iPhone XS, XS Max: A decade later, iPhone charging cables are still terrible

Not long ago, owning an iPhone meant status symbol. But often iPhone users don't tell you the problems they face being in an Apple-controlled ecosystem. Forget lack of free apps or being expensive, one of the biggest problems iPhone users still face is the quality of their charging cables. They certainly offer advanced technology under the hood, but fare poorly in terms of longevity.

A lot of iPhone lightning cable starts to tear open at the base of connector, forcing users to rely on workarounds to keep them running or use third-party cheaper cables. And unsurprisingly, there's altogether a sub-market for iPhone cable protectors. For instance, this product on Amazon promises a "protective gear" for your lightning cables.

"The industrial rubber inner layer absorbs impacts and prevents harmful twists and bends. The hard outer layer stands against damage and securely keeps the unit in position. Combined, Lightning Saver is your strongest choice for your worn Lightning cables, or to keep your new cables from getting frayed," says the product description. This protective gear is available online for ₹149.

And then there are so many workarounds to secure your iPhone charging cables from getting frayed. This video shows you can use spring in your phone and roll it around the cable end to keep them intact. Another workaround is to tie a knot around the corner from getting it bent. Yet another workaround video shows more ways to keep your iPhone cables intact.

Apple users may not have to go through so much of effort had the company built quality cables in the first place. While there are several Apple certified third-party charging cables, they are still expensive. The grey markets have these cables for less than half the price.

Gandharav Mongia, a Delhi-based online seller, says people tend to skip the official chargers when they are looking for a replacement. "The grey markets offer iPhone charging cables for as low as ₹10. But a lot of people prefer buying third-party Apple certified chargers as they are cheaper expensive. The problem with unofficial chargers is that they are not good in quality," he added.

Delhi-based PR executive Jyoti Sharma recently purchased iPhone 6. She was surprised to find out that Apple was no longer offering replacements of charging cables under warranty. Jyoti, however, bought an official charger as she did not want to risk another faulty charger.

Apple is set to launch new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max this week. There are rumours about iPhone charging cables getting an upgrade. The update, however, is expected to be in terms of technology as Apple is speculated to embrace USB Type-C support. This will mean the new cables will not be replacable with the current ones.