AppleInsider Staff
Apple blog iMore has "heard" from unnamed sources that the iPhone maker is getting ready to switch out the dock connector currently found on all iDevice products with a smaller comparable component in order to make space in the company's ever-shrinking devices.
The site claims that the main reason behind the supposed change is to save space in a next generation iPhone for components that are more important than a dock connector, however this is only a guess as no timeline was given as to when the change will occur.
By moving to a smaller form factor, Apple can use advanced electronics like 4G LTE radio chipsets without making a bulky product. For example, the original iPad used a micro SIM card instead of the more prevalent mini SIM when it was first introduced in 2010, and the technology found its way to the iPhone 4 to make space for a larger battery. The frugality went further as the internal antenna was displaced to the handset's edge, a design that caused the so-called "antenna-gate" fiasco.
Another factor is the connector's role in data transfer. With the advent of iCloud, AirPlay and the energy-sipping Bluetooth 4.0, a future iPhone may only need a cable for charging purposes.
It is unclear what would become of the huge ecosystem of existing "Made for iDevice" products, which is a lucrative business for both Apple and third-party companies, as it would be made obsolete by a redesigned connector.
Illustration of space taken by current dock connector in an iPhone. | Source: iMore
No further information was given, and it is important to reiterate that the aforementioned specifics were based on guesswork.
Andrew Orr
Amber Neely
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
100 Comments
1) third parties can make an adapter
2) there will always be an option for a hard wired sync
3) magsafe is awesome technology
4) i thought all cell phones had to be micro usb pretty soon?
But, but, but... Samsung has only just copied the original. They're going to have to start the copiers all over again
People are going to through a fit about how Apple changed it to get us to upgrade all our stuff but the truth is they've used the same connector since April 2003 with the 3rd iPod release. That's 9 years for the same 30-pin Dock Connector. If a new, smaller connector will usher in another decade of portable devices then I'm all for it.
4) i thought all cell phones had to be micro usb pretty soon?
Not the connector on the phone, but the cable has to be able to plug into the same port for charging.
What about all those expensive Bose iPod and iPhone docks? And the cheap iHome docks?