Apple may finally fix its flimsy iPhone charger cables:
Every iPhone user likely has had one Lighting cable fray [on] them. It's been an annoying issue, and one that's driven third-party sellers to create braided cables that can withstand more abuse.
It seems that Apple is at the very least researching ways to make its cables more resilient. According to a patent filing first noticed by AppleInsider, Apple has been working on a "cable with variable stiffness" that gets thicker toward the ports.
Lightning cables are known for having thick connector points. It's what Apple internally refers to as the strain relief sleeve. While the ends of Apple cables are meant to keep the cable from fraying, often those areas become pressure and kink points. Apple acknowledged as much in its patent filing.
"In addition to making the cable locally stiffer, the strain relief sleeve also makes the cable thicker at the ends. In some instances, the added thickness may not be desired," the patent filing reads.
To get around this, Apple is essentially designing a cable that has denser material toward the ends that tapers off. [...]
(Score: 3, Informative) by lars on Friday February 05 2021, @07:33PM (2 children)
They use two durometer values for PVC in their connectors. It looks like one solid piece until you look close and try moving it. I've not found a company that makes better cables.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Friday February 05 2021, @10:59PM (1 child)
I've never had a product with more cable failures than my Apples, including MacBook Pro 2006, iPad One, iPod Touch, iPad Mini, iPad 4th gen...
every
single
one
has had poor strain relief on their power cables leading to failure within 3 years or less. I suppose if you always replace with the newest model when it comes out that doesn't affect you - but, oh, wait, Timmy Cook wants to spread the love by not including powerbricks or cables with new products anymore.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 06 2021, @03:35PM
And yet you keep buying their stuff...It's almost like you're aware their stuff is crappy but you're willing to accept it (and whine about it on Soy News). Attention seeker much?