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Apple's Smaller Dock Connector Reportedly Coming to Entire iOS Device Lineup Including iPad This Fall

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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iMore, which was the first source to report that Apple will be moving to a smaller dock connector with the launch of the next-generation iPhone, now claims that Apple will be moving its entire lineup of iOS devices to the new connector later this year. This includes the current 9.7-inch iPad, which was just updated in March.
iMore has learned that Apple intends to update their entire lineup of iOS device products to support the new, miniaturized Dock connector, and to do it as early the rumored September 12 special event this fall. This would include the new iPhone 5, the the new iPod nano and iPod touch, the rumored 7-inch iPad mini, and an updated version of the current 9.7-inch iPad.
Click to expand...
iMore notes that the source of the new information is the same person who originally shared word of Apple's move to the new dock connector, and with numerous other mainstream news reports and parts leaks supporting the original claim, the source does appear to have accurate information.
Apparently, Apple believes consistent Dock connectors across the line, and other improvements they're able to make to the new iPad this point, are more important than sticking to yearly release schedules.
Click to expand...
newdock.png



Case openings for dock connectors on iPhone 4S (left) and claimed next-generation iPhone (right)​
iLounge last week hinted at some changes for the fourth-generation iPad with the suggestion that the device could launch with the smaller dock connector later this year, but iLounge expressed skepticism about that possibility given the relatively short time since the last update to the device.

Article Link: Apple's Smaller Dock Connector Reportedly Coming to Entire iOS Device Lineup Including iPad This Fall
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/08/06/apples-smaller-dock-connector-reportedly-coming-to-entire-ios-lineup-including-ipad-this-fall/
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ThatsMeRight

macrumors 68020
Sep 12, 2009
2,294
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Wow, weak move Apple. Weak move. Updating a product that was, well, just updated (I'm talking about the third-generation iPad here).

The third-generation iPad was introduced and released in March, but there are still countries out there where it has only been released just recently (see China for example, the third-gen iPad launch was just a few weeks ago: July 20).
 
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URFloorMatt

macrumors 6502
Jul 4, 2010
419
0
Washington, D.C.
This all but spells death for the iPod classic and perhaps the shuffle too. I wonder if they'll opt to rebrand the remaining two iPod products as iPod and iPod mini for symmetry with the iPad and iPad mini.

If they're going to modify the iPad, I'd expect the same for the "new" $99 iPhone 4S.
 
striker33

striker33

macrumors 65816
Aug 6, 2010
1,098
2
Fantastic news.

Hopefully this means the new iPad's wont have horrible screens anymore (yellow tint down the left).
 
Diode

Diode

macrumors 68020
Apr 15, 2004
2,443
125
Washington DC
Just hope Apple sells the cable only for a reasonable price so I can upgrade all of my chargers - but I have a feeling that will not be the case.
 
nfl46

nfl46

macrumors G3
Oct 5, 2008
8,350
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Interesting. We shall see in due time. September 12th, hurry up!
 
ovrlrd

ovrlrd

macrumors 65816
Aug 29, 2009
1,384
146
That makes no sense, why wouldn't they just wait until the beginning of next year when they are gonna release a new iPad anyway.

Nah it's likely they just got "new iPad with new dock connector" mixed up the 7.8 inch iPad.
 
BJMRamage

BJMRamage

macrumors 68030
Oct 2, 2007
2,713
1,233
as they used to say in grade school...Duh!

that is obvious they'd carry it through the lineup of iOS devices.
This isn't like the headphone charger/connector and something simple but a new dock connector.
 
swarmster

swarmster

macrumors 6502a
Jun 1, 2004
641
114
Wholesale dock connector update is the best argument I've heard yet for an early iPad revision, but only if it really is wholesale. Does the iPhone 4 (which will presumably move to the $0 slot) get a hardware revision, too? iPhone 4s? What about the iPad 2? Or is the iPad 3 the new cheap version and also getting a new connector? Are they dumping/updating the iPod classic?

This rumour needs more than 'everything's being updated, even one of the iPads!' to be believable.
 
S

Snookerman

macrumors 6502
Jul 6, 2008
391
9
Oh boy, no top comment, my time to shine:

OMG it's not the iPhone 5!! It's gonna be the new iphone roooaaaarrr!!!
 
P

puffy1980

macrumors newbie
Jan 24, 2010
23
0
I call BS. Apple won't update the iPad mid cycle. If it was going to get a mini dock port they would have put one on it when it was released.All current models will stay the same.
Not sold on them releasing an iPad mini this year either. Unless they just make the iPod touch bigger.
 
D

DeathChill

macrumors 68000
Jul 15, 2005
1,663
90
This would be a good move to ensure support for the new connector. If every iOS device has the new connector right away then there won't be a need to continue manufacturing the legacy connector cables for as long as they would had each device received the new dock on its regularly scheduled yearly update.
 
D.T.

D.T.

macrumors G4
Sep 15, 2011
11,050
12,460
Vilano Beach, FL
I don't buy a product wide update, like someone pointed out, what happens to the 4S, the iPad 2?

I think it's obvious the new connector is coming to anything designed _after_ the next iPhone, including the iPad Mini, and next iPad, etc., but retro-fitting it to anything in a dock-connector-only update seems silly.
 
Mad Mac Maniac

Mad Mac Maniac

macrumors 601
Oct 4, 2007
4,802
2,109
A little bit of here and a little bit of there.
basesloaded190 said:
I still don't believe they will have another update for the iPad this year.
Click to expand...

but now they have a reason to update it. I think this makes a lot of sense (especially with apple removing the naming convention entirely). Apple can simply say "now we have updated our iPad to use this new dock connector.... and we have also managed to get improved battery life!"

It's a perfect excuse for a mini-update. From now on we will refer to the products as iPad (early 2012), iPad (late 2012), the same as we do for the Mac lineup. Makes sense. ALSO, I predict the iPad mini will simple be called "iPad" but will be a difference size variant. Same as how the Macbook Air comes in 11" and 13", but you don't call one the "Macbook Air Mini" or any other such nonsense.

And now this gives Apple the liberty to update products according to their own timeline... not some abitrary "1 year" timeline. It's all coming together now... There is a method to their maddness.
 
nuckinfutz

nuckinfutz

macrumors 603
Jul 3, 2002
5,539
406
Middle Earth
I find it funny that iMore gets so specific with the current iPad's dimensions at 9.7" and references the iPad mini as a 7" iPad (when the prevailing wisdom is 7.85" and thus closer to 8" than 7")

The Nano should LOVE the smaller dock connector.
 
Mad-B-One

Mad-B-One

macrumors 6502a
Jun 24, 2011
789
5
San Antonio, Texas
Got in before someone complaining about the "iPhone 5" name! Yey.

Otherwise, no surprise. They don't want to fractionize their products. If they switch, they switch everything. ;)
 
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tbrinkma

macrumors 68000
Apr 24, 2006
1,651
93
WildCowboy said:
It was obvious they'd be updating the iPad just six months after the last update?
Click to expand...

Where did you see that claim? I saw claims that they're:
A) Updating the dock connector
B) Going to update the entire iOS line to use the new connector
C) Going to start doing it as early as September

From that you seem to have inferred that they're going to update the entire iOS line all at once in September.

On the other hand, if the next (normally scheduled) release of each iOS device has the new dock connector, and the first such update is announced in September, then everything quoted up top is true, and there aren't any 'mid-cycle' updates to *anything*.
 
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