Recently read on a deal site forum page that you can only use Apple lightning cables to charge iPads running iOS 7 or higher. Is that the case or will any 8-pin to USB cable work? Thx in advance for any helpful replies.

An iPad Air or Mini Retina that has the Lightning connector port must use a lightning to USB cable irrespective of the iOS version installed. The version of iOS has nothing to do with the physical hardware requirements.

And the cable/connector need to be certified for use. I have such a third party charger and cable for my mini as a second/travel set. So far through the iOS 7.1 update it continues to work fine. (I bough it for it's longer cable length mainly; the cable also seems heavier-duty. Most non-Apple cables and chargers that are not certtified do not work at all or poorly.

Due to a lot of bad press that Apple was getting due to burnt chargers, shocked users (the electrical kind...), etc., due to the lousy third party El Cheapo brand generics, as of iOS 7 the cable must be Apple-certified before the iGadget deigns to use it for charging purposes. Unfortunately (for Apple) the old traditional USB to 30-pin cable is just that, a straight piece of wire, and can't be validated by the iGadget. But lo & behold, the new gear uses the new Lightning cable, which contains an embedded chip that CAN be validated and lousy imitations disabled from use.

Basically if you stick with what I'll call reputable accessory manufacturers, Targus, Belkin, Kensington you should do just fine. Where issues seem to crop up are cheap, no name knockoffs that you get really cheap off amazon.

These known companies, well they play nice with others and follow the procedures to get permission from Apple to make accessories. (some are even sold on Apple's site). THe really cheap knock offs don't get permission.