Seemingly available only on Apple’s website and in its stores, Incase’s 6″ Sync and Charge Lightning to USB Cable ($25) is one of the more visually distinct third-party Lightning cords we’ve yet seen. Functionally, it’s just what you’d expect from any other connector: one end has a USB plug, the other Lightning, and it can be plugged into a computer or charger to sync and power up a compatible iPad, iPhone, or iPod. Its coloration and abbreviated length make it a little bit different from the rest of the field though.
Although others have been announced, this is the shortest Lightning cable we’ve yet seen.
It measures half a foot from the end of one plug to the end of the other, and instead of traditional white or the slightly less common black, comes in a shade of light blue. The cord is short enough that there’s some rigidity to it, allowing the cable to hold a straight position, but not preventing it from bending and curling as necessary. The casing around the Lightning plug is, not surprisingly, larger than on Apple’s own cables, but still relatively narrow.
It’ll be compatible with most cases.
$25 is a lot to pay for a simple cable, and it’s a $6 premium over what Apple charges for its 1m and 0.5m Lightning to USB Cables. For the extra cost, we expect more, not less.
