Apple may be shipping a new Lightning cable that features a reversible USB connector with forthcoming iOS devices, reports Chinese website Dianxinshouji.com (Google Translate, via Nowhereelse.fr).
The source shares a few photos of the new cables said to be from Apple supplier Foxconn, with the images showing a USB connector that is attached to the center of its metal casing. By comparison, the USB connector on Apple's current Lightning cable attach against the bottom of the metal housing's inner surface.
While it is unable to tell for sure whether these cables are legitimate or not, it is possible that Apple could ship new Lightning cables to match the forthcoming USB 3.1 cables that will soon come with newer smartphones. As revealed last week by the USB 3.0 Promoter Group, the USB 3.1 Type-C cable comes with reversible ends and will start shipping next year. An Apple patent for a reversible USB connector also surfaced last month, perhaps further indicating that the company will look to equip its newer devices with new Lightning cables at some point.
Furthermore, a report this past May from Mac Otakara claimed that Apple is preparing an upgraded Lightning cable to accommodate high-definition playback on Made for iPhone audio accessories, which may include a next-generation version of its In-Ear Headphones. Apple also introduced Lightning Cable MFi specifications for headphones in June, which could also be integrated with newer Lightning cables.
Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 6, next-generation Retina iPad mini and iPad Air 2 by the end of this year, as a new Lightning cable could technically be packaged with those devices.
Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development.
Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag.
Timing
Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false.
The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by Tim Hardwick
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence.
Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476
The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick.
"We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote.
If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by Juli Clover
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices.
With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...
All for a new lightning cable as the current ones are poorly made and rip apart after a few months.
What on earth have you been doing with them? I'm still using the original lightning cable that came with my iPhone 5 getting on for 2 years ago and it's still in near perfect condition...
Working in Apple retail, the most common complaint (many many times a day) is that the Lightning cables have stopped working. They don't last for most people, myself included, and you are very lucky.
And, yet, 100's of millions of Lightning cables haven't failed.
How can that be?
Such is the nature of anecdotal evidence common on these threads.
In California, some 12 (probably even a few more) people were struck by lightning during storms in the last month. Nobody writes about the 38 million that weren't struck.
Working in Apple retail, the most common complaint (many many times a day) is that the Lightning cables have stopped working. They don't last for most people, myself included, and you are very lucky.
I work in Apple retail myself. And registered here just to call out your comment.
If you actually work in retail, you will know they don't just "stop working". They wire comes loose under the wire housing near the lightning connector.
This is for one of two reason. Either the cable is mishandled by tugging the cable to remove it from an iDevice, rather than using the white nib to remove it.
Or, when people are storing the cables, they are not cable tying them correctly (if at all), and the cable is receiving too much strain. Typical example is just stuffing a cable into a handbag.
If you genuinely work at an Apple store, and you're also having lightning cable issues, I would maybe book yourself in for an appointment at the bar and speak to one of your colleagues (because you obviously haven't already) and get yourself educated to manage your cables better. I would be very surprised if you are having lightning cable issues and you work at an Apple store.
Also, saying "very, very lucky" almost proves to me you don't work at an Apple store, of the tens of millions of lightning cables that are in the wild, and the portion that comes back into your store, i would say you have to be extremely, extremely unlucky to have an issue. Let alone an employee.
I work in Apple retail myself. And registered here just to call out your comment.
I am an Apple customer myself. And logged in here just to call out your comment.
If you actually work in retail, you will know they don't just "stop working". They wire comes loose under the wire housing near the lightning connector.
As the OP said: they just "stop working"! As a customer I don't care whether that's because the very obvious "the wire comes loose", the "chip has exploded" or whatever technical reason!
For me "they just stopped working" - and that's all I care about! That, plus that Apple will immediately apologise and replace the cable - pronto!
I expect a cable to last forever (and expensive one as the lightning ones for sure)!
This is for one of two reason. Either the cable is mishandled by tugging the cable to remove it from an iDevice, rather than using the white nib to remove it.
Fair enough...
Or, when people are storing the cables, they are not cable tying them correctly (if at all), and the cable is receiving too much strain. Typical example is just stuffing a cable into a handbag.
What?! I expect to be able to "stuff a cable into my handbag" as much as I want and how I want it!
So you admit - as an apparent Apple employee - that your Lightning cables were not designed to last during "normal daily operations" such as "stuffing the cable away"?!
I tell you what: I "stuffed cables into my handbag" - well, pockets, tiny little drawers, you name it - and they never "stopped working"!
And now you come and tell us to "manage our cables better"! WTF!
