# Newer iPhone cables split at the phone end **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 25, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839 "2013-06-25T02:22:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/1 "2013-06-25T02:22:29Z")
I’ve noticed that newer iPhone cables split apart where the cable enters the plug at the phone end. Should I be concerned with this? Is there a fire or shock hazard? Here is a [Photo](http://dmf109.smugmug.com/Photography/Camera-Awesome-Photos/i-jzDV7xw/0/L/CA_06241322200801-L.jpg) showing what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/2 "2013-06-25T02:28:27Z")
It’s not a shock hazard, and it’s a minuscule fire hazard. I would just fix it with a bit of [Goop](http://www.eclecticproducts.com/all_purpose.htm). Note that these are _old_ iPhone cables - the new ones have a different connector. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/3 "2013-06-25T02:34:43Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > It’s not a shock hazard, and it’s a minuscule fire hazard. I would just fix it with a bit of [Goop](http://www.eclecticproducts.com/all_purpose.htm). > Note that these are _old_ iPhone cables - the new ones have a different connector. Correct, this is for iPhone 4S and below. The original iPhone cables had finger tabs to “unlock” the phone from the connector. They never seemed to split. This newer type splits way too easy. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/4 "2013-06-25T03:29:57Z")
Mine did this exact thing. Thanks for the link to goop! ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/5 "2013-06-25T04:12:00Z")
Every one I’ve had has done that. I bought a couple at Wal-Mart that had thicker wire. They lasted longer but also eventually broke and stopped working. I wrapped electrical tape around the one I have now before I even started using it. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/6 "2013-06-25T05:26:59Z")
A poster called “Sparky!” wants to know if a lead carrying 5v is a shock hazard. Worst username/OP combo ever. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/7 "2013-06-25T08:24:31Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > A poster called “Sparky!” wants to know if a lead carrying 5v is a shock hazard. Worst username/OP combo ever. Huh, it is only 5V isn’t it? I never thought to check that! ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/8 "2013-06-25T10:09:42Z")
Before it gets near that point, I slip the spiral wire from a retractable ballpoint around the cord there, such that it sticks into the plug on one end. (The other end, I bend up the tip of the wire if there’s a chance it may poke into the cable’s casing.) It seems to help that area last longer. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/9 "2013-06-25T15:03:07Z")
Stop pulling it out from the cord - hold onto the wider piece at the connection. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/10 "2013-06-25T15:21:53Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Stop pulling it out from the cord - hold onto the wider piece at the connection. So you’re saying the problem is that they’re not holding it right? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/11 "2013-06-25T15:25:41Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Stop pulling it out from the cord - hold onto the wider piece at the connection. I’ve never done this and still had the cord split there. The problem is worse if you use the phone while it’s charging; moving the phone around and the weight of the cord (especially if you hold the phone sideways) will put a lot of strain at that spot. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/12 "2013-06-25T16:10:02Z")
[Monoprice](http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=112&cp_id=11213) sells much more durable cables at a much more reasonable cost. I got on to them from someone here. No cracking, they work, and come in a longer length, too. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/13 "2013-06-25T16:13:18Z")
[QUOTE=Amateur Barbarian] So you’re saying the problem is that they’re not holding it right? [/QUOTE] \ I had a cable do that, and a drop of super glue fixed it invisibly. I just pushed the cable back into the plug, and let said drop of glue “wick” into the space. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newer-iphone-cables-split-at-the-phone-end/661839/14 "2013-06-25T17:21:57Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > I’ve never done this and still had the cord split there. The problem is worse if you use the phone while it’s charging; moving the phone around and the weight of the cord (especially if you hold the phone sideways) will put a lot of strain at that spot. Agreed. It appears to happen when I use the phone plugged in. And since I read in bed a lot at night, it usually is plugged in (I use it as my alarm clock too).