Apple Dock Connector to Support DisplayPort, USB 3.0, Thunderbolt?

[MacRumors]

PatentlyApple reveals a new patent granted to Apple from the US Patent and Trademark Office. The patent describes what appears to be a new dock connector that can support both DisplayPort/USB 3.0.

Apple has been granted a powerful patent that packs quite the wallop. Somehow they snuck a secret patent application through the system for an all-new high speed connector that will combine at least USB 3.0 and DisplayPort. Although the patent illustrates an iPod as being one of the first to adopt this, the patent clarifies that it's for all future Mac hardware as well.

The 30-pin connector has been a staple of Apple's iPod, iPhone and iPad lines as their universal docking connector for syncing and accessories. This patent application was previously spotted during the application phase, but has renewed interest now given Apple's recent commitment to Thunderbolt connector which shares the same physical form factor as DisplayPort.

Article Link: Apple Dock Connector to Support DisplayPort, USB 3.0, Thunderbolt?

[wordoflife]

Interesting. Faster backup speeds ftw

[noahtk]

Apple should've held out on the refresh to include USB 3 and even HDMI. Thunderbolt and the is currently useless.

[GFLPraxis]

Fantastic. Apple should have Thunderbolt across most of their Mac line by the time this comes out on the iPhone 5/iPad 3, and most new PCs will have USB 3.

Super-high-speed syncing, plus possibly external devices due to Thunderbolt's daisy chain ability?

It could make an iPad/iPhone accessories market of Thunderbolt devices that pushes adoption...

[WannaGoMac]

Yay! More cash from adapters for apple!

[Eidorian]

Now we are playing with power.

[Ieo]

While I don't see anything that specifically mentions thunderbolt other than Macrumors' own speculation, I would find it hard to believe this wouldn't include it if it were to see the light of day. the 30 pin dock is a BIG connector- plenty of real-estate for a next-gen version to incorporate all of these standards from the looks of it.

My questions are:

Will it be backwards-compatible

Obviously you'll need to buy different cables according to what the other end is plugging into (Thunderbolt or USB 2/3)....but will apple include both or charge $25 for the other one?

It's smart to include USB 3, especially on "iToys", as it will eventually become the standard. The only way to avoid it would be to stop putting USB ports on their computers all together, and that will alienate all of their non-mac "iToy" customers (probably the majority).

[baddj]

Originally Posted by WannaGoMac

Yay! More cash from adapters for apple!

I am starting to think why do i have a mac, as i need so many dam adapters.

[WannaGoMac]

Originally Posted by baddj

I am starting to think why do i have a mac, as i need so many dam adapters.

Exacly what a friend of mine said when he got his new macbook and found out he needed to buy new adapters since in the 3 years they removed many (such as the analogue audio ports)

[Howardchief]

Originally Posted by WannaGoMac

Exacly what a friend of mine said when he got his new macbook and found out he needed to buy new adapters since in the 3 years they removed many (such as the analogue audio ports)

I don't understand this. Could you or someone explain this to me please?

[WannaGoMac]

Originally Posted by Howardchief

I don't understand this. Could you or someone explain this to me please?

Headset jack was removed, so had to buy a USB headset for example.

[baryon]

Why can't they just make a JACK connector, with 4 wires, like for the iPod Shuffle? That would allow everything to go through ONE port, it would be easy to manufacture, compatible, and there would be no wrong way of connecting it. Not to mention it's tiny.

You could then replace all the USB, Thunderbolt, FireWire 400, FireWire 800 and all that random stuff with ONE connector that would be easy to connect, cheap to buy and it would be very small and secure.

Wake me up when it will be possible to supply data at high speed and enough power through 4 cables with a jack connector.

[thibaulthalpern]

Originally Posted by WannaGoMac

Headset jack was removed, so had to buy a USB headset for example.

Headset jack was removed from the Mac? Since when? New Mac laptops have combined headset/microphone jack.

[jav6454]

Originally Posted by Eidorian

Now we are playing with power.

Same thing I was thinking. The ramifications of this.

However, one question that intrigues me is Europe's mini-USB adoption with cell devices. How will this factor in?

[Howardchief]

Originally Posted by WannaGoMac

Headset jack was removed, so had to buy a USB headset for example.

this is on the new macbook? Weird.

[WannaGoMac]

Originally Posted by Howardchief

this is on the new macbook? Weird.

This is all they have now

MagSafe power port
Gigabit Ethernet port
Mini DisplayPort
Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)
Audio in/out
Kensington lock slot

[Howardchief]

Originally Posted by WannaGoMac

This is all they have now

MagSafe power port
Gigabit Ethernet port
Mini DisplayPort
Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)
Audio in/out
Kensington lock slot

Does that Audio in/out not work with headsets?

[SilianRail]

I thought they were committed to Thunderbolt and ignoring USB 3.0

[haushinka]

Originally Posted by WannaGoMac

This is all they have now

MagSafe power port
Gigabit Ethernet port
Mini DisplayPort
Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)
Audio in/out
Kensington lock slot

Audio in/out IS the "headset jack". You can plug in the iphone headset and the mac will recognize both the mic and headphones.

[Carlanga]

Originally Posted by WannaGoMac

This is all they have now

...
Audio in/out
...

Also, interesting patent

[strabes]

Originally Posted by WannaGoMac

Headset jack was removed, so had to buy a USB headset for example.

I think you're misinformed. The current models simply combined the 1/8" in and out jacks into one port (TRRS), just like the port on the iPhone. For example, you can plug your iPhone headphones into your Mac for use as a headset.

It also supports optical via mini-TOSlink: http://www.amazon.com/6ft-Toslink-Mi...2041837&sr=8-2

[Ivan0310]

Originally Posted by WannaGoMac

This is all they have now

MagSafe power port
Gigabit Ethernet port
Mini DisplayPort
Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)
Audio in/out
Kensington lock slot

That audio in/out is definitely your standard headphone/mic connection. If you or your friend didn't understand this, I feel sorry for you.

[unobtainium]

Originally Posted by SilianRail

I thought they were committed to Thunderbolt and ignoring USB 3.0

This might have a lot to do with the huge number of PC users who also have iPhones. Apple won't want to alienate that crowd (likely the majority), and they know that USB 3 is already catching on in a big way in the PC world, while Thunderbolt will have to work hard to catch up.

[LightSpeed1]

I suspect that we will have ridiculously fast backups coming our way sometime soon.

[aiqw9182]

Originally Posted by strabes

I think you're misinformed. The current models simply combined the 1/8" in and out jacks into one port (TRRS), just like the port on the iPhone. For example, you can plug your iPhone headphones into your Mac for use as a headset.

It also supports optical via mini-TOSlink: http://www.amazon.com/6ft-Toslink-Mi...2041837&sr=8-2

I believe he's referring to headsets that don't have the audio in and out jack combined into one. The line-in port on Macs don't have any power to support a microphone. This is why the Griffin iMic exists.