The Seven Voyages Of Steve
Gotta say that although I wholly support standardisation, my first experience of having a USB-C iPhone for the past year has not been that great; I hate to say it but Lightning was better UX, for 2 main reasons:
1. The USB-C port is more of a pain to clean pocket lint out of, because of the little “toungue” in the middle
2. It just doesn’t stay in very well, any little nudge can dislodge the cable out enough to stop it charging
Summary: in principle better, in practice worse
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
I’m considering getting a bedside wireless charger just to avoid the issue of finding I nudged the phone and it didn’t charge overnight, and getting a different case with a port cover. Or maybe someone does separate little port covers like you get in the back of GPUs?
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
@KeefJudge maybe - it’s also possible I haven’t been able to clean the port well enough for it to click in properly, which is problem 1. The jeans pocket I keep the phone never has anything else in it and yet it always gets full of lint
Keith Judge
@sinbad I wonder if Apple are using different USB-C connectors to other phones. I've had 3 Pixel phones in a row and all of them the USB-C cable clicks in positively and doesn't ever fall out.
Chris Ahchay
@sinbad @KeefJudge Never had that problem in ~5 years of various USB-C phones - and I keep my phone in jeans pockets all the time?
Also, I'd echo Keef's comments - the USB-C cable should click into place, takes a concious effort to dislodge it. I've had some phone cases which don't allow enough clearance for the cable, but that's a different problem (and nothing that a few minutes with a craft knife haven't been able to sort out)
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
@ahchay @KeefJudge possibly just a shit Apple design then out of spite for being forced
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
@alextecplayz @ahchay @KeefJudge ok the problem was lint. There was a tiny bit left right in the corner that was stopping it clicking in properly. The port itself is just a poor design for out and about use IMO, too hard to clean
AlexTECPlayz
@ahchay @sinbad @KeefJudge I concur. All of the USB-C cables I used (for Raspberry Pi's charger, for the XBOX Series X|S controller, my Redmi Note 11), never had issues, nor are they easy to dislodge/pull from the port.
Wouldn't surprise me if Apple is making low-quality USB-C cables as some form of malicious compliance towards the EU. "See, we gave the customers USB-C, like you said! But you didn't say anything about quality!"
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
OK problem 2 was just problem 1 - I'd cleaned the port twice with a dental pick but there was still a tiny bit left in a corner which was stopping it from clicking in properly. I had to use my reading glasses and a torch to find it though.
I maintain that the USB-C port is a poor design for out-and-about, non-pristine conditions. The fact that the gaps are *incredibly* thin because of that little central toungue makes it an absolute bitch to get lint out of, especially once it's been compressed
Ben Wooller
@sinbad Bedside wireless magnetic chargers are great, you can put your phone on them in the dark!
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
@BenAU yeah I've ordered one, and some separate port covers :)
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
Right, I've ordered a bedside Qi charger and some little silicone port covers to hopefully eliminate the need to use the stupid port at all most of the time 😛
Neil Henning
@sinbad this is what I do after port / cable woes!
WildRikku
@sinbad I have never had any USB-C cable that wasn't super tight. I'd suspect you either have a bad cable or Apple used cheap ports. I also never had to clean a USB port either...
Beldarak
@sinbad My new Samsung phone came with no cables as the new trend.
I'd be fine with it as I have tons of those around the house... except 90% of cables I use with it get me a "charging is limited due to wrong cable" message.
Basically, if it's not connected to the wall, it doesn't work properly :/
Can't imagine what it will be like in 2 years when the port will inevitably be filled with dust as no constructor ever think about putting a lid on a port that will live in your pocket :|
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
@wildrikku It was just lint that needed glasses, a torch and a dental pick to extract. All my phones have always got lint in their ports, even from new jeans with nothing else ever in that pocket, but USB C is by far the worst port to clean. Fine if you never put the phone anywhere there's dust I suppose
WildRikku
@sinbad huh, never had issues like that and I really don't care about my phone, it's in my Jeans pockets, jacket pockets, in my backpack with my groceries and in the kitchen on the counter where I cut food...
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
@wildrikku Maybe it's a pet thing? Most people I know who have to clean their phone out all the time have pets. Also maybe if you have more carpets in your house than hard surfaces or something. Whatever the reason mine gets full of lint constantly and it's only ever in that one pocket that I don't use for anything else, no idea where it comes from
WildRikku
@sinbad Possible. No pets and no carpets here. I basically live in a workshop though so saw dust exists. Maybe other things in other pockets catch dust faster than the USB socket. Or maybe it's just your pocket. Check if it has magical powers and tries to tell you something.
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
@wildrikku hmm the Pocket Of Infinite Lint must be worth something surely
David
@sinbad Ooh I'd not considered my connection issues might be because I keep my phone in my pocket. Time to get some cleaning supplies out!
Thanks!
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
@armstrong it’s fundamentally a port design issue. The spacing around the centre “tongue” is so narrow as to make extracting lint incredibly difficult. I only managed it on my 3rd attempt with a flashlight and magnifying lenses, so now it’s fine but so much harder than the “quick swipe with a toothpick” of lightning. I like standards but this one doesn’t hold up to non-ideal conditions
Chris Armstrong
@sinbad that feels like a design problem Apple need to solve though?
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
@Beldarak the “one cable, many possible capabilities” part of the spec was an absolutely terrible idea
Ric
@sinbad like everyone else, I've just never had this issue. Always used Android and I've gone through a lot of manufacturers. Some cheap brands, some expensive brands. Never used phone cases or anything like that. Back in the Micro-usb days I'd periodically have to bend that little tongue piece back to get a good connection, but it's more rigid in usbc ports and fluff just doesn't happen for me. And I wear wool overcoats and such! 🤷♂️
I can recommend Anker USB cables though. Noticeable quality.
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
@dev_ric oh it’s far from everyone else based on replies; there seems to be 2 sets of people - those who get lint in their phone sockets and those that don’t. For those that do, the USB C port is a PITA
The Seven Voyages Of Steve
@idbrii yay
David
@sinbad I can't believe how much lint I got out!
USB connection seems harder to accidentally dislodge!
Thanks again!
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