Stupid third-party 8-pin cables

MotionMan

Lifer
Jan 11, 2006
17,123
12
81
I know, this is what I get for buying third party cables, but what idiot thought it would be a good idea to design, build and sell cables that will not work if the iPhone 5 has a case on it? The stupid 8-pin tap is not long enough to get into the port!

Argh!

Has anyone else run into this?

MotionMan
 

Tegeril

Platinum Member
Apr 2, 2003
2,906
5
81
So far my only experience with third party lightning cables is Amazon basics 4" cable for cleaning up my car charger setup and it's great, but I also don't use a case.
 
Oct 20, 2005
10,978
44
91
I've been looking at cheaper 3rd party lightning cables for the past couple days now. Seems like there are reliable ones (amazon, etc) but they all have a slightly larger 8pin head. I'm hesitant to buy some because I have a poetic atmosphere case and I'm not sure if the opening for the charge port is big enough for these enlarged 8 pin heads.
 

MotionMan

Lifer
Jan 11, 2006
17,123
12
81
I've been looking at cheaper 3rd party lightning cables for the past couple days now. Seems like there are reliable ones (amazon, etc) but they all have a slightly larger 8pin head. I'm hesitant to buy some because I have a poetic atmosphere case and I'm not sure if the opening for the charge port is big enough for these enlarged 8 pin heads.

I am pretty sure it is not.

I am thinking of doing a little Dremel work on my case so these cables will work.

MotionMan
 

jiffylube1024

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
7,430
0
71
Yep I've seen this as well. Some third party cables are more squared off rather than rounded. Didn't fit into my dad's iPhone 5 with an SGP case. You need to scour ebay and check the pictures very closely. Caveat emptor...
 

jiffylube1024

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2002
7,430
0
71
My guess would be technical. Some of the cables were released very quickly, so they probably just rushed them to market. Cost is always an issue - making them as cheaply as possible, and they probably weren't too detail oriented when they figured out how to make a third party cable that worked (remember, the first batch of cables actually didn't work - I ordered one then had my payment refunded a few weeks later when they realized that the first batch of third party cables didn't have the proper signaling chip or something).
 

MotionMan

Lifer
Jan 11, 2006
17,123
12
81
All of the above?

Though there could be a combination of factors, I would think that one would be more prevalent than the others.

Do they lack the technical ability to make the tab longer? Does it cost too much to make the tab longer? Would making the tab longer violate a patent?

MotionMan
 
Feb 25, 2011
16,917
1,556
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The Speck armor I had on my macbook interfered with Firewire and some USB plugs, depending on the design.

Cases vary, and the peripheral manufacturers can't test with every one. Likewise, the case manufacturers don't always get it quite right.

The knockoff third party people probably don't test with any at all. I'd assume they'd follow apple's design as closely as possibly (out of laziness if nothing else.)

Anyway, it happens. Relax. At least you've got an iPhone 5. </jealous>