could USB be "partially" connected?

[louis2008]

My Android phone is failing, but it is still usable, I haven't thrown it away. But something strange is happening.

that is if the USB cable isn't connected firmly, it will still charge and shows that estimated length of charging time is, for example, 4 hours, but when I stick the cable more firmly it will immediately show that the charging time is 1 hour.

I'm wondering if a cable could be "partially" connected? Didn't the scientist create a cable or plug either totally connected or not connected at all? Why it looks like there is something in the middle?

 

[Hadron]

Nothing is designed to be partly connected, but if you have a bad connection for any reason (contacts only just touching, dirt or corrosion on the contacts, whatever) then less current can flow. So sure, a loose connection with a less than solid contact between the conductors could do this, and if there is wear on either the socket or the cable that's not impossible.

(BTW it won't have been a scientist who designed the socket or cable. That's an engineering problem.)

 

[louis2008]

Nothing is designed to be partly connected, but if you have a bad connection for any reason (contacts only just touching, dirt or corrosion on the contacts, whatever) then less current can flow. So sure, a loose connection with a less than solid contact between the conductors could do this, and if there is wear on either the socket or the cable that's not impossible.

(BTW it won't have been a scientist who designed the socket or cable. That's an engineering problem.)

Thanks for this explanation