Magnetic cables were a sleeper hit at CES 2024

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in General Discussion

While everyone is jazzed about the use of AI, self-stabilizing robots, and flashy mixed-reality glasses, on the show floor, we saw hordes of people excited over a new wave of magnetic cables that are preparing to launch.

Magnetic cables are looking a lot nicer at CES 2024
Magnetic cables are looking a lot nicer at CES 2024



An updated cable isn't exactly a flashy piece of tech, but it's a necessity for everyone. If there's a new evolution that makes them easier to cope with, we're all better for it.

Magnetic cables aren't wholly new. Supercalla came out with the first versions with visible external magnets years ago and has iterated on them since.

At CES 2024, we saw new versions hitting the market from Scosche, Rolling Square, and other lesser-known brands that are rocking a new design.

Rolling Square magnetic cable
Rolling Square magnetic cable



These new USB-C cables have soft, nylon weaving around the outside that obscures the magnetic magic that hides within. The woven exterior is also more durable.

Original Supercalla magnetic cable
Original Supercalla magnetic cable



Supercalla cables have magnets positioned at different intervals which controlled the size of the coils you could make. These new cables have magnets all the way through, adjusting to any size coils that makes sense for you.

There is one downside with these new designs though, which is speed. Currently, most cables we saw were limited to only 60W of power.

Scosche Strikeline Cobra magnetic cable
Scosche Strikeline Cobra magnetic cable



Scosche and Rolling Square assured AppleInsider that these were only the initial products and they'd have 100W versions launching very soon.

It's comical watching the reactions of the passersby at CES when they're entirely unimpressed with AI-powered grills, but they stop and stare at a USB-C cable with hidden magnets.

The Scosche Strikeline Cobra will launch this spring, in black and white in 3ft and 6ft versions. Rolling Square will hit the market with equivalent cables. Pricing for both lines has not been released.



Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    Anilu_777Anilu_777 Posts: 528member
    I like this! I need long cables most of the time but other times they’re a pain. This would be handy for me. And I don’t care about fast charging as I mostly charge overnight. 
    byronldewmemagman1979grandact73watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 14
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,168member
    What a good idea.
    byronlmagman1979appleinsideruserwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 14
    exceptionhandlerexceptionhandler Posts: 373member
    It's comical watching the reactions of the passersby at CES when they're entirely unimpressed with AI-powered grills, but they stop and stare at a USB-C cable with hidden magnets.
    This. It’s such a good idea (magnetic cables) and solves a common immediate problem.  AI (eg ML) on the other hand, while improving, is more of a solution looking for a problem. Don’t get me wrong, ML is really cool and can be useful sometimes, but we are kind of in the same stage with GPT as IoT was/is (let’s slap a wifi and a cpu on everything to do “smart” things without thinking about does it solve a problem for people). An AI powered grill sounds gimmicky and kinda falls into this category.

    Im buying some magnetic cables next time I need a cable.
    entropysmagman1979watto_cobraravnorodom
  • Reply 4 of 14
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,168member
    A lot of gear has software labelled AI which in reality is just iterative improvements. Like a ratchet tightening a nut. Too much marketing, not actual smarts.
    magman1979williamlondontmaywatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 14
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,360member
    AI said:
    There is one downside with these new designs though, which is speed. Currently, most cables we saw were limited to only 60W of power... Scosche and Rolling Square assured AppleInsider that these were only the initial products and they'd have 100W versions launching very soon.
    This talks about two different metrics – speed and power. Care to show the relationship in numbers? What speeds might be expected from a "60W" cable versus a "100W" cable"? I'd appreciate some clarity.

    magman1979watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 14
    jellyapplejellyapple Posts: 82member
    Keep yourself one cable only. More, they all entangle together.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 14
    greg.edwards69greg.edwards69 Posts: 14member
    I want this for guitar, microphone and speaker cables!
    byronlwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 14
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,376member
    Brilliance isn’t always flashy. 
    WhiskeyAPPLEciderwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 14
    ciacia Posts: 256member
    Who is AL and why do people keep talking about him??
    baconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 14
    jSnivelyjSnively Posts: 429administrator
    cia said:
    Who is AL and why do people keep talking about him??
    Paul Simon, I think. You can call him that
    baconstangappleinsideruserravnorodomwatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 14
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,703member
    macgui said:
    AI said:
    There is one downside with these new designs though, which is speed. Currently, most cables we saw were limited to only 60W of power... Scosche and Rolling Square assured AppleInsider that these were only the initial products and they'd have 100W versions launching very soon.
    This talks about two different metrics – speed and power. Care to show the relationship in numbers? What speeds might be expected from a "60W" cable versus a "100W" cable"? I'd appreciate some clarity.

    Perhaps the ratings for battery charging? 

    Seeing as most cables have chips in them for negotiating power across the brick- cable-device, in charging situations, one possibility might be the final charging speeds.

    I'm guessing though. 
  • Reply 12 of 14
    thttht Posts: 5,452member
    I’m pretty negative on the magnetic cables, at least the way these coil up. 

    They coil up vertically as it were, and it just not convenient putting it in a backpack or somewhere. Definitely prefer having them coiled up flat. 
    edited January 15 baconstangwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 14
    BlueLightningBlueLightning Posts: 129member
    Are these safe around external disks, SSDs, storage cards, and similar devices?  Maybe 10-20 years ago, folks could end up corrupting floppy disks, tape cartridges and other magnetic media with a misplaced magnet.  Would seem more economical to use cable ties (either velcro or one-time plastic, or in a pinch, old bread bag ties).  
    edited January 15 watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 14
    baconstangbaconstang Posts: 1,108member
    Are these safe around external disks, SSDs, storage cards, and similar devices?  Maybe 10-20 years ago, folks could end up corrupting floppy disks, tape cartridges and other magnetic media with a misplaced magnet.  Would seem more economical to use cable ties (either velcro or one-time plastic, or in a pinch, old bread bag ties).  
    Velcro FTW!!!  

    I'd be curious about using them for analog audio.  It might take a little testing to see if they alter sound in any way.
    edited January 15 tmaywatto_cobra
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