Why Apple's cables are so bad...(being "green" has a LOT to do with it)

#1

If you’ve ever wondered why Apple’s cables (Lightning, MacBook charger, etc) are so bad with the outer jacket eventually turning yellow and then fraying at the ends where they’re touched, it’s because of the lack of a certain chemical called Polyvinyl Chloride or what we commonly call it, PVC.

Here’s a good read on the subject with an explanation that makes sense:

Apple’s cables are really “green”

Almost every Apple cable that I’ve owned has done this…Anker’s (and most other manufacturer’s as well) have never done this.

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#2

I’ve never had this issue at all. I’ve had Apple devices for years (original iPod) and never had any issues with discoloration. The original iPod cable is still white (except for a little dirt). And up until a few months ago I had an iPhone 4 with the original cable, and that was as white as snow.

Idk why I’ve never had any issues, when I know so many people who have. Weird

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#3

This is one of the reasons I do not have respect for Apple. They knowingly sell inferior cables in the hopes that they will fail and they will be able to sell more. IMO this is very irresponsible business tactic that makes money yes but it’s horrible for the environment and the consumer.

It really gives you a sneak peek of their corporate mentality and extends to all Apple products.

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#4

I am using my old IPODS so I collect the cables for those.
(flea market!)

I dont mind any discoloration.
But the rubber at the plug will loose its flexibility and the cable gets broken there.

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An the cable is not the best as well.

But this is APPLE you get what you payed for! :rofl:

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#5

This is interesting topic.
Do you want your cable to be “green” or more durable?

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#6

Anker offers already red ones.
Those are easier to be found in the bag.

The quality is outstanding, we all know.

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#7

Yes. Hopefully, Anker will never offer “green” cables like Apple’s (that can deteriorate on their own while they are still in use)…unless they are only “green” in color.

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#8

Snap, mine are as white as the day they were taken from the box.

#9

Note that this is just my opinion, going by what I’ve been reading along with a lot of experience and some logic thrown in…

I think a lot has to do with how Apple’s cables react to your skin oils. If you closely compare an Apple cable to say, an Anker cable, you’ll see that the Apple cable jacket looks and feels basically unsealed, porous and grippy while Anker cables are glossy and feel smooth and sealed. This porosity and absence of PVC in Apple’s cable jacket allows skin oils to enter and then depending on the composition of your skin oils, the plastics in the cable jacket may react in a negative way, start yellowing, then eventually start breaking down. The PVC in most other cables acts as an isolation/penetration barrier and your skin oils basically just sit on the cable jacket’s surface.

Notice that the yellowing/breaking down starts and is basically contained to the area(s) where the cable is touched by one’s hands the most…the end(s) where it’s connected/disconnected from the device.