Lightning to USB Cables are Here to Stay

When it comes to changing the ports that devices use, Apple has been the trendsetter. It leads to the way the technology market functions. When it changes something on the iPhone, the industry follows. But Apple is not always first to change things up. When Android OEMs moved from micro USB B ports to micro USB C, Apple did not join them. They still use the lightning port. However, they seem to be finally seeing the light and slowly (excruciatingly slowly) moving to USB C.

Right now, the cable that they give in the box is lightning to USB cable with the USB side being type A. This year, however, they have moved from USB A to USB C on the USB side but nothing has changed as to the port that comes built in the iPhone.

Lightning to USB cable is one of those things that iPhone users have at least a couple of them. The ones that come in the box are fragile or too short and people generally tend to buy the third party but Apple certified variants. Apart from the iPhone, you can use this lighting to USB cable with their various iPad offerings, anything apart from the 2018 iPad Pro that has a USB C port.

Apple kept a similar design for certain models consistent for about 3 years. Therefore, mobile device accessories for these phones also did not have to update their form factors. The advantage of this decision was for customers as well as manufacturers. Customers did not need to buy new cases and cables even if they upgraded their phones, and accessory manufacturers did not have to invest in a new product line. Their existing products generated revenue steadily.

With the absence of the headphone jack, the importance of the lighting cable has only increased as the only port for charging the phone, connecting it to anything and for plugging in headphones. The push for wireless is increasing but not everything can connect wirelessly. Overall, the existence of wires is not going away any time soon, no matter how much Apple wants it.

When Apple introduced the lightning cable in the iPhone, people perceived it as a good thing because it meant a smaller port and a reversible smaller 8-pin option compared to the previous 30-pin connector.

Mobile device accessories have increased over the years, going from just cases and screen protectors to car chargers, phone holders, wireless chargers, phone-powered fans to LED lights and whatnot. As we basically live on our phones, we want to connect everything to it. There is a huge market of these accessories but not all of them are equal in terms of quality. While attaching anything to your phone, it is crucial that you double-check the quality of the product, what access they demand from your phone and if they have genuine manufacturers.

That said, it is not impossible to have accessories that are unique or braided cords while also maintaining product quality and safety and privacy standards.

This also applies to the lightning to USB Cable that you buy for charging your phone. There are faulty and fraudulent cables that can hack into your phone and steal your data. This can be highly dangerous because we have sensitive data on it like bank account details in banking apps, photos, etc. Apart from hacking, the other issues with connecting anything with your phone is the effect it has on the battery. Sometimes, random accessories overheat the battery and or restrict airflow to the device leading to batteries exploding or some other hazards. This can create damages to life and property.

As convenient as a smartphone is, it can create trouble if you use accessories or cables that are not original. This is why you should always make sure to buy accessories that are compatible, and genuine. What you plug in your phone is after all just as important as what you eat. Beware of hazards either way.

Source: https://www.sooperarticles.com/shopping-articles/electronics-articles/lightning-usb-cables-here-stay-1760588.html