'iPhone 12' could come with braided Lightning cable, leak claims

The "iPhone 12" may not include a charger in the box, but it could have an extra surprise for its included Lightning cable, with a leaker claiming it will be a braided version that may be more hard-wearing than the current in-box cable.

Rumors have speculated that Apple will be removing items from the box it supplies to buyers of the "iPhone 12, such as the charger and earphones. Of what will be left in the box, it is suggested that the charging cable may be given an upgrade after many years of having the same design.

In images sourced from Weibo and posted to Twitter by "DuanRui," the in-box USB-C to Lightning cable will be braided. The images show it to have the standard Apple terminations on each end, but instead of a plastic-coated cable, it will instead be covered by a braided sheathing.

The Weibo post about the leak goes into detail claiming the cable has 8 silver contacts made using a "rhodium-plated ruthenium" process, one that allegedly is more hard-wearing against corrosion. The braiding is made of gray and white filaments mixed in a "2+2 interlaced manner" that is wear-resistant.

According to the post, the cable measures 1.05 meters (3 feet 5.3 inches) end to end, while the diameter of the wire itself is 3.04 millimeters.

It is unclear if the cable is genuine, as braided cables are quite commonly available. The track records of Weibo leaker ChargerLAB and DuanRui are also relatively unknown, but the retweet by prominent leaker @L0vetodream gives the images some merit.

It remains to be seen whether Apple will include a braided cable in the box, but given what it is supposedly removing, an upgraded and more resilient cable may be a welcome addition.