It seems stupid that I have to pay £17 from Apple for a sodding cable. Usually I would just buy one off eBay, but the one I bought for £1.50 won’t charge the phone. Apparently newer iPhones are fussy.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a cheap cable that will charge an iPhone 5S for <£5?

P.S. I don’t care if your Nokia 3310 charger cost £1 and works perfectly 😉

Will some one rid me of these micro usb cables! I have hundreds of them and they all charge all my android devices without complaint! 😉

If you only want to pay a fiver, go on eBay and choose one that costs a fiver. Bear in mind that the 5s will probably reject for data and non-Apple cable, though it’ll charge as normal.

I bought a couple of cheap cables when I needed one for the car, neither lasted more than a few weeks. The Apple cable I got is still in use several months later. Make if that what you will.

5c currently plugged into a £5 charger off amazon … One for work and one for the car. Job done for a tenner

More evidence that Apple are equally bad if not worse than Microsoft!

Why don’t they use micro usb like everyone else? I thought the phone manufacturers had all agreed to use micro USB for standardising chargers?

No USB ports on Ipads is another ridiculous thing.

Why don’t they use micro usb like everyone else?

Because it’s a crap design that is difficult to insert. Lightning is clean, simple, reversible and seems to be fairly tough.

I’ve bought a couple of cheap lightning cables from eBay and they’ve both been fine with my 5. Very occasionally the thing bleats about a non-approved charging cable even with a genuine apple cable and charger but reinserting always solves it.

Because it’s a crap design that is difficult to insert.

I know it takes hours! 🙂

Have you serious hand to eye co-ordination problems? 🙂

Why don’t they use micro usb like everyone else? I thought the phone manufacturers had all agreed to use micro USB for standardising chargers?

because the cable is doing other things too, not just charging. The lightning cables do things with power and data that USB doesn’t, mainly because USB is as old as the hills.

5c currently plugged into a £5 charger off amazon

keep in mind that phones have lithium batteries in that are bit prone to catch fire if they’re not charged correctly – I’m not sure if its still the case but apple were offering a trade-in deal for any third party chargers as they tend to be a bit dangerous. Your work might not be best chuffed with your approach to hot-desking 🙂

gobuchul – Member
More evidence that Apple are equally bad if not worse than Microsoft!

Why don’t they use micro usb like everyone else? I thought the phone manufacturers had all agreed to use micro USB for standardising chargers?

No USB ports on Ipads is another ridiculous thing.
Which micro USB would you like people to use? Apple have a standardised charger, the same as everyone else, but everyone else uses different variations of micro USB, I have to carry a whole bunch of different cables that will run off an Apple charger, but have different plugs for my Mini-X speakers, my Lumix camera, my BT speaker, yada yada yada.
And why should an iPad have a USB port? For what purpose? I use its cable to connect to my computer, and to one of four or five USB wall-warts to charge it; I’m really struggling to think of a single reason I’d need a USB cable to connect it to something, unless you mean to charge in an emergency, in which case, too bad, wait until you get home.
If you’re that bothered, buy the Apple Camera-kit, which has two adaptors, one for an SD card, the other to take a standard USB plug, I’ve got one, but never used the USB adaptor, although I use the SD adaptor all the time.
Take a look at this, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB and tell me which version Apple should use, because there would always be someone complaining because it wasn’t the same version of USB that their other devices use.
Plus there’s the whole transfer of large amounts of data issue.

The old apple data cables off ebay were fine and lasted well. Every lightening cable I’ve had from ebay has lasted a couple of weeks at best.

Chuckle chuckle chuckle…

Apple have such a good business model; the people they are ripping off defend the way they are being ripped off!

They have such a good business model; that those who buy alternative products seem more concerned with apple products than those who actually buy them. It is as if they know deep down, they made a mistake and need to keep on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on trying to justify it to themselves.

See above.

Amazon lightning cables get a good write up

I’ve bought three shit ones! Its a work phone so got the gaffer to get me one. I shall now try an amazon one…

See above.

and on…

The lightning cables do things with power and data that USB doesn’t

Such as?

Lighting is basically a dumb serial cable; in a way it’s a lot less sophisticated than the old 3-pin job was. AIUI they’ve basically moved all the onus on doing “clever stuff” to the remote device instead of the host, which should mean that the connector is more versatile at the expense of, well, more expensive add-ons. If Lightning does anything clever that USB doesn’t then I’m not aware of it and would love to know.

Search Amazon for RND or Yoshi Lightening cables. Better than Apple cables and more reliable than cheaper “non certified” cables

Which micro USB would you like people to use? Apple have a standardised charger, the same as everyone else, but everyone else uses different variations of micro USB,

MicroUSB is a standard. If you need to carry different cables, then those devices aren’t MicroUSB, they’re Something Else.

Also,

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/apple-ipad-4-or-air-do-you-use-a-non-genuine-charging-cable-or-plug

..and on.

It’s a business. The cable thing isn’t done because it’s the best thing to, it’s done to make money and relies on a degree of acceptance by those who buy into the Apple world. This is perpetuated by people who have bought in defending what is essentially a way of making money. From you.

and on…

and on…

http://store.apple.com/us/reviews/MD818ZM/A/lightning-to-usb-cable

I’ll stick with my 2 iPhone 4s and Ipad2.

And why should an iPad have a USB port? For what purpose?

Seriously? You never shared documents etc. with a USB stick? I do it all the time at work, particularly when travelling.

To not to be able to connect flash memory quickly and easily is a serious weakness IMO.

Seriously?

Mate, trust me, you’re on a lost cause. If you sliced CZ in half you’d find a core and pips. If the Church of Jobs says it is so, then it is I’m afraid.

@Cougar
The lightening connector is “smart”: the plug itself incorporates a processor which detects the plug’s orientation and routes the electrical signals to the correct pins.

The lightening connector is “smart”: the plug itself incorporates a processor which detects the plug’s orientation and routes the electrical signals to the correct pins.

Thats sounds like the most over engineered solution to a very simple orientation problem.

Why not physically only allow 1 orientation?

Why not physically only allow 1 orientation?

Have you ever plugged a USB thing in correctly, first time? Me neither.

Whatever you think of proprietary apple kit, it does work well.

Anyhow, thanks for the suggestions. Will look into the various options suggested.

Grand – post back your experiences; my two DX ones have just about given up after 4 months, but then they were U.S. $1.67 each inc. postage, so no surprise or tears.

I know it takes hours!

Have you serious hand to eye co-ordination problems?

Have you ever plugged a USB thing in correctly, first time? Me neither

Normally 3 attempts to insert a USB cable. Micro USB (kindle) usually seems to involve peering at the plug, then the socket.

..and on.
It’s a business. The cable thing isn’t done because it’s the best thing to, it’s done to make money and relies on a degree of acceptance by those who buy into the Apple world. This is perpetuated by people who have bought in defending what is essentially a way of making money. From you.

Whereas all the products you buy are what exactly? Handcrafted by your friends for free?

Who’s marketing department has persuaded people like you to endlessly smug on about how superior their purchasing decisions are? Oh you’ve decided all by yourself? Bravo.

Yes Apple stuff isn’t cheap and they like you to do things their way. If you’re happy with that then it works very well in general. Really don’t understand why people who don’t like that are so obsessed with Apple.

Really don’t understand why people who don’t like that are so obsessed with Apple.

I’m not, I am interested in how market themselves as a brand though.

They make some great stuff and then do strange things which they market as “features” but just seem to be finding solutions to problems that don’t exist.

Also, iTunes boils my piss. I hate it.

Normally 3 attempts to insert a USB cable. Micro USB (kindle) usually seems to involve peering at the plug, then the socket.

Micro USB is fiddly but if you are designing your own connector then why not just esign a better shape rather a “smart” cable? Unnecessary and over complex solution to a very simple problem. You can charge more for your cables though…….

Have you ever plugged a USB thing in correctly, first time?

Everytime.
They are all the same way up, and all the cable connectors have a little picture on them.
Mini USB FTW! though. I don’t even have a phone charger, just plug it in wherever I am if I need to. I can even plug it into the till behind the bar at work.

So long, suckers! 😀

..and on…