This is an issue that many Apple users face. Apple charging cables can become frayed or damaged after a period of use, which can cause frustration and affect the device’s charging performance.
In fact, there are two reasons why a company long known for its meticulousness and attention to detail seems to overlook the importance of such a crucial accessory that powers its products.
A video released by Apple Explained states that Apple’s design team felt that the ribbed lines meant to stabilize the cable and extend its lifespan would make it look less aesthetically pleasing. The video adds: “Apple’s engineering team was aware that the cable would have a higher failure rate, but they proceeded with the changes regardless.”
Ribbed lines were removed for a sleeker cable design, but this also made the cable weaker and less elastic.
According to Apple Explained, the design team is the final decision-making body in the product development process, and in this case, they felt that the ribbed joints were bulky and did not fit the aesthetic vision of iProducts. Therefore, the ribs were removed for a more elegant, streamlined, and luxurious cable design, but this also resulted in a more fragile, weaker, and less elastic product.
Although engineers knew that the chargers could easily fail, they continued to implement the changes, leading to countless complaints and frustrations as consumers were forced to spend money replacing one cable after another.
Another reason Apple made this decision was environmental concerns. Around the same time that Apple removed the ribbed plastic connectors, former CEO Steve Jobs led efforts to transform Apple into a greener, more environmentally friendly company.
The company began producing more recyclable products by eliminating toxic substances such as arsenic, PVC, BFR, and mercury. PVC (or polyvinyl chloride) is one of the most commonly used plastic polymers in the world due to its durability, but it is also highly toxic. Apple started replacing PVC with much weaker rubber material, which significantly decreased the cables’ durability.
Fortunately, Apple has recently released a braided cable with a much sturdier structure for some of its newer products. Therefore, Apple users can finally own a charging cable that is not only environmentally friendly but also more durable than older cables.
