Lightning to USB cable

The Sligonian

My daughter's ipod stopped charging and when checking for possible reasons, I discovered that the cable was kinked just beyond the reinforced 'sleeve' at one end. I checked on the web and found this to be fairly common - it looks as though the newer cables are not as robust as the older 30-pin cables. Actually, we have a number of older Apple devices and the cables are still fine after many years of use. Several people said that they returned to the shop where they purchased their device and had them replaced under warranty.
I knew our ipod was only a few months old and when checking my Currys receipt found that it was purchased only 5 months ago. When I called to customer service at Currys in Galway I quickly discovered customer disservice was a more accurate term. I was given a litany of excuses why they could not deal with it from "cables and accessories are not covered" to "we don't have Apple trained staff". I told I did not want to be fobbed off and asked to speak to a manager but the customer service staff member, AnnMarie, said she would have a word with the manager on my behalf. Leaving me waiting for several minutes she eventually returned and said "he cannot do anything about this". I told her that they are obliged as the retailer to replace a faulty item but she just refused to acknowledge this. She suggested that I bring the ipod to Galmac where they could assess it. I told her that they should offer to do this on my behalf but she was having none of it. In the end I said that I was unhappy with the Curry's response and having spend a substantial sum of money in the store over the years (washing machine, tumble drier, dishwasher, TV, laptop and several miscellaneous items - all receipts available) I was disgusted that they would quibble over a €10.00 cable which would cost them nothing in any case as Apple would cover it. They won't get a single cent of my hard-earned cash again.
As it was only a short distance away, I decided to drive to Galmac to buy a replacement cable. When I called in to the Galmac store at Liosban Industrial estate the lady at reception listened courteously to my description of the problem and brought it to a techie who confirmed that it was likely to be the cable. As they have to go through a logging and assessment procedure with Apple, they held onto the device for a couple of days. They phoned me two days later and I called in to pick up the ipod and replacement cable. Kudos to Galmac for this.
A big Thumbs Down for Currys though. Not everybody lives close to a proper Apple outlet.

DubDJ

Wow you must be out of breath!

After reading your experience I think Currys were in the right here. Over the space of 5 months your daughter damaged the cable to a point where it stopped working. It wasn't a faulty cable when you recieved it, it damaged over time which is very common when it comes to these Apple cables. Also they're €19 to buy, not €10 like you mentioned.

If anybody's in the wrong here it's Apple, for not making a sturdy enough cable which is fit for a standard length of use. Also as an aside I've had a number of Apple devices since 2009 (over 6) and I've never had a cable become damaged. My younger sister however has damaged 4 (one original, three fakes) over the last year. It's all down to how you use it.

Next time I'd contact Apple directly, they're very accommodating and will offer one of the best customer services you'll ever get.

guil

Have to agree about how it's used. I have my iPhone 5 since march last year and the cable is still perfect. My sister however got an iPad mini and broke the wire within 3 months.

The Sligonian

You are correct in saying that Apple are manufacturing cables that are unable to withstand reasonable use. This has been commented on many times on various websites. The key point here is that the cable failed with reasonable/normal use. If my daughter was careless when charging her ipod, I would have just bought a replacement cable. I pointed this out to Currys.
Ultimately, though, Currys sold the ipod and my statutory rights enable me to return the item to the retailer who should be able to repair or replace the item or refund the cost of the item. In this instance Currys should have replaced the cable.
It is up to them to determine if inconvenience of replacing faulty cables is worth it to them as a reseller. That is between them and Apple.
I am aware that the cables cost €19.00 but as there is a substantial markup on accessories, I reckon that these cost Currys in the region of €10.00
I realise that I am lucky to have an Apple reseller on my doorstep. Being able to pop in to Galmac and get the problem sorted so quickly has been great.

pmct

You are right the new lighting cables are very poor quality I have had a iPhone 5, iPhone 5c and iPad all with the new cable and all only lasted a few months