“One of the long-rumored features of the next-generation iPhone is a revised, smaller dock connector,” Chris Foresman writes for Ars Technica. “This has been discussed in the rumor mill since before the launch of the last iPhone, and the buzz only continues on today.”
“Case in point: according to recent report by TechCrunch, several manufacturers claim that Apple will adopt a new 19-pin replacement for its now ubiquitous 30-pin dock connector,” Foresman writes. “But although such a change would present difficulties for the legion of companies that make accessories for iPhones, iPads, and iPods, we think now might actually be a good time for Apple to make that switch.”
Foresman writes, “The 30-pin dock connector first appeared on the third-generation iPod in 2003… The rumored replacement for this standard is a 19-pin port that appears significantly smaller (perhaps one-third the size) of the existing 30-pin port. That would generally allow Apple to make thinner devices while still maximizing internal space for the logic board and ever-important battery. It gives Apple the opportunity to get rid of legacy cruft—pins for FireWire or analog video, for instance.”
Much more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “John” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Why iPhone 5′s Micro Dock Connector could really be Micro USB – June 25, 2012
Fury at Apple’s ‘rip-off’ plan to make all iOS device accessories obsolete with new micro Dock Connector – June 22, 2012
Apple’s next-gen iPhone, iPad, iPods to replace Dock Connector with ‘chipped’ Micro MagSafe? – June 22, 2012
Rumors of next-gen iPhone’s micro Dock Connector prompt negative comments – June 21, 2012
Images of purported ‘iPad mini’ leak; show same mini Dock Connector as leaked ‘iPhone 5′ video – June 7, 2012
Apple may ditch traditional iPhone, iPad, and iPod dock connector for updated ‘micro dock’ – February 24, 2012
Coincidence: no iPod refresh last year?
Has the plight of MS not shown what happens when you hold on to out-dated baggage.
The 30 pin connect of today will still work tomorrow – just not with the new releases.
I cant play blu rays on my laptop or PC – so what
My receiver doesn’t have an HDMI port, but the next one will when I eventually upgrade.
If the next gen phone has a 19 pin socket thet will bring out a lead to connect it to another device or I use bluetooth etc. etc
I think Apple will cite the new dock connector as one of the reasons why they were able to get the iPad mini so incredibly thin. We will be amazed by its dimensions.
Analogue video is awesome! You can connect to any TV on the planet with it. Not so with other options. Boo!! It’s great to have tech that maintains some connection to a ubiquitous global port.
Not so fast… There have been sets on the market for some time that are HDMI only. My TV does have *one* analog input which made me nervous, but I still don’t have anything plugged in into it. And I see many new TVs that do have analog ports have them hidden in back with HDMI on the front and back. Analog is pretty dead to me these days.
And when you say analog and ubiquitous global port, what exactly are you talking about? RF (screw, coax, BNC), Composite (RCA, BNC, Miniplug), Svideo (din-4, din-7, din-8, or din-9), Component (RCA, BNC, D-Term), VGA/RGB (too many to list), plus all the many others, some regional like SCART.
HDMI, I’m very glad to be done with all that other crap.
+1
The only port ever to come close to a “ubiquitous global port” for TV is HDMI
The analog world was hopelessly tangled (even among a single TV standard (i.e. NTSC or PAL)) But a global standard?? It never existed before HDMI.
Why the heck do these people believe that technology should stand still? I think that connectors should change about every five years as new connector tech comes into play. I believe the bloggers are overworking this change to death. Apple and consumers got rather long usage out of the 30 pin connector and if Apple can improve the performance and save space with a 19 pin connector then they should do so.
I agree, and at the same time, a connection to analogue video means I can bring my music and videos almost anywhere on the planet and it will work, including my parents Luddite home.
Why don’t you buy them a Christmas/Birthday/any other holiday gift, then?
I have an iPhone 4 and travel a lot for work. 90% of motels in Australia still have crappy tube tv’s. Some of them have an AV in and some are so old they don’t even have that. I’d hate to lose the AV output from my iPhone.
ADAPTER
The only word you need to know.
Dock connectors aren’t even a big deal anymore anyway.
Everything is moving to Bluetooth.
My 2012 Mercedes-Benz has an iPod connector in the center console that I never use.
Instead, I use Bluetooth to stream audio fromm iPhone to my Harmon Karden audio system, and it kicks ass!
Not only does it sound incredible, but by using Bluetooth, I am not limited only to the songs iny iPod–I can stream audio from any app.
The typos are giving me fits.
MDN–Please let us edit our comments!
Or you could proofread before clicking “Post Comment.” Why the hurry?
It wouldn’t surprise me if Apple ditches it’s proprietary dock connector for a Micro USB 3 connector. Time will tell.
I’m finding it hard to believe apple will update its connector to just micro USB, or, in other words, just to make it smaller. I reckon they’ll bring in thunderbolt support… Now that feature would warrant a dock connector change!
This would be a big mistake. iPod docks are ubiquitous now in everything from audio equipment, alarm clocks, even cars! People are loyal to Apple products because they know whatever they buy will integrate with stuff that they have bought costing many times as much as their original iPod / iPhone. Changing the dock will anger and alienate people.
Do Apple products really need to be even smaller and thinner?