We all have a drawer with old cables. Of those that survive mobile changes and spring cleaning. And among them, there is usually one with the peeled connector, the broken case or the bent tip like an old television antenna.
But there is a day, as happened to me, that the emergency arrives: 3%battery, without my usual charger in sight and that battered cable as the only option. You connect and cross your fingers. I did exactly that with my iPhone and I learned the lesson in the worst possible way.
IPHONE LOAD ERROR
The first thing that happened was absolute nothingness, literally. The iPhone did not recognize the cable. I plugged it several times, I turned it around, I blow it as if it were a game of the game boy and nothing. Until, suddenly, the load ray appeared. “It worked,” I thought. But it didn't last long.
A few minutes later, the iPhone screen was frozen. The system seemed not to react. I disconnected it, I restarted it and everything returned to normal. But I had the doubt: was it the cable fault? Can such an harmless accessory damage a device as expensive as an iPhone?
The short answer is yes. And the long can be even worse. Apple, like other manufacturers, includes an authentication chip in its official cables. This chip is responsible for voltage and current intensity being stable, avoiding peaks that could damage the battery or even the motherboard. When you use a broken cable, or worse, a falsified one without MFI certification (Made for iPhone), you are literally playing the Russian roulette with your mobile.
A damaged cable It can cause overheating, short circuitsunstable data transfers and premature battery deterioration. In fact, if the damage is close to the Lightning or USB-C connector, it is possible that internal cables make contact incorrectly, sending energy where they should not. That was probably what my iPhone froze for a few seconds: a peak of unexpected energy.
Use only Apple certified cables
But there does not end the story. The next day, the iPhone began to show a message that I had never seen before: “This accessory may not be compatible.” Although I was using another cable, something had been broken or “touched.” According to specialized technicians, when an iPhone detects an anomaly with a damaged cable, it can activate a protection system that limits subsequent connections as a preventive measure.
In addition, loading with a cable in poor condition can interfere with the device energy management chip. This small component is the one that decides how much energy goes to the battery, to the processor, to the screen … and if it is damaged, the mobile can start offheat without reason or not load at all. Repairing this chip costs much more than a new cable, I assure you.
The lesson, in case it has not been clear, is that saving in a cable can leave very expensive. If you see that yours has the peeled case, it is bent at the ends or takes more than usual to load, Don't think twice and throw it out. And if you are going to buy a new one, which is certified by Apple or by brands recognized such as Anker, Belkin or Nomad. It is not necessary to be official, but surely.
