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Reuters Confirms a Smaller Dock Connector and Relocated Headphone Jack on Next iPhone

Monday July 23, 2012 1:23 am PDT by Arnold Kim
Reuters seems to confirm circulating rumors and expectations that Apple will be moving from the traditional 30-pin dock connector to a smaller 19-pin version for its next generation iPhone:
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", two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Reuters also seems to confirm that the headphone jack of the new iPhone will move to the bottom of the device, as shown here:


This image shows the new dock-connector and headphone jack location (right) as compared to the currently shipping iPhone 4S (left).

Reuters notes this will represent a big opportunity for accessory manufacturers as customers upgrade their existing accessories to new 19-pin compatible ones. Apple launched the original 30-pin dock connector with the 3rd generation iPod in 2003. Subsequent iPods, iPhones and iPads have shipped with the port and resulted in a large ecosystem of compatible accessories. The first report that Apple would be replacing their dock connector with a miniaturized one came in February 2012 from iMore.

Tag: reuters.com
[ 389 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

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Feed Me
90 months ago

Is that a freaking joke? you mean all the accessories that i have bought would be obsolete soon? Way to tell people to use Android instead, Apple!


Bet you can't wait to plug your Samsung nexus galaxy chocolate sponge cake world edition with tingling sense HD powered by android 4.1 beta with 3D into your iPod dock. :rolleyes:
Rating: 107 Votes
Avatar
Icaras
90 months ago

Earhone on the bottom? Cumbersome.


This is actually a welcome change for me. I hate having to always flip my iPhone vertically when putting it in my pocket.
Rating: 68 Votes
Avatar
AngerDanger
90 months ago

Is that a freaking joke? you mean all the accessories that i have bought would be obsolete soon? Way to tell people to use Android instead, Apple!


Oh boy, two dock connectors! Thank god Android isn't fragmented at all. :rolleyes:
Rating: 54 Votes
Avatar
miniroll32
90 months ago

Is that a freaking joke? you mean all the accessories that i have bought would be obsolete soon? Way to tell people to use Android instead, Apple!


Yeah, I mean it's only been 9 years afterall...
Rating: 49 Votes
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sinsin07
90 months ago
Earhone on the bottom? Cumbersome.
Rating: 35 Votes
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Skika
90 months ago
Time to move on.
Rating: 33 Votes
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stringent
90 months ago
Just provide an adapter an I'm all happy and for it.
Rating: 32 Votes
Avatar
vincebio
90 months ago

Is that a freaking joke? you mean all the accessories that i have bought would be obsolete soon? Way to tell people to use Android instead, Apple!


get a grip on reality and calm down....:rolleyes:

nothing will be obsolete...there will be a long period (circa 2 years) of adapters available before it becomes the new standard.

why all the drama> nothing better to do?
Rating: 29 Votes
Avatar
peterjames.org
90 months ago
Adapter and EU mandate?

Apple should just make it a micro-USB, now that they are adept at putting standard ports on the Retina MBP (HDMI, USB 3). Didn't the EU mandate that all phones sold needed to connect (or charge) via micro-USB or the manufacturer must provide an adapter free of charge? This would be one way to bring the cost down further (and keep the margin higher) by using a standard jack like this....proprietary connectors are so 1986 (ADB, anyone?)
Rating: 29 Votes
Avatar
ixodes
90 months ago
It's nice to see that Apple is releasing it's death grip on the ugly, absurdly large dock connector. This new smaller size is more in line with Apple's typically attractive designs.
Rating: 24 Votes

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