Recent rumors have stated that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 12 models could ship with a new braided fabric Lightning to USB-C cable, and now prominent leaker L0vetodream has shared images of what is allegedly the new cable. The white iPhone 12 cable is pictured alongside a similar black braided cable that could be destined for use with the iMac Pro.
As seen above, the photos show a USB-C to Lightning cable that has a braided design rather than the standard non-fabric design of the current cables.
If such a cable is released by Apple, it will be a first for iPhone cables, as the Cupertino firm has never included a braided cable with iPhones or iPads. However, as pointed out by MacRumors, the company does offer a braided Thunderbolt Pro cable, a black braided Lightning cable that ships with the Mac Pro, and a braided power cable for the HomePod.
While braided cable designs are generally more durable than standard rubber-coated cables, such cables usually include extra reinforcement at the endpoints of the cables, something we don’t see in the photos of these white cables.
Apple included a USB-C to Lightning cable with the higher-end 2019 iPhone 11 “Pro” models, along with a USB-C power adapter. Normal iPhone 11 models included a standard USB-A to Lightning cable in the box.
L0vetodream later tweeted that the black braided Lightning cable shown in the photo is made for the iMac Pro, suggesting it could come with a future model or an accessory such as a Magic Keyboard.