Rumor: 8-Pin Dock Connector Slated for Next iPhone.

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The iPhone 4, pictured, and 4S, along with other iPhone, iPad, and iPod models, use a 30-pin dock connector. Photo Credit: Jon Snyder/Wired

Apple’s rumored redesigned dock connector for the upcoming iPhone may be even smaller than we’ve anticipated.

The new connector will employ only eight pins arranged in a line, according to iLounge sources. It’s an intriguing proposition, but iLounge didn’t include any images of the connector in its report. Still, in the past, iLounge has been right on the money in predicting the release date for the third-generation iPad, as well as the tablet’s overall appearance and specs.



Previous reports from other sources have indicated Apple could be ditching its current 30-pin dock connector for a 19-pin version. Whether we see eight pins or 19 pins, it seems likely that Apple is redesigning its mobile device dock connector, which has employed 30 pins for close to a decade. The anticipated changes are stirring a lot of excitement in the Apple user community, but also a certain amount of dread as consumers consider compatibility with existing iDevice accessories. One of iLounge sources said the new connector may also feature other innovations, such as allowing the connector to be plugged “in either orientation” like the MagSafe connector used in Apple notebooks.

In recent months, Apple has had both patents and job listings published that relate to dock connector design, fueling rumors that a smaller connector is in the works. Those rumors also seem to be corroborated by leaked images of purported iPhone 5 parts. With that in mind, now may not be the best time to invest in 30-pin-dock-wielding accessories, even if Apple would likely introduce an adapter for cross-compatibility.

In addition to dock connector changes, iLounge’s sources said the next iPhone (with iOS 6) would be getting a nifty new Bluetooth 4.0 bridge that would, for example, let an iPod nano display messages received on your iPhone. It could let you make voice calls using your iPod too, if the device is paired over Bluetooth with a computer.

via Cult of Mac