Apple’s next iPhone reaffirmed to have smaller 19-pin dock connector
The iPhone 5, Apple’s next generation iPhone expected to go on sale around October, will come with a 19-pin connector port at the bottom instead of the proprietary 30-pin port “to make room for the earphone moving to the bottom”, the sources said.
It would mean the new phone would not connect with the myriad of accessories such as speakers and power chargers that form part of the ecosystem around iPods, iPads and iPhones, without an adaptor.
The redesign may annoy owners, but accessories manufacturers are preparing for a sales boom, according to analysts.
“It represents an opportunity for accessory vendors,” said Pete Cunningham, London-based analyst at technology research firm Canalys.
“The iPhone connector has been a standard for a long time now and I would expect the same to be true for a new connector, should Apple change it as expected.”
Tech blogs have long speculated on the demise of the 30-pin connector, which at 21mm wide takes up a lot of space, especially as the latest technologies such as microUSB offer more power in less space. They say that a smaller connector would give Apple more scope for new product designs or a bigger battery, or simply to make ever smaller products.
