3 Habits that Could Break Your IPhone's Docking Port

If your iPhone's docking port breaks, you're in trouble. You'll have to get it fixed through Apple or a third party repair center, and unless you're under warranty, it could be expensive. The good news is that iPhones are pretty well built, and you're probably not going to screw up the docking port unless you have some really bad habits.

The bad news, of course, is that you might have some of these habits. Here are a few things that you might be doing that could ruin your iPhone's docking port.

Not Using An Adapter - If you use your iPhone with any sort of a docking station or stereo, you should make sure that the station is properly supporting the iPhone. You know all of those little adapters that come with iPod docking stereos that people pretty much ignore? They can be sort of important--they make sure that there's not unnecessary stress on your iPhone's docking port by supporting it properly.

If you don't use an adapter designed for your iPhone while you're docking it, you could gradually break the connector. You'll notice that it won't connect properly at first, and over time, it'll stop working altogether. Avoid this easily by using adapters or devices that are specifically designed to work with the iPhone.

Pulling The USB Cord Out - Say you're in a hurry and you pull the iPhone's USB cord out of its docking port. As you might imagine, that's also not very good for it. Most iPhone USB cables have little bits that stick out to the side to keep the phone plugged in. Otherwise, the cord would just slip out all of the time.

When you pull out the cord, these bits catch and can warp the sides of the iPhone's docking connector. Again, you'll gradually make it hard for the iPhone to connect. Take your time and squeeze the sides of a USB cable's tip before unplugging an iPhone or iPod.

Using Sketchy Accessories - Some iPhone accessories aren't designed for the iPhone, they're designed for an iPod, and some simply aren't designed very well. Do your research on an iPhone accessory that you buy that plugs in via the docking connector. You should be especially careful when buying wall chargers, car chargers, and anything that transmits electricity to the iPhone. A bad accessory could fry the docking connector, leaving you with an expensive paperweight. On the plus side, you'll have the only paperweight in town with a SIM card in it, but it's best to simply look online for user reviews before you buy an iPhone accessory. You'll avoid shoddier products that might pose a risk to your phone.

Have any other tips for keeping an iPhone's docking connector from breaking? Post in the comments section below.