Any tips on how to fix this? I don't think my phone is the problem; it's something in the charger. I just don't know what?
iPhone 4S, iOS 7.0.3, Using a Sharper Image charger.
Apple has made it a requirement to use an authorized Apple Charger with all Apple Devices. This is to ensure that the charger being used is safe for both the user and the equipment.
Sorry, but you must get an Apple charger to reliably charge your phone under the new iOS.
This is for your protection as well as the device's.
Cheers,
GB
Yeah, I heard something about this, but I didn't think this applied anymore. It was working fine before today; I'm not sure why this new policy didn't affect it before yesterday.
But, I actually read up on this and the articles said that only the adapters needed to be switched, not the charging cable. I use a certified Apple Adapter, but the cable is third-party.
Well, the cable should be fine. You are correct, it is just the adaptor portion that is sensitive. Sounds like maybe the USB cable may be not working correctly? Could it be getting old? Does it work on other devices without a problem? Do you have a different USB cable you could try on the phone so you could determine which is the culprit?
One other thing you can do is to take a new, soft, clean toothbrush, and very gently brush the contact point on the phone. If it has dust or other debris in it, that can also sometimes make the charging experience inconsistent.
Post back with any questions!
Cheers,
GB
The charger was working fine yesterday and before that, so I don't see why it isn't working today. The charger isn't old; I bought it back in July or August. And I do have another USB cable from my old iPhone 3G, but the cable is malfunctioning and it's basically useless. I'll try doing the toothbrush thing and see if that helps. If not, I guess Apple will be expecting a phone call. Thanks!
PS: I do have an old iPod Nano. I can try the charger on that to see if it works. If it doesn't work in the iPod, then the charger has problems. If it does charge the iPod but not my iPhone, then it's my phone.
Yup - that would work as a test. What you want to do is to isolate the problem, so if you can test that cable with a different device, that would be the ticket.
Just an aside....I have found that even my authorized Apple USB cable that I use normally for my iPad, is not always being recognized by my iPhone since I downloaded iOS 7. If I remove it and reconnect it, after one or two tries, it does recognize it. I know the cable is fine, because as soon as I get done with the phone, I plug it into my iPad (running iOS 5 - it's an iPad 1....) and it, without fail, connects.
So, I think with iOS 7, the connection logic is a bit more sensitive and sometimes is just not making the connection when it should. I am certain that it is iOS7 because the issue very clearly started occurring after I upgraded. It's a bit annoying, but eventually it always works, so just a bit of a nuisance. Just wanted to share that with you in case a couple or three tries might get it to connect.... (this also is happening with my Bose speaker that I dock my iPhone on to play music during the day. Again, I am certain it started happening after iOS 7, so the two seem to be connected to me....)
Cheers,
GB
Ever since the day I downloaded iOS 7, I didn't have any problems with charging. Only today was different. After five tries I got it in, but when I take it out and put it back in, the charger won't work. And when I tried to sync to iTunes, my laptop said that the USB cable malfunctioned and suggested that there was nothing in the USB port. I'll call Apple tomorrow and see if I can get this sorted out.
OK, best of luck! Hope it gets sorted for you!
Cheers,
GB
Thank you for the help; I appreciate it!
Hey, I'm back and I have some news for you. Fortunately, my phone is operating perfectly, but it was the charger with the real problem. I called up Apple and they told me that if the charger wouldn't work on a newly set-up iPhone, than the charger would have problems. It was ultimately the charger, so I guess I have to ask my cousin for her old iPod charger. Thanks for the tips anyway, Gail and Apple!
Hi AverageFranklin!
Glad you go it sorted, and also glad it wasn't too horrible! 😝
Thanks for posting back with the update, and best of luck!
Cheers,
GB
A person on here who recommended the "soft toothbrush technique" did the trick. I went to an Apple Store, they only recommended the Genius Bar (not available for days), looked for a charger mat (kind of passe) and then got a brand new soft toothbrush. The other person said to be VERY gentle but I actually was not that gentle and using two or three different parts of the brush itself, pushed the bristles in the connector hole, wiggled it, and all manner of dust came out. This was surprising since I take very good care of my phone and felt it likely did not have hardly any dust. There was a lot, and this is a year-old phone. A person later told me that phone actually DRAWS DUST INTO THE CONNECTOR RECEPTACLE in every day use. Don't use any fluid, make sure the toothbrush is SOFT and NEW (out of the package), and dig in there and get out the dust. Now my Apple charger and 3rd party charger work like perfectly.
Brilliant answer! No one else thought this would work. Apple Store acted like it could destroy my phone instantly. I wasn't even that gentle. Dust gets up in there, and that's often what causes the non-charging issue.
Thanks for posting back chuckmall! Glad that brushing it out worked for you. As you said, as long as the brush is clean and soft, it would be fairly hard to do any damage, and works like any other brush in a tight corner - gets out the grunge!!! 🙂
Glad you are up and running now!
Cheers,
GB
I use a third-party charger (Sharper Image) for my iPhone 4S. Before today, it worked fine, but it hasn't been working lately. I've gotten lucky sometimes when the phone would charge, but when I take the charger out and stick it back in, it won't charge.
