this post was submitted on 11 Oct 2026
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[–] RestrictedAccount@lemmy.world 35 points 5 days ago

99 percent invisible just did an excellent episode on those phones and why they were indestructible.

TL;DR the phone company owned them and had to pay for replacement and repairs.

https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/100-objects-019-western-electric-500-series/

[–] essell@lemmy.world 30 points 5 days ago (2 children)

They can. They do. You can buy them.

Then most people say "I'm not paying that for a lead, I can get five normal ones for that price!"

[–] Afaithfulnihilist@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Apple charges five times normal price and their stuff still disintegrates.

[–] essell@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago

Yeah, that's probably part of why people don't trust the expensive ones that last.

[–] grue@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago

Also, telephone cords are (and always have been) cheap.

[–] frunch@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago

Do you have any specific brands to recommend? I am ready to pay for quality after going through an endless amount of crap cables.

[–] tetris11@feddit.uk 21 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

I used to munch on stringy phone cord as a kid. Parents thought it was rats but no, it was... it was me.

[–] ZeroGravitas@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 5 days ago (1 children)
[–] saltnotsugar@lemmy.world 8 points 5 days ago

(Rat closes laptop)

[–] peacepath@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Because they learned that things that last too long are not profitable enough.

[–] tetris11@feddit.uk 0 points 5 days ago

Because they learned that things that last too long are not profitable enough.

[–] saltesc@lemmy.world 10 points 5 days ago

Apple makes a lot of money off "repair services" (where you basically pay to replace a device instead of repair the $1 component in it) and replacing accessories.

They not going to build high quality parts. Their whole model is built around an ecosystem of replacing stuff. Even if you manage to get your stuff lasting, they'll stop supporting it so you have to replace it.

[–] aeronmelon@lemmy.world 10 points 5 days ago

I... don't hate it.

[–] PixellatedDave@feddit.uk 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

If you take a thin lead and wrap it round a pencil the use a hair dryer on it then it becomes a curly lead .....

[–] WhoIzDisIz@lemmy.today 5 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Still breaks far too easily at the plug because internally the wires are barely touching it from the start.

[–] PixellatedDave@feddit.uk 2 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

Oh yeah I see your point. There are better made ones but they are much to spendy for what they are

Edit But having said that I have had some cheap ones for years now so I suppose they are fit for purpose

[–] GottaHaveFaith@fedia.io 1 points 5 days ago

bought something vaguely like that for my keyboard

https://epomaker.com/products/epomaker-mix-pro-cable