What are Lightning Cables?

Lightning cables are a type of cable designed to be used specifically with iPhones. Functionally, they are very similar to the standard types of USB cables used with Android phones. Lightning cables are proprietary to Apple and the only type of connection that will work for charging most iPhones or connecting them to other devices.

Apple Lightning iPhone iPod iPad


Apple introduced Lightning cables in September 2012 to replace older, bulkier connectors. Any iPhone, iPad, or other Apple device made after late 2012 likely uses a lightning connection. Lightning cables are not compatible with older Apple devices that use the wider, 30-pin style connectors.

There are some MacBooks that use a USB-C connection instead of lightning cables. Be sure to check a MacBook to see what it uses before purchasing a cable. Being proprietary, it can be a bit tricky to find lightning cables and accessories without purchasing expensive items from Apple directly. Thankfully, Apple does allow a certain degree of freedom to third parties and that is where our new adapter comes in.

Charge Your Phone and Listen to Music at the Same Time

On an iPhone, the lightning port has two main uses. The first is to charge the phone, keeping the

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