this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2024
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But cables wear out.
Agreed. The life of a phone includes multiple cables (unless someone here knows some trick I don't), so including OEM hardware that's tested and recommended for the device is great and I wish it were still standard. Phone manufacturers not including parts that they still sell separately seems to have little to do with environmentalism/conservation and much to do with profits.
I've used the same cables for years with no problem. You don't yank them out of ports using the strand, you don't stress the connectors by winding tightly or making them bend at sharp angles and just treat them with care.
I’ve used an IKEA lightning cable for years and treated it really badly and it’s still in perfect condition. The official lightning cable from Apple had to be replaced every two years (it’s my employer’s phone and we upgrade every two years, stupid waste) because it was always destroyed and I had to give it back in perfect condition.
The quality is also a factor.
On the contrary, I've had a USB cable last multiple phones before. I think the trick is to avoid using it when it's plugged in as much as possible. Another common pitfall is that microfiber (pocket lint) can build up in the charging port over months and years, resulting in a poor connection. You can usually remove this by turning the phone off and using the tip of a wooden toothpick to gently scrape out the lint.
I definitely think they should include a cable in the box though.
Agree with this and the other commenter, the cable that came with my last phone stayed in the box and hasn’t been unfurled. I also agree this is almost certainly more about profit than environmentalism, but unused cables are e-waste, and I like to use a longer cable so the short ones that come with the phone have limited use case for people like me.
Cables are not eWaste. They are just copper and some plastic. Except, if you have a 5 amp cable including a eMarker, but this is only needed for laptops and crazy china phones that charge with more than 65 watt
That cleaning procedure was definitely more easy with the lighting port…
No? I use the same usb cable and QC3 charger I got with my 2016 Xiaomi
Sure but also I literally have a whole box of cables, and if/when I actually need a new cable I can buy the Amazon Basics $5 cable.
Alternatively, if you really care about having the Brand Name Cable, consider this a $20 price hike.
Seriously this is such a petty issue there are much bigger things to complain about.
It very much comes down to how you use them. Within my household, I don’t think I’ve ever had an Apple cable go bad. However I’ve had third party bad from purchase, and my teens go through cables every 6-12 months.
What kind of abuse do your cables go through?