Apple’s new Lightning connector, used in the iPhone 5, and the new iPod touch and iPod nano, may be cool, tiny, and reversible, but as we reported shortly after the iPhone 5 was released, it also includes an authentication chip from Apple. This made it impossible for third-party manufacturers to make working cables and accessories – until now, that is!
MacRumors reports (via MIC Gadget) that Chinese accessory maker iPhone5Mod has successfully cracked Apple’s authentication chip, and has released a new iPhone 5 dock, as well as a custom glowing Lightning cable, which are both currently for sale on the website as a $40 package (or $20 each).
It’s rather unfortunate that the company wasn’t able to reduce the price of a lightning cable – at $20, you can purchase an official cable directly from Apple (often available at carriers for as low as $16), although it won’t glow and pulse like the iPhone5Mod cable.
Most important is the fact that they have cracked Apple’s authentication, which could pave the way for other third-party manufacturers to produce Lightning cables and accessories, and drive the price down to something more reasonable – as with many third-party 30-pin dock connector cables.
