Comment by jlokier

I have two broken USB-C cables next to me. They just wore out and broke. They have only been used to charge my phone. To be fair, it's not the metal connector which broke, it's the plastic parts, but still, that's enough to make the connector flimsy.

I also have a phone with a broken USB-C port (data signals don't get through). This phone was effectively bricked when the display stopped working. It still has files on it I'd like to read, but I can't read them because the USB-C data on it isn't working to use remote debugging, and also means the HDMI out feature doesn't work.

I have another phone where the USB-C port works but its charging is intermittent, probably because it isn't making a reliable connection. Probably due to matter accumulated in the port, as the connection does feel slightly less solid than it should be, but it's a pain to clean it out. A toothpick is slightly too large. I've tried various methods of cleaning it out but the problem persists, and I wonder if it's really matter in there, or if something is wrong with the metal parts inside.

These are just my anecdotes, and I don't have anything that uses Lightning to compare with. But I have read claims that USB-C is a very robust, long-life connector, and my experience doesn't give me as much confidence in it as those claims suggest.