USB

Hands on with Truffol’s reversible USB Lightning cables

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

There have been a lot of rumors going around about Apple's alleged reversible cable. Most recently, reports are saying no such cable will be included with September's iPhone 6 launch. It is shocking reversible USB cables are not already in mass production. After all, the technology is quite old. Only since the reversible cable was linked with Apple, has there been such a firestorm.

Last week, we posted an article about accessory maker Truffol debuting a reversible cable, available for purchase immediately. I was able to get my hands on a pair of cables from the manufacturer and am quite pleased with their build quality!

Retailer: Apple won’t release reversible USB Lightning cable this year, buy ours instead

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Third-party retailer Moca.co claims Apple doesn't have plans to release a reversible Lightning USB cable with the upcoming iPhone 6, or even in 2014, throwing a wrench in recent Apple rumors.

Can’t wait for iPhone 6? Truffol launches reversible Lightning USB cable for $10

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Online retailer Truffol has launched a reversible Lightning cable for models of the iPhone, iPad, and iPods that support the connection technology. This marks the first reversible Lightning cable, meaning there is no wrong way to plug it into the USB port on your charger or computer as there is on the official cable sold by Apple.

Apple hasn't officially launched or embraced a reversible Lightning cable as of yet, but is rumored to do so when it launches the iPhone 6 in the coming weeks. Truffol is allowing you get a leg up on the Cupertino-based company for a measly $9.99.

Alleged reversible Lightning to USB iPhone 6 cable caught on video

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Along with the many enhancements and improvements expected in the iPhone 6 this fall, the handset is also expected to ship with a new, reversible Lightning to USB cable. We've seen multiple photos of the alleged cable, and Apple even holds a patent for such a design.

Tonight comes more evidence of the theory, with frequent part-leaker Sonny Dickson posting a video showing the new cable in action. It appears to work similar to the Lightning side of the current cable, allowing the user to plug in the USB side, regardless of orientation...

More evidence that iPhone 6 and new iPads may ship with fully reversible Lightning cable

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 19, 2018

This past Friday, a pair of images appeared ostensibly showing off an upcoming Lightning cable variant featuring a reversible connector on the USB side.

Now additional and fairly credible-looking shots have surfaced, supporting the thesis that the new Lightning cable will feature a brand new, smaller and fully reversible USB 3.1 Type-C connector.

More importantly, the latest batch of images for the first time depict a bunch of Lightning to USB cables in their retail boxes, serving as the strongest indication yet that the upcoming new iPhones and iPads will most likely ship with the new cable. One publication was even able to verify that iTunes recognized the cable as an officially sanctioned product...

Fully reversible Lightning cable leaks in new photo

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

The USB Promoter Group in December of last year formally announced [press release] a brand new USB 3.1 Type-C specification.

We've gotten pretty excited by this development as the updated standard calls for much smaller, twice as fast cables with reversible connectors that can be inserted with either side facing up, much like Apple's own Lightning I/O.

We then heard these new cables and connectors would be arriving this summer. Sure enough, on Tuesday the group said USB Type-C connectors are now ready for production and available to PC and mobile device makers.

Coincidentally or not, Apple's upcoming iPhone 6 and new iPads may ship with an enhanced Lightning cable featuring a reversible connector on the USB side, according to a Chinese outlet which provided photos of the new cable...

Apple announces iPhone USB charger replacement program over ‘safety risk’ concerns

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 13, 2014

Apple Friday announced a replacement program for certain USB iPhone power adapters sold in Europe and elsewhere that "may overheat and pose a safety risk". The affected adapters that carry a model number of A1300 have been recalled and will be replaced with a new variant, the A1400 model.

According to the firm's official statement, the five-watt Apple European USB power adapter that "in rare cases" may overheat came with the iPhone 3Gs, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s units.

These iPhones shipped from October 2009 to September 2012 to a total of 45 countries, mostly European. The broken adapter was sold as a standalone accessory, too...

This ‘iStick’ USB flash drive has a built-in Lightning connector

Cody Lee ∙ May 13, 2014

Folks looking for a way to move media and other data between their iOS devices and computers locally may want to check out the iStick. The newly-announced device may look like an ordinary USB flash drive, but it features a built-in Lightning connector.

The creators of the iStick, Hyper, say it's the first of its kind, and the whole purpose behind it is to provide users with a way to quickly and safely move data between their computers, iPhones, iPads and iPod touches without the need for iTunes or the Internet...

Reversible USB Type-C coming in July

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 2, 2017

Apple in late-2012 debuted the then new Lightning I/O as a replacement for the aging, decade-old 30-pin Dock connector. One of its most compelling features: the symmetrical design allowing the cable to be inserted with either side facing up.

I reckoned at the time that the industry would scramble to replicate Apple's innovation. Sure enough, the USB 3.0 Promoter Group last December unveiled a new USB Type-C specification with much smaller, twice as fast connectors and cables.

You guessed right, USB Type-C is reversible so the new cables and connectors can be plugged in without worrying about the orientation. Leaked straight out of the world's top contract manufacturer, Foxconn, the first renders give us a glimpse into the USB's new Type-C, coming this July...

Users complain of Lightning cable issues due to corrosion

Cody Lee ∙ March 5, 2014

Apple has been taking criticism for its new Lightning connector since it was introduced alongside the iPhone 5 in 2012. The change instantly made millions of cases and other accessories incompatible, forcing users to either buy updated products or do without.

Those complaints have since spilled over into the Lightning cable's durability, with the Apple Store showing a 1.5 star rating of the cable on over 1,200 reviews. Apparently the cable is vulnerable to breakage, fraying, and according to a new report, corrosion as well...

Meet the ChargeKey, one of the smallest Lightning cables we’ve ever seen

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 13, 2018

Well they've done it again. The folks that revolutionized ultra-portable USB charging cables with the ChargeCard are back with an all-new, and [perhaps] even more convenient iOS device accessory called the ChargeKey.

As the name insinuates, the ChargeKey is essentially a Lightning-to-USB cable reduced down to the size of a house key. And its small size enables you to attach it to your car/house keys, ensuring that it's always nearby...

Bluelounge releases Rolio and CableDrop Mini for cable management woes

Jim Gresham ∙ Updated April 13, 2018

It is no surprise, considering the number of Bluelounge reviews I cover, I am a big fan of this product line. Consequently, when my friend at their office asked if I wanted to check out their latest invention, I quickly responded to the request. Bluelounge makes great products that solve simple everyday problems. Many companies claim to do the same, but setting themselves apart, Bluelounge solves these mundane problems in elegant ways with products like Kii, MiniDock, Mika, and Saidoka.

Today, two new products are announced, Rolio and CableDrop Mini. Both newly released items take on the challenge of creative cord management. Everyone struggles to keep cords in-check on their work stations, but with these two options, at least there is some organization to the madness...