If you have an Apple device, you probably have some spare Lightning cables in case you lose the original one or if you need to charge your device at work. Of course, the official Apple Lightning cables are a bit on the expensive side so if you can order one for a few dollars on eBay and similar sites, why wouldn’t you do so?
However, you will definitely run into some issues after upgrade to iOS 7. These unofficial cables no longer seem to work on the new operating system. In beta versions of iOS 7, there was only warning if you connected such cables, but now the final version of iOS 7 seems to accept the cables no longer. It is no longer possible to charge or sync your iPhone or iPad using such cables.
The problem is that is Apple Lightning cables have a special authentication chip. Third-party manufacturers that make Lightning cables or accessories must take a license from Apple and they are required to integrate these chips. Majority of unofficial cables do not have this chip. Apple iOS 7 seems to have changed, and certain “detection mechanism” rejects these cables.
However, not all is lost. There are certain steps that may actually help.
- Connect the cable to a USB port or adapter
- Plug the cable into your iPhone
- Dismiss the warning
- Unlock your iPhone
- Dismiss further warnings
- Keep the screen turned on
- Unplug the Lightning cable
- Plug it back in
- Dismiss warning again
- The iPhone should start charging