New “USB accessories” infuriatingly broken

[stevemiller]

Not just the new iPhones apparently.

Woke up to my 7 not having charged on its dock all night. Remembered hearing there was a new iOS “feature” that locked the USB port for security. Was initially annoyed that default behaviour was changed like this with no prompting to the user (I wouldn’t have known at all if I didn’t follow tech sites).

Then on a lark I tried it again, plugging in the phone and still receiving no charge (and more frustratingly: no prompt of any sort that things had been disabled or why) But wait... it’s not even supposed to disable the USB until after an hour of being locked, but I was using the phone *just* before plugging it in.

So not only is a feature (that could be disasterous when travelling with limited access to charging) stealth enabled without user consultation, but it apparently doesn’t even work properly.

Am I the only non-xs user to be getting this issue?

 

[Absrnd]

you're too late, there is already a huge charging "gate" thread somewhere

 

[stevemiller]

you're too late, there is already a huge charging "gate" thread somewhere

I'd have chimed in there instead, but to my knowledge I'd only been hearing about this in the context of the iPhone xs/max and I'm pretty certain its an extremely poorly thought out / implemented iOS 12 feature!

 

[Absrnd]

extremely poorly thought out / implemented iOS 12 feature= small bug
that's all, it is already solevd in the laters beta, now go forth and enjoy your iPhone

 

[stevemiller]

extremely poorly thought out / implemented iOS 12 feature= small bug
that's all, it is already solevd in the laters beta, now go forth and enjoy your iPhone

Thanks, but personally I think it's arrogant to tell others what is a small bug.

Maybe its "one line of code" small, but had that translated to "my phone didn't charge overnight and I had no device when I needed it" is the kind of reliability issue that might make me reconsider my choice of phone.

Especially if I wasn't savvy enough to troubleshoot the poorly communicated usb accessories feature that was auto enabled, and even more so since being addressed in an unreleased beta means its still an issue that could and likely will prevent others from simply going forth and enjoying their iPhone.

the windows 10 update that deletes user data might also be a "small bug" that they've already addressed in a beta repository somewhere.

 

[C DM]

Not just the new iPhones apparently.

Woke up to my 7 not having charged on its dock all night. Remembered hearing there was a new iOS “feature” that locked the USB port for security. Was initially annoyed that default behaviour was changed like this with no prompting to the user (I wouldn’t have known at all if I didn’t follow tech sites).

Then on a lark I tried it again, plugging in the phone and still receiving no charge (and more frustratingly: no prompt of any sort that things had been disabled or why) But wait... it’s not even supposed to disable the USB until after an hour of being locked, but I was using the phone *just* before plugging it in.

So not only is a feature (that could be disasterous when travelling with limited access to charging) stealth enabled without user consultation, but it apparently doesn’t even work properly.

Am I the only non-xs user to be getting this issue?

https://www.macrumors.com/2018/10/02/ios-12-1-charging-bug-fix/

 

[NoBoMac]

Add another variable to the equation: is the dock MFi certified? All bets off if not.

 

[cynics]

I've had your issue with my iPhone 6S. However its isolated to a particular set of cables, if I plug them in several times it works. However this isn't USB restriction mode, its cheap non MFi cables. Which could possibly be your case, or a dirty lightning port, or burned pin on the lightning connector, etc etc.... Over the years I've had the random night of being plugged in and not getting a charge for whatever reason. I always verify the charging indicator is on prior setting the phone down to be save.

You will get a message when the USB is restricted from use and unlocking the phone enables it again if its locked out.

You can also goto Settings > Touch ID/Face ID & Passcodes > USB Accessories toggle it on to disable it if it is the problem.

 

[stevemiller]

The issue is almost definitely the USB accessories toggle. I could reproduce the lack of charging when it was set to prevent usb access after an hour of being locked (but instead would stop working immediately and most definitely did not give any messaging) and immediately works again when you toggle back to the pre-iOS 12 behaviour.

Also the dock is an ihome brand with the “made for iphone” Apple approved branding on the box, and never has had any issues prior to this.

 

[cynics]

The issue is almost definitely the USB accessories toggle. I could reproduce the lack of charging when it was set to prevent usb access after an hour of being locked (but instead would stop working immediately and most definitely did not give any messaging) and immediately works again when you toggle back to the pre-iOS 12 behaviour.

Also the dock is an ihome brand with the “made for iphone” Apple approved branding on the box, and never has had any issues prior to this.

Ahh, its not just a charger. The dock is accessing data on the phone (does it play music)? A charger will just charge, but things that can talk to the iPhone will be blocked.

However its a bug if it doesn't say the USB is disabled AND activates in less than an hour of being locked.

The purpose of this feature is to prevent your data from being accessed via USB with products that can do that being cheaper and easier to obtain.