Magnetic USB cables

[Tippon]

Anyone know if there’s a standard for magnetic USB cables? Will the connectors from one brand work with the cables from another?

I’ve just bought one to try out, and I like the idea, but before I buy more I thought I’d better check. I can obviously buy from the same place, but I want to get some flashy cables for Alice’s kit, and also if the company I’m currently using goes under, would I have to start again if my cables break?

[Dave Rice]

Apparently they all have chips inside, so no.

[Wheels-Of-Fire]

+1

https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/376536/why-magnetic-usb-cables-have-chips-in-them

All I could find about it is above.

 

[blacklion1725]

I think you’ll struggle to use them if your phone’s in a case as well as the lug that stays in the phone may not fit.

[Dave Rice]

My daughters Huawei has been in many a bumper case – fashion items – and seems to cope with the magnetic stub. The cases have to have a recces to cope with the plug head and the short length of the connection end.

I’ve just realised her phone is nearing it’s first birthday so something of a record. She either wrecks the screen or the USB socket. It’s also the first phone she hasn’t found something to complain about!

[blacklion1725]

Fair enough – never tried one Dave – and since I’ve been “Type C” am less concerned about b*ggering the socket by forcing the micro usb in the wrong way (which is what made me look at the magnetic option in the first place).

[Bob Williams]

BL that last bit:  “… b*ggering the socket by forcing the micro usb in the wrong way …”   resonates with me. My Lenovo Tab3 socket is quite loose due to {someone’s} impatience at trying to cram it in without checking that it was upside down. “I only wanted to check the BBC weather…”    “OH Bowlocks! Look out of the window! It’s raining!”

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Tippon]

Thanks guys 🙂

It’s a shame, but not the end of the world.

I’ve got a C connector for my Honor 9, and it fits through the case better than the two normal cables that I use. It’s small enough to stay there too. I might just buy a load during the xmas / new year sales and be done with it.

[The Duke]

I loved the idea of these but they charge too slow for me.

I did get one for the car, but I couldn’t get android auto or apple cp to work with them. Now if I could get that working, I may put up with the slower charge speed. Maybe…

[Tippon]

Ths is the cable I bought:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32996527344.html

As far as I can tell it does fast charging. I’ll have a proper look tonight though, and see how much it charges in 10 and 30 minutes.

[The Duke]

Depending on your phone, when you plug it in it will tell you if its charging, fast charging  or super charging, etc. Also the charge icon indecator is different for each. Subtle but different.

[Tippon]

My phone went from 27% to 45% in 12 minutes with the cable I linked to earlier.

[The Duke]

That’s good, does it work for data transfer do you know? If so it May do android auto also. Then I’m in, all day long.

[Tippon]

It definitely does data transfer, but I haven’t tried it with Android Auto yet.

[The Duke]

Do you have auto in your car?

̶C̶a̶n̶ ̶I̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶l̶i̶n̶k̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶c̶a̶b̶l̶e̶s̶ ̶p̶l̶e̶a̶s̶e̶?̶

Edit just seen you have.

[Tippon]

The Duke wrote:

Do you have auto in your car?

I have, yeah. If I’d thought, I could have tested it earlier. We’re going out in the car tomorrow, so I’ll try it out then 🙂

[Tippon]

Just tried Android Auto and it worked fine. The only problem is that the connection broke when I moved the phone. I put it on my lap and a crease in my jeans was enough to break the magnet’s connection. I can’t see it being a problem if you’ve got a holder, but if the phone is likely to move it could disconnect.

[Author]

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