3 ms·
One of the things I don’t like about USB-C when compared to Lightning is that the USB-C socket has some kind of wafer inside it which strikes me as very breakab
by wrboyce 7y ago
One of the things I don’t like about USB-C when compared to Lightning is that the USB-C socket has some kind of wafer inside it which strikes me as very breakable. I’ve not managed to break one yet, but why was it not put on the cable end as opposed to having the strange male-but-also-female cables we have now.
Do you know what the reasoning behind this decision was?
- amluto 7y agoThe wafer has fixed metal contacts on it. The part that mates with the wafer has springy metal contacts, and those wear out. This is one of the major problems with the Lightning port — the springy parts are in the port, not on the cable. Lightning also appears to have severe problems with arcing.
- wrboyce 7y agoI see! That makes perfect sense, thanks for replying. I had to search about the arcing problems you mentioned, and I now have an explanation for the blackened pins on my older cable!
- SAI_Peregrinus 7y ago> Lightning also appears to have severe problems with arcing. Well, it IS "Lightning"...
- jack_h 7y agoI have never seen or even heard of the spring contacts in the lightning port failing. The biggest issue I've ever seen is lint ingress preventing good contact/locking, which can be cleaned out. I can't speak to arcing problems.
- amluto 7y agoI’ve seen attempts to clean the contacts damage them because they’re springy. I’ve also just seen them get deformed enough that they stop making good contact.