Apple’s Design Conundrum
Apple is known for its design chops. Specifically this article regards Apple’s industrial design prowess. There have been articles already written about the importance of user experience around the Aesthetic Usability Effect.
As any fanboy would note, this would be a strength for Apple; however, this strength is also Apple’s biggest weakness. An example of this conundrum is the dock cable. Apple’s most recent design of this cable gives narrow prudence to its form more than its desired function—sometimes this distinction is a very thin line.
The resulting effects can be dire or sublime. Yet the resulting choice of the cable’s form in the dock cable’s current incarnation has dire effects than the sublime Apple is known for—and it shows. The tearing that occurs on the dock cable’s connectors has been evidently pointed out on Quora and Reddit. It’s time for Apple to officially come out with an update to rectify it.
The tearing that occurs on the dock cable’s end points occurs due to the constant friction that results from using the cable when connecting it either end, as well as twisting—normal usage. A prior version of the cable included a design that dissipated this friction; the newest design removed this for a ‘cleaner look’—a decision that is more form than function. A decision that may look beautiful but results in quickly-worn-out cables.
Apple’s warranty will replace these cables without question. Yet when the warranty runs out, Apple will refuse to replace them. However when the result is the same for every single person in the World—regardless of being within warranty—the cable’s propensity to easily and rather quickly tear at its ends—soon becomes a matter of legality. The product is faulty.
In California and the rest of the United States there is a lemon law where regardless of warranty the consumer is protected from faulty industrial designs and more. A consumer is protected from products that continue to fail in the same way. If the product fails the same way three times in a row, it’s considered a lemon. The consumer is legally guaranteed to be assisted and compensated.
I’ve since gone through the latest and greatest of iPods and iPhones, the result is always the same: the dock cable fails, tearing no matter how careful you are with it. Yet Apple will refuse if out of warranty.
Apple: When you are mandated as the best in industrial design, you are also expected to be the best. You’re failing at this. As Apple continues to become more mainstream and undisputed in the market, consumers become more knowledgeable and eventually hold you accountable, so shape up.
