Another broken iPhone cable? This is how to prevent

MultimediaIt’s one of the biggest annoyances of using smartphones: breakdown of charging cables. It seems as if the manufacturers are involved. How can you (somewhat) prevent this and what should you pay attention to when purchasing and storing these cables?

Buying a smartphone is really only the beginning. Then come the inevitable phone casings, car clips, power banks, and chargers. There is a lot of annoyance about the latter in particular. It is not about whether your smartphone’s cable breaks, but when.

With the original Apple cables, so-called lightning cables also have a chip that connects to the iPhone. Then this chip gives an indication of Iphone that it is charged. Additionally, there are third-party cables approved by Apple. The cable is no longer produced by Apple, but it does contain the chip manufactured by Apple.

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It is better if it is not a cheap shiny cable

Finally, there are the inexpensive cables that you can buy online through mostly Chinese web stores. These are imitation cables that look like two drops of water from Apple or are cables that publicly state that they are cheaper but have something different to offer: They are longer, and come in all kinds of bright colors and luster or are they multi-functional cables. .

We can summarize this: Do not buy this scrap. These fake cables usually last much less and can show a cure. Then you will receive a message on your screen like “This cable or accessory is not supported and may not work properly with this iPhone.”

These chargers can also overheat and be less insulated, which can catch fire. Additionally, these cables may only provide half of the actual power, so charging may take a very long time. So it’s very clear here: cheap is expensive. The same goes of course for other phone brands. An Android phone charger from Samsung, Xiaomi or Oppo with 1 euro? It’s best to leave that alone.

Buy an official cable

More robust and Apple certified iPhone cable recommended. This house and the official Apple chip needed for good communication between the smartphone and the power grid are usually cheaper, around 10 to 15 euros. In comparison, a Lightning-to-USB cable or USB-C-to-lightning cable costs € 25 at Apple.

Magnetic charging cables are also a serious consideration. These cables have a separate attachment with a magnetic ring at the end and are best left in the intended slot for your smartphone as standard. This comes with an included cable with the other part of the magnet at the end. So the magnetic cables can never be cut from the head. Again, don’t buy cheap scrap.

Also with Android

In general, the same applies to Android: the cheaper the cable, the greater the chance of bringing unwanted things into your home. However, many Android devices use a USB-c charger, which means you don’t have the special baked chip dilemma.

So, an Android wire from an unauthorized company is a faster option, but look closely at the general reputation of the company that offers it. The cable from a company like Belkin is often more reliable than the stash you’ll find on Aliexpress.

Make your cables last longer

However, you can make your cables last longer simply by using them in moderation. For example, do not roll it too often and too often. It’s best not to wrap it at all and keep one charging cable at work and another at home. This way you won’t miss a thing. If you still want to take the cable with you, put it in a separate bag, for example, with or without other travel accessories as the cable still has little freedom of movement.

What also helps: When removing your smartphone from the charger, do not remove the charger from the smartphone, but the smartphone from the charger. Hold the elbow between your thumb and forefinger for extra support. When charging your phone, make sure that the cable is never pressed or there is anything heavy or lying on it. Optionally, you can strengthen the cables with cable protectors, but you will have to purchase them separately.

The wireless charging trend offers a complete solution: The Apple MagSafe charger or Qi charger has a pad on which you place your smartphone and charge itself without having to put anything in your mobile phone. These wireless chargers are usually a little more expensive and less convenient to take with you.