That's just the weird thing. They work, then they just don't work. They're not yanked or kinked or mistreated, they just quit, and the reason is unknown.

Thanks to all for your replies.

I use Anker products, never experienced any issues with them.

The OEM cables are specifically designed to be weak and need replacing within 6 months- I'd bet good money on it.

Huh? maybe some evidence on that. I've many old OEM cables but never any issues. The reason to look elsewhere is money nothing else.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:
AmazonBasics Apple Certified Lightning to USB Cable - 6 Feet (1.8 Meters), White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010...cp_api_U3lMzbDYWK0DB

A big plus on these...they are much better constructed than the Apple products...the Anker products are top notch too.

quote:

Originally posted by bubbatime:
The OEM cables are specifically designed to be weak and need replacing within 6 months- I'd bet good money on it.

Ive had good luck with Anker cables. They have several different lines, to include some that are very heavy duty.

Really? Having Pods, Pads and Phones since 2010, I've yet to have one fail.

quote:

Originally posted by bubbatime:
The OEM cables are specifically designed to be weak and need replacing within 6 months- I'd bet good money on it.

Ive had good luck with Anker cables. They have several different lines, to include some that are very heavy duty.

Apple has always replaced mine under my one year iPhone warranty.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:

quote:

Originally posted by Suppressed:
I have a pile of dead Anker cords and cigarette lighter adapters. I have found that they are marginally better than the cheaper products. They just stop working, even with gentle use.

I'm in a simlar boat. 3 out of 5 cables purchased at the beginning of the summer are bad. 2 of the 3 are their top off the line.

I had a 6 ft braided Anker purchased in Canada on 3/16/16 start smoking in May '17. Electrical burn all the way through the braiding. I'm lucky it was on tile not carpeting. I also threw away its twin just to be safe.

I replaced them with 6 ft Amazon basics.

This is the Real Reason Your iPhone Cables Break

David L Veksler
Friday, August 11, 2017

Apple products look great. Whatever else you think of the company, there’s little doubt that Apple uses high-end materials to create gorgeous and durable products. That’s true for just about everything Apple makes, with one glaring exception: the cables.

It’s common knowledge that Apple cables begin to disintegrate after about six months of regular use. This has been a constant across many different devices - MacBook, iPhones, and adapters, and over the course of many generations of product. My first generation iPhone had a cable that fell apart in 2009, and my iPhone 6 cable disintegrated less than a year later too.

Why can’t Apple use its billions to create a cable that won’t fall apart? This issue has created an entire industry of third party Apple cables, and another industry of hacks (see Sugru, Apple cable protectors) to keep cables from disintegrating. Somehow, third party Apple accessory manufacturers have no problem making cables that are far more durable than Apple's. There are websites with buying guides for replacement iPhone cables which are both good looking and far, far more durable. As a committed Apple family with multiple MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones, we’ve eventually replaced all our OEM Apple cables and found alternatives which have survived in pristine condition for years now.

Why can’t Apple use its billions to create a cable that won’t fall apart?

There are several explanations offered for Apple’s apparent incompetence in cable design, but one stands out: Greenpeace. In 2009, Greenpeace successfully lobbied Apple to remove PVC from their cables with their “Green My Apple” campaign. PVC is Polyvinyl chloride, or just vinyl, the world’s third most popular plastic polymer. Ever since, Apple has bragged on their Environment page that all their products are PVC free. Third-party cables on the other hand inevitably mention PVC construction.

I am not a chemical or environmental engineer, so I cannot definitively tell you whether Apple’s decision is scientifically sound. What I do know is that PVC is one of the world’s most common chemical products. In the USA, it is used for 66% of drinking water delivery pipes, most electrical cable insulation, waterproofed clothing, vinyl flooring, and medical gloves. Not deadly-toxic stuff, in other words. Like any other plastic, I would not suggest eating it or breathing fumes from a fire, but it is otherwise safe.

So why did Greenpeace object to Apple’s use of PVC? Their site is not clear on this other than vague references to “poison plastics,” and the difficulty of disposal. We used to think that plastics like PVC would remain in the environment for thousands of years, but we’ve since learned that there are bacteria and fungi that effectively eat PVC for dinner. In the past, lead-based stabilizers have been used in PVC, but suitable replacements are well established.

What has Apple accomplished with their PVC ban? Their reputation for making quality accessories has been ruined. Billions of broken Apple cables have been prematurely sent to the landfill. Billions of replacement cables will be sent to landfills when the gadgets they charge become obsolete. While Apple no longer uses PVC in their cables, many people now rely on cheap third party cables from China, which may use toxic chemicals like lead, arsenic, mercury, and brominated flame retardants.

The only winner from Apple’s PVC ban has been Greenpeace, while consumers, Apple’s reputation, and the environment itself have suffered. In 2007, Steve Jobs directly addressed Greenpeace’s campaign against Apple at a shareholder meeting:

“I think your organization particularly depends too much on principle and not enough on fact... I think you put way too much weight on these glorified principles and way too little weight on science and engineering. It would be very helpful if your organization hired a few more engineers and actually entered into dialogue with companies to find out what they are really doing and not just listen to all the flowery language when in reality most of them aren’t doing anything.”

David Veksler is the Director of Marketing at FEE.

This is the Real Reason Your iPhone Cables Break

I have a few Nekteck braided cables that I am pleased with.


At Amazon

Don't forget to check for Lint in the power jack. My phone became intermittent when charging and got progressively worse. I took it in and the apple guy immediatley checked for lint- the lint was keeping the power jack from seating properly.

Otherwise original power cable from 2013 is still going strong.

All I use are Apple cables Never had/have any problems with them. Still use a 2009 cable with the adapter from old style to lightening connector that I take with me when traveling.

I primarily use Apple cords, but have an Anker with no issues. I have had several Apple cords fail, but I just take them back to the Apple Store and they replace them, no questions asked.

Using Amazon Basics across several generations of Apple products and never had an issue.
I wish they made cords for my OnePlus 5

I will also throw in a vote for both Amazon and Anker.

FWIW, Apple used to swap out bad cables with no questions asked if you device was in warranty period but a few weeks ago I went to the Apple store because my daughters cable was getting wonky and the first guy I spoke to said they would nor warranty it because it showed physical damage (a small crack in casing). I dug my heels in and got a manager to replace it but was told that Apple changed their policy.

Nothing but Anker for me. Just picked up one of these from Amazon. It's awesome.

Anker PowerLine+ Lightning Cable (3ft) Durable and Fast Charging Cable [Double Braided Nylon] for iPhone, iPad and More(White)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017...p_apip_KAJXHvzvjpC2k

-Rob

We've dozens of our users experience bad or faulty Anker cables. Lots of shorts. We almost exclusively get Monoprice now. Amazon basics haven't caused issues, but Monoprice is almost always better for the volume we order.

Just goes to show, your mileasge may vary. I had to junk three Monoprice cables (although I love their other stuff). Amazon Basics has been decent so far, but I bet I have 10 different brands at any random time. Braided and non-braided, none have been bulletproof in my house. I end up tossing a cable away at least every other week. I'm not sure I have tried Anker cables, but I have four or five of their portable chargers. All good.

I've been using the Paracables for a few years - I don't think you could hurt one of these.

https://paracable.com/products...cier-lightning-cable

We've had a couple of these for several years now and haven't had any issues.

I must be the odd one.

I can't remember any oem phone charge cords failing. I have a drawer full of cords, the phones long gone.