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Random cable error after iOS 7 (no cable attached)

Anyone else getting this on an iPhone 5 after upgrading to iOS 7? Randomly, without a cable or accessory attached, I'm getting the "This cable or accessory is not certified and may not reliably work on this iPhone" error message! Perhaps my hands or fingers are the wrong type?! )))

iPhone 5, iOS 7

Posted on Sep 19, 2013 5:11 AM

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40 replies

Sep 22, 2013 4:44 PM in response to Bingism

I'm having the same issue.


Reset doesn't work, cleaning connector seemed to reduce frequency but error persists.

As the battery beats up the frequency seems to increase.

Pops up right in the middle of typing over and over again.


VERY FRUSTRATING!!!


It's one thing to make 3rd party cables not work, but once the error message pops up once, you should be able to select "ignore" so it doesn't pop up all the time.


Going to have to go back to iOS 6


Do Apple support people actually review these threads?


HELP PLEASE OUR APPLE GENIUSES!!!!


Ang

Sep 23, 2013 1:36 AM in response to angelofrommd

I ended up on Apple's live support chat and, after I'd stopped them from getting me to do yet another hard reset, I had to make an appointment at the local Genius Bar (Apple Store). The reps eventual response was, "oh! doesn't sound like a software problem!" My guessing is that the iOS7 update has changed the way in which they ID a cable and made it much more sensitive to something or other!


I never had any problems with ports on any other brand of phone, yet Apple can't get something so simple right ((

Sep 23, 2013 8:12 AM in response to Bingism

I've gotten it to reduce in frequency .. this is what I did.


If you use a bright light and shine into the connector at the correct angle you can see the contacts very clearly.


It turns out that there was some soot on the middle 2 pin (they were not shinny like the outside connectors).


I took some 1500 wet/dry paper . .folded over maybe 4 times so it would fit the opening. I started with curving the paper so that it would only touch in the middle so that I didn't wear out the already clean connectors. I pushed the paper in and out of the port a few times until I got copper colored lines on all connection positions.


Then I took a paper clip and bent one end at a very sharp 90 deg angle. I clipped it very short .. only a nub remained, just short enough so that it would fit inside the opening with the bend end/nub facing down. Then I used sandpaper to hone the end sharp enough to fit between the contacts inside the connector (I tried bending a needle, but the metal is too brittle to bend).


I used that to clear any debree between the contacts.


I finished with a couple quick in/outs with the paper again and blew it out with compressed air.


I still get the error .. but it's down to only several a day .... not every 10 sec's like it was before.

Sep 24, 2013 3:12 AM in response to angelofrommd

You've got to be kidding--that is way too much work. Also seems like the possibility of damaging the phone is as great as the possiblity of fixing the problem.


I think I'm going to have to wait for an update. But it is incredibly annoying, and seems bizarre that Apple didn't know that so many people would be having this problem—which I have even when I'm using an authorized cable. Or, for that matter, no cable at all. My phone randomly lights up with the message throughout the night, when it's not even charging.

Random cable error after iOS 7 (no cable attached)

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