News

First, let’s identify what USB-A and USB-C each look like. USB-A is pictured on the right and was the standard USB connection used by iPhone and Android for the last decade. This is also the familiar shape most wall blocks, computers, laptops, and cars manufactured in the last 15 years have available as ports.

USB-C connectors are easily identifiable by their symmetric, flattened-oval shape that can be inserted into devices in either direction. They are reversible while USB-A is not. The ports the cords plug into appear considerably smaller and symmetrical. USB-C is pictured above on the left.

Now that we understand what each looks like, let’s talk about their differences. The biggest difference between the two is charging speed. USB-A to Lightning will charge 30% of your iPhone battery in 30 mins. This will result in a full charge in about an hour and a half. USB-C to Lightning will charge your battery 55% in 30 mins, resulting in a full iPhone charge in just under an hour. 

In short, USB-C is considerably faster than USB-A. However, depending on where you are using the charger and what accessories you already have available will impact whether or not you need USB-C. For example, if you’re using this charger in your bedroom on your nightstand, spending the extra money on USB-C may not make sense since your phone will be plugged in all night. If this is a charger for your living room or office and you would like to be able to quickly charge your phone before leaving the house, the extra speed may be worth it. Additionally, if you already have a slew of USB-A wall blocks, USB-A ports in your car, or USB-A ports on your computer or laptop, it might not make sense to upgrade to USB-C just yet. With that being said, the latest MacBooks, MacBook Pros and iMacs come equipped with a number of USB-C ports. So really the choice should come down to weighing the cost difference with what accessories you already have while also taking the charging speed/location of the charger into consideration.

Shop USB-A to Lightning Cords »

Shop USB-C to Lightning Cords »

Still need help deciding which cord is right for you? Don’t hesitate to email our customer service at contact@chargecords.com or speak to a real, live human via LiveChat on the bottom right hand of our website!

Even if you love Apple, you have to admit the lock screen is pretty boring. With this trick, you can add a Weather widget to the lock screen just below the time and date! To add the current weather and temperature to your lock screen, follow the steps below.

The weather widget is part of the ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature in iOS 12’s ‘Bedtime Mode.’ Because of this, the widget will only appear when your phone is in Do Not Disturb mode (Annoying, yes we know - blame Apple). However, it’s a pleasant addition to your morning lock screen when you first wake up! The weather will display for your exact location, determined by the iPhone’s GPS. No need to change the location if at home or while traveling.

STEP 1: Set Weather Access to ‘Always’ in Location Services

Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services, from here, click Weather and select ‘Always’ for ‘Allow Location Services’. Otherwise, the widget will not appear

STEP 2: Set Up Your Do Not Disturb Schedule

Go to Settings > Do Not Disturb to set your Do Not Disturb schedule.

As mentioned above, the widget only works through ‘Bedtime Mode’ in Do Not Disturb mode. We recommend setting up a time frame based on when you fall asleep and what time you set your morning alarm. The widget will appear on the lock screen until you unlock your iPhone for the day. If you’d like to test out this feature right now, set the Do Not Disturb time for a few minutes past the current time. Lock your iPhone, wake it up, and wa-la! The widget is there.

 While this is a fun addition to your morning lock screen, we have to admit it’s mildly infuriating the widget can’t be displayed at all times of the day (unless you live permanently in Do Not Disturb Mode). Nonetheless, if you’re like us and currently have Do Not Disturb set up to allow you to sleep in peace and without distractions during the night, this extra little step will add some nice flavor to the first peek at your iPhone each morning!

Who doesn't love iPhone lifehacks? There are so many slick little features baked into the iPhone most users don't know about. Because of this, we put together a list of our favorite features your iPhone already has that you might not know exist!

Check them all out here:

1) Measure Distance Using New Measure App

In iOS 12, Apple included a slick little app called Measure. Open the app to measure distance using the iPhone’s camera! It’s a quick and easy way to get an estimate of the size of objects in a photo, or determine the distance between two different things. What to know how wide that remote control is? Add a point at one corner of the object, pan over to the other end, and drag another pointer. The app will automatically show the length of your remote control. Use this to measure any object or distance your iPhone camera can capture!

2) Find Songs Using Lyrics

You can now find songs in Apple Music by searching for lyrics. Just type the lyrics in the search bar to find the song you're looking for!

3) Trackpad Mode

Trackpad Mode allows users to move the text cursor to a precise position when editing text. Long-press on the space bar to turn your entire keyboard into a mouse-like trackpad! This is a game changer when it comes to moving a pesky cursor amongst a wall of text.

4) AirDrop WiFi Passwords

Need to share a Wifi password? Simply long-press the password field in Settings → Passwords & Accounts, and choose the AirDrop option to share it wirelessly. No more spelling long, confusing passwords or trying to read from the bottom of your router.

5) Temporarily Disable Lock Screen Notifications

Tired of annoying notifications? Now when you swipe left from an incoming notification, you’ll see a new 'Manage' option. Click 'Manage' to turn off notifications for the app, or use the new 'Deliver Quietly' feature. This feature will send the notification directly to your Notification Center (effectively bypassing the Lock screen), and won’t make a sound.

6) Set up App Limits

App Limits serves as a time lock for the apps you’re addicted to. For example, you can put up an App limit for 30 minutes a day for Facebook. When those 30 minutes are up, you’re locked out. You can extend the period by 15 minutes or disable the limit for the day, but only by entering your passcode. This is a great way to limit a kid’s time spent in an app as well.

7) Reachability for Bigger Screens

If you're having a hard time reaching the upper areas of your screen on the iPhone XS Max, or plus-sized iPhones, the Reachability setting may come in handy for you. Reachability allows you to pull screen content down so that it’s within easy reach of your thumbs. No more two handing these big phones!

8) Spotlight

While most iPhone users are aware that Spotlight exists, they aren’t aware of how many things it can actually do. Spotlight can do a near limitless amount of conversions and searching - including real-time currency conversion, weight conversions, web searches, calculator functions and more!