Third party cables blocked?

Question

Level 1

14 points

Third party cables blocked?

I got some third party USB cables for charging my iphone 5s, so I could charge it at work and in the car without unplugging the home one every time.

They worked fine...until they didn't. I've been seeing online many people who claim you can just doa workaround, but that's not working for me. Every cable I plug in does absolutely nothing now. I used to get the warnings and now I get nothing, and the little lightning bolt icon doesn't show up. The official cable seems to work just fine.

I borrowed these cables from a friend, who has an iPad Air and an iPhone 5s and she's had no problems with these cables. Why would mine be different?

So, plain and simple, is Apple really going out of their way to block these cables from working? I would love to buy official cables, but at $40 each? That's disgusting.

What are my options?

Posted on Dec 16, 2013 10:31 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 16, 2013 12:51 PM in response to Rob Lichter

Some third party cables don't meet the specs Apple is designed to require. If you want to use them that is your decision. No one is forcing you to buy Apple but you do need to buy those which meet specs if you want them to work with Apple products. Many of the reputable third party vendors do meet those specs.

I am quite confident that anything selling for 10% of the Apple price fails to meet specs. But it you want to keep going with you can. Just you are not going to get any sympathy here.

Allan

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Answer 2

Rob Lichter Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 16, 2013 12:40 PM in response to Community User

I'm sure the 3rd party cables are fine.

I agree the Apple stuff is more reliable and just better. But $40 for a cable or $30 for an adapter is ludicrous. Surely you can see my point there.

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Answer 3

Rob Lichter Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 16, 2013 12:41 PM in response to Community User

And, more to the point, let me make the decision whether or not to use crappy cables. Actively blocking me from buying a similar product for 10% of Apple's cost is purely vindictive.

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Answer 4

Rob Lichter Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 16, 2013 12:50 PM in response to Allan Eckert

I've tried 4 different cables and an adapter. None work. It's not my decision, that's the thing.

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Answer 5

Rob Lichter Author

Level 1

14 points

Dec 16, 2013 1:02 PM in response to Allan Eckert

If you're saying that Apple licenses to third-party cable makers, how can I find such a third-party cable maker? And yes, I agree, these are crap cables. However they would still work if Apple didn't actively block them. And again yes it should be my decision to buy cheap crap. If it's crap and doesn't work because it's made poorly then that's on me and caveat emptor. But in all my years of buying third-party cables, and there have been many years, there has never been a problem like this. This is new.

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Answer 6

wegras

Level 6

15,311 points

Dec 16, 2013 1:06 PM in response to Rob Lichter

The new new cable is patented that is what has changed

The major accessory manufacturers ,belkin, griffin etc etc

If a manufacturers products are on the Apple online store you can probably assume they are OK

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Answer 7

Dec 16, 2013 11:22 AM in response to Rob Lichter

dont use 3rd party items. theres are several reasons not to. just stick with apple chargers. they are safe and the official chargers for the iphones.

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Answer 8

wegras

Level 6

15,311 points

Dec 16, 2013 12:51 PM in response to Rob Lichter

Apple licences the lightning cable technology (patented ) all those who produce licenced cables work fine

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Answer 9

Dec 16, 2013 12:54 PM in response to Rob Lichter

Whose decsison is it then to keep buying cheap junk that doesn't meet specs?

Allan

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Answer 10

Dec 16, 2013 1:01 PM in response to Allan Eckert

its whoever buys it

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Answer 11

Dec 16, 2013 1:05 PM in response to Rob Lichter

Thats because they are third party that aren't specifically designed to work perfectly, they are just designed to do what they say. but they may have problems like the one you have

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