“What you are seeing [in the video below] is the world’s first-ever fully functional third party Lightning Cable that is introduced by a Chinese company who has successfully cloned Apple’s Lightning Cable,” Chris Chang reports for M.I.C. Gadget.
“This third party Lightning Cable is capable of doing the same functionalities as the original Apple Lightning Cable and even more (it glows!!!)” Chang reports. “It can charge and sync your iPhone 5, or iPod touch 5th-generation, with Lightning connector to your Mac or Windows PC. And best of all, it comes along with a dock.”
Chang reports, “This glowing Lightning cable here glows with electric blue light while it is charging or syncing. Here’s something interesting. The lights actually change speed based on the battery capacity of the iPhone 5, with the animated lights moving quicker the lower the battery charge is, and finally stopping motion (lights off) when the iPhone 5 is fully charge[d].”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Sarah” and “Lynn Weiler” for the heads up.]
too bad it took so long
Are people/companies begging to get sued?
Let the sueing commence!
Very tasteful design. I also liked the dirty finger-nailed actor. Nice touch.
Sweet! Love the cable. Not too sure on that cloned controller. Looks like Apple may use a little legal hammer on the use of it.
But, time will tell.
Depends on if this company did it in a “clean room” environment like Compaq did many years ago with IBM’s BIOS.
If they bought a a cable legally from Apple, then cloned all the necessary “ins and outs” of the cable — but did not clone any of the internals of the controller itself — then they are probably safe from any infringement suit.
If they built this from internal Apple documentation or specifications — or “delidded” the chip and/or x-rayed it to get the internal workings, then they are dead.
Once some of the security firms have had at it and declared that they’ve found no hacks in the controller chip in it then I might consider telling people that they could consider buying this.
However, at the moment, I’m recommending that people ONLY buy the cables/adapters from Apple.
If you side with Apple in its patent fights, buy the Apple cable. There is no moral or legal difference in buying this “reverse engineered cables”.
Well, of course, according to YOUR morals.
And when this unauthorized cable burns out your iPhone Apple will not honor the warranty due to a 3rd party unauthorized accessory
Option is,
Purchase an authentic cable from Apple and keep my Warranty for my new 399.99$ 64 Gb iPhone 5 for the next year, or go cheap and buy a knockoff just to save a few bucks.
Only a fool would accept those odds.
Then again I am sure many fools would take the risk just to save a few dollars.
Look at the Android Markets, they are flooded with knockoffs and Samsung being the worst offender.
Cheap is not better when you risk a bad experience.
And don’t say Apple won’t know, Diagnostic Reports and information are kept with every iPhone, I am sure Apple has a Special code for the proper Original Apple designed or Apple approved 3rd party device being used, not worth the trouble in saving a few bucks.
Let’s see, buying a cable that was made in China by a band of pirates or settling for the one bundled with my new iPhone 5.
Buying a copied cable that might be a back door to stealing my identity, pirates being pirates, or go with the one I already own.
Decisions, decisions.
While I don’t think a cable between your computer and your iPhone can steal your data, I think that this cable in particular would make it obvious because surely the light flows in the opposite direction when your data is being lifted from your possession 😉
It’s more fun to be a pirate than to join the navy.
— Steve Jobs
Paranoia will destroy ya.
So this cable is about $20, which is about the same $20 that I just paid Apple for their cable. Of course, Apple cables don’t glow. But (and think this is important) they are pretty much guaranteed to work.
Is there some other excitement here I’m missing?
You are missing the excitement of plugging in the cable and not knowing if it is going to just work. Besides how can you pass up a cable that glows. I bet it helps with energy efficiency.
You’re right, how silly of me! Now I can finally refuel my Buck Rogers spaceship models.
No doubt Chrissy. From 41 cents a year to 2 dollars a year to charge. (all figures approximate)
I’m all for apple but I’m HAPPY that this chip has been cloned. Here in Canberra Australia a cable is $30 and adapter is $45! And if apple won’t make docks then screw them and let the Chinese copies flow in!!
Apple should contact them immediately, not to shut them down but to get the rights to the idea.
Apple should then introduce it as a Product Red, then later introduce a blue version if it becomes popular.
Someone (maybe the same folks as here?) has had glowing dock cables (old 30 pin style) since at least January 2012.
http://osxdaily.com/2012/01/31/animated-glowing-iphone-ipad-charger-is-the-coolest-usb-cable-ever/
Just ordered two cables. I hope Apple doesn’t find a way to orphan 3rd party cables. If they do, well, I knew that would be a possibility.
To The Other Steve
Why contact them and ask for the rights? Just steal the idea and design like they did.
The rights to the blinky thing.
Apple is a deep pocket and cant afford to just go cowboy.
Considering that the other company did steel from Apple, that puts Apple at an advantage when when negotiating.
Assuming the blinky company owns any rights to the blinky stuff.