5 and tried to plug in the adapter. Duh.


Bottom line: Apple screwed up. The adapter should have been released along with the phone to consumers at no extra cost. The adapter specs should have been released when iPhone specs were released so case makers could have made cases that accomodate the adapter. Apple should have made the pin longer to accomodate cases.


Wonder what Apple is going to do to address this issue.

Oct 18, 2012 8:01 AM in response to jeanie1951

i have the same problem with a Switcheasy case - it works fine with the lightning cable but not with the 30 pin to lightning adapter - the company says they have engineers working on the problem. hard to say whose problem this is - Apple could have given the specs on the adapter to the case manufacturers - on the other hand if the case manufacturers were not in such a rush to ge their cases out they could have waited until the adapter was available and tried it to make sure it worked


i think the problem is 1) Aoole wanting to control the lighning cable market and 2) the economic pressures for case manufacturers to get their products out as soon as possible

Oct 18, 2012 10:06 AM in response to brc80

No, I am actually talking about the $39 cord adapter. The plug is actually bigger then the plug with the usb cable that came with the phone. Case makers are making there openings at the bottom with the bundled cable in mind not these accessories so I am hoping Apple can reduce the size of there adapter 30 pin to lightning cable to be the same plug size as the bundled cable.

Oct 24, 2012 6:14 PM in response to jeanie1951

I have the same problem- the lightning plug itself in the adapter is too short to work with a case on the phone and I have an ultra thin case. I also have multiple 30 pin charging cables in various locations (briefcase; charging station at home; office) and got adapters to be able to "switch" out what I need to plug in (phone/iPad) without having to reset cables. Very disappointing. Apple goofed. The adapter for 30 pin cable needs to be re-engineered to work with a case. Returning mine.

Oct 27, 2012 6:44 AM in response to jeanie1951

Why point the blame at Apple or the case designers when there's a simple solution that Apple did provide in the form of an alternate adapter that is 10 dollars more and guaranteed to work with any case because the end of that particular adapter is the exact same as the end of the lightning to USB cable.


http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD824ZM/A/lightning-to-30-pin-adapter-02-m?fno de=45

Nov 3, 2012 10:55 AM in response to AppleSarah

Not sure who else to blame, these third party cases have been designed in a similar fashion for every iteration of the iPhone. But more to the point, I understand that the more expensive "guaranteed" solution would work, but it makes a less appealing dock solution for my Beatbox...it will work, but not as designed.

I am not complaining about the money (if money were an issue, most of us would not own a $400 discounted phone), but how hard would it have been to make the tongue/tip a little longer.

iPhone 5 Lightning to 30-pin adapter

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.