4 ms·

In my experience the connector from Apple is far more reliable than USB C. USB C is a rounded flat rectangle with a piece of plastic in the center and pins betw

In my experience the connector from Apple is far more reliable than USB C. USB C is a rounded flat rectangle with a piece of plastic in the center and pins between, which is small and can easily be damaged. Lightning on the other hand is a solid metal connector with the pins/contacts on the outside, which is much more sturdier. Lighting also does a nice "click" when connected.

WhitneyLand 8y ago
I think we can consider that an implementation detail and that fragile connectors are not mandated or inherent to the specification. There are a lot of ways to skin the cat even within the constraints given. Your concern is totally valid, but that it’s more about design/manufacturing quality rather than lightning versus USB.
- chrisseaton 8y ago
  Do you not think it's possible that the specification makes it hard to make a connector that is robust?
  - WhitneyLand 8y ago
    Of course, yes. But making it hard doesn’t prevent it from being done robustly, practicality speaking “hard” usually means they’ve made the mistake of increasing costs. As expensive as realizable lightning cables are I’m not sure how big of a factor the extra cost / effort for someone like anker to contract a high quality cable would really matter in the decision process of one vs. the other.
PascLeRasc 8y ago
Everyone I know with a Pixel 1 or 2 has a loose connection to their USB-C cable, even nice aftermarket Anker ones. It feels as fragile as the USB 3 external hard drive connector type.
- jerrysievert 8y ago
  My MacBook Pro has the same issue, constant plugging and unplugging whenever it moves while it's on my lap. it doesn't matter which port or cable I use, it's very fragile. it's hard to use a laptop as a laptop when it has to remain still to be plugged in.
cptskippy 8y ago
I really like the Lightning connector, it's by far my favorite connector. It does seem like with USB C both the plug and the port are fragile. The plug can easily be crushed and the port, like Micro USB, has the weird plastic tab with pins that can be smashed. That being said the only mechanical failures I ever witnessed with a Micro USB Port were when a cable was forced in the wrong way, I would definitely chalk those up to the user (ex-mother-in-law) being a supreme idiot and not necessarily a flaw in the port. > Lighting also does a nice "click" when connected. All of the USB C Cables and devices I own give a very nice thunk when plugged-in, almost like going over a speed bump in a car. There's no question that a connection is made. I think the biggest issue over all is dodgy cables and I had my fair share of those with Lightning and Micro USB. I've only bought ISB C cables off Benson Leung's recommended lists so I have yet to get a bad one yet though I have no doubt the problem is as bad or worse than with Micro USB.
caconym_ 8y ago
My experience says the opposite. I don't have an iPhone anymore, but when I did I was constantly having issues with the Lightning connector not connecting. OTOH, all my USB-C devices, quite a few at this point and some I've had for years, have always worked flawlessly with regard to the port. Also, all other things being equal, I would rather have the contact springs on the connector rather than the port so that if they go bad I can just replace the cable. I suspect this is what kept happening with my Lightning devices.
- mariusz331 8y ago
  This could be because lint built up in your charging port. It happened to me a few times. The techs at an Apple store can clean it out for free.
odiroot 8y ago
I can confirm your suspicions. My Xperia X Compact is barely holding any USB-C cable now (after just 1.5 years of usage). And I went through 5 or 6 USB mini to USB-C adapters from Anker in the meantime. At the same time my nearly 4 year old Samsung Galaxy is holding strong without any wiggle room on the USB port.
- gsnedders 8y ago
  My experience with USB-C female sockets is mostly that, especially on phones where they're frequently in clothing, end up full of lint, and that's what causes the cable to go in. Be careful, stick something sharp in (avoiding the middle pins!), and get the lint out, and it'll be fine.
  - hinkley 8y ago
    Same thing happens with iPhones and iPads, but the socket shape means you can clear it out with a toothpick or compressed air.
kalleboo 8y ago
I have the opposite experience. I keep getting arcing on the power pin on lightning cables, which causes "black pin plague" to spread between devices and cables. No such issue with USB-C. https://ioshacker.com/iphone/why-the-fourth-pin-on-your-lightning-cable-turns-black https://ioshacker.com/iphone/why-the-fourth-pin-on-your-ligh...
yellowapple 8y ago
"Lighting also does a nice "click" when connected." So does USB-C, at least on every device with which I've used it. That stops being the case if the port gets clogged up with dust (which is unfortunately as common and annoying as it is for USB-micro-B), but until then the click is quite satisfying.

WhitneyLand 8y ago

I think we can consider that an implementation detail and that fragile connectors are not mandated or inherent to the specification. There are a lot of ways to skin the cat even within the constraints given. Your concern is totally valid, but that it’s more about design/manufacturing quality rather than lightning versus USB.

chrisseaton 8y ago
Do you not think it's possible that the specification makes it hard to make a connector that is robust?
- WhitneyLand 8y ago
  Of course, yes. But making it hard doesn’t prevent it from being done robustly, practicality speaking “hard” usually means they’ve made the mistake of increasing costs. As expensive as realizable lightning cables are I’m not sure how big of a factor the extra cost / effort for someone like anker to contract a high quality cable would really matter in the decision process of one vs. the other.

PascLeRasc 8y ago

Everyone I know with a Pixel 1 or 2 has a loose connection to their USB-C cable, even nice aftermarket Anker ones. It feels as fragile as the USB 3 external hard drive connector type.

jerrysievert 8y ago
My MacBook Pro has the same issue, constant plugging and unplugging whenever it moves while it's on my lap. it doesn't matter which port or cable I use, it's very fragile. it's hard to use a laptop as a laptop when it has to remain still to be plugged in.

cptskippy 8y ago

I really like the Lightning connector, it's by far my favorite connector. It does seem like with USB C both the plug and the port are fragile. The plug can easily be crushed and the port, like Micro USB, has the weird plastic tab with pins that can be smashed. That being said the only mechanical failures I ever witnessed with a Micro USB Port were when a cable was forced in the wrong way, I would definitely chalk those up to the user (ex-mother-in-law) being a supreme idiot and not necessarily a flaw in the port. > Lighting also does a nice "click" when connected. All of the USB C Cables and devices I own give a very nice thunk when plugged-in, almost like going over a speed bump in a car. There's no question that a connection is made. I think the biggest issue over all is dodgy cables and I had my fair share of those with Lightning and Micro USB. I've only bought ISB C cables off Benson Leung's recommended lists so I have yet to get a bad one yet though I have no doubt the problem is as bad or worse than with Micro USB.

caconym_ 8y ago

My experience says the opposite. I don't have an iPhone anymore, but when I did I was constantly having issues with the Lightning connector not connecting. OTOH, all my USB-C devices, quite a few at this point and some I've had for years, have always worked flawlessly with regard to the port. Also, all other things being equal, I would rather have the contact springs on the connector rather than the port so that if they go bad I can just replace the cable. I suspect this is what kept happening with my Lightning devices.

mariusz331 8y ago
This could be because lint built up in your charging port. It happened to me a few times. The techs at an Apple store can clean it out for free.

odiroot 8y ago

I can confirm your suspicions. My Xperia X Compact is barely holding any USB-C cable now (after just 1.5 years of usage). And I went through 5 or 6 USB mini to USB-C adapters from Anker in the meantime. At the same time my nearly 4 year old Samsung Galaxy is holding strong without any wiggle room on the USB port.

gsnedders 8y ago
My experience with USB-C female sockets is mostly that, especially on phones where they're frequently in clothing, end up full of lint, and that's what causes the cable to go in. Be careful, stick something sharp in (avoiding the middle pins!), and get the lint out, and it'll be fine.
- hinkley 8y ago
  Same thing happens with iPhones and iPads, but the socket shape means you can clear it out with a toothpick or compressed air.

kalleboo 8y ago

I have the opposite experience. I keep getting arcing on the power pin on lightning cables, which causes "black pin plague" to spread between devices and cables. No such issue with USB-C. https://ioshacker.com/iphone/why-the-fourth-pin-on-your-lightning-cable-turns-black https://ioshacker.com/iphone/why-the-fourth-pin-on-your-ligh...

yellowapple 8y ago

"Lighting also does a nice "click" when connected." So does USB-C, at least on every device with which I've used it. That stops being the case if the port gets clogged up with dust (which is unfortunately as common and annoying as it is for USB-micro-B), but until then the click is quite satisfying.