Get your credit cards ready, folks: It looks like the iOS 7 update for iPhones has blocked third-party ‘knock-off’ 8-pin lightning chargers from working with the iPhone.
The problem was initially identified in the iOS 7 beta, with the cheaper cables unable to transfer data. Now it seems that you can’t even charge your iOS 7-enabled iPhone using a non-Apple-made product.
Just a year after the controversial release of the smaller 8-pin charger, a move that made old accessories redundant and forced long-time Apple fans to dump money in to a bunch of expensive new cables and adaptors, Apple has taken things even further.
Many users are finding that once they make the move to iOS 7 their cables mysteriously stop working. The issue has cropped up more than once on reddit’s /r/iPhone forum. This Reddit user received a slew of replies from fellow redditors facing the same problem. An apparent fix was posted, but it’s failed on our own devices and many of those who posted in response.
Salt in the wound
To add insult to injury, the blame is dumped on the accessory itself with the error message “This cable or accessory is not certified and may not work reliably with this iPhone.”
The fact that these very accessories have worked for a good year with the iPhone 5, iPad 5 th generation and iPod Touch 5th generation doesn’t seem to make a difference.
It wouldn’t be so bad if Apple didn’t charge so much for even minor things like a 50cm cable ($25), 5W USB power adapter ($25), or a 30-pin to 8-pin adaptor ($39). Looking past the fact that these things cost pennies to make, replacing more than one at a time can be a real drain on finances.
The indication is that Apple is intentionally blocking non-proprietary accessories from working with its product. If true, this is a controversial, confusing and almost petty move by the Cupertino company.
Come on, Apple
One of the great things about owning an iPhone is that everyone else owns one too. No matter where you are you can always find a charger.
In my experience half of my friends' chargers, and most other accessories they own, are third-party products. After all, people don’t want to spend $50 on a spare cable+wall charger to take to work. I personally like to keep an extra one around so that when a friend stays the night they’ll have a functional phone in the morning. Now I can help out my friends with Android or Windows Phone for under a tenner, but I’ll have to pay 5-times more than that for iPhone friends.
iPhones are supposed to be easy. Suddenly bricking close to half of the chargers that I’ve personally come in to contact with is difficult and frustrating. It makes the Apple ecosystem feel more restrictive than ever and it certainly doesn’t smack of something that “Just Works”.
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