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Alleged Photos of Apple's New Dock Connector

Ipod Touch 5g?

I know this thread is about the iphone. But I was wondering if there are any more leaks about the new ipod touch, nano, and shuffle?:D
 
syndalis said:
I am assuming the new connector will have HDMI out, L&R Audio and device control at least... lots of the old connectors are no longer needed.
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There's not enough pins on this connector for HDMI, surely? It's all about AirPlay now!
 
andyjam said:
Surely it would make more sense for an 8 (or 9) pin connector to have 4 pins on either side, rather than having 16 pins all up?
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In order to be reversible (ie you can insert it either way around), the pins are duplicated on either side.
 
Reason077 said:
In order to be reversible (ie you can insert it either way around), the pins are duplicated on either side.
Click to expand...

The pins don't have to match any standard, they could be standard agnostic. They could be differential pairs so the pair is the same regardless of which direction it gets plugged in.

If it's an active connector then that chip in there does hand shake with the device and software decides how to fire data down the various pairs to get routed in to various standards at the far end of the cable.

Agnostic is the ultimate future proofing
 
pmz said:
Its just ROTFL hilarious how many people have ventured the thought that Apple might produce a weak, problematic connector. They've had a DECADE to redesign this connector and go through prototype iterations. I think there is a chance it might be GOOD...
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They've had more than a decade to design a decent mouse.

sbrhwkp3 said:
Wow. They can even make their connectors look beautiful.
Click to expand...

Until…

protect-iphone-cable-from-damage-01.jpg


Okay, putting the cynical me back in his box… I'm betting on the new connector being good too. It's one of those things they really can't afford to screw up, because unlike a mouse you can't just go out and buy another brand of connector if you don't like the Apple one, and it's likely to be around for a long time.
 
^ Yea, if you use your device like a freaking gorilla, you may see that happen to your dock connector.

Somehow I've never had that happen to literally dozens of cables, and neither has anyone I know. Maybe we're just a little more careful.
 
prezasti said:
The only issue I see with this is, if you look at the adapter from the top down, it doesn't look like its the correct shape to fit in the phone. It looks more squared off at the ends and not rounded. Wouldn't the phone case have more of a rectangular opening than a partly oval opening if this was truly the correct adapter for the phone?

Image
Image
Click to expand...

Well spotted!

ipedro said:
If this leak is accurate, it looks like this new connector will be long and sturdy enough to support the weight of all iOS devices.
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Are you serious? Have you looked at how small that thing is next to the USB connector?

Anyway, using the connector as an upright docking support always felt like a bit of a kludgy afterthought to me. It feels like the male part could easily snap off if you get the angle wrong (and please, no 'that's what she said' comments this time around!)

rotax said:
If it can go in either way, and it has a chipset on it, then it could also be a 17 pin connector - 8 each side and the body as ground. The chipset could switch the connection depending on the orientation automatically. I think its Thunderbolt and USB compatible with MagSafe since there is no compression / friction point you can see on the male side. Although admittedly there could be a friction point could be on the inside of the phone...
Click to expand...

I was wondering the same thing about friction. A magnet seems like a more likely scenario. The intelligent 2 x 8 connection is also an interesting concept. Has that been done before?

pmz said:
^ Yea, if you use your device like a freaking gorilla, you may see that happen to your dock connector.

Somehow I've never had that happen to literally dozens of cables, and neither has anyone I know. Maybe we're just a little more careful.
Click to expand...

Sigh. That generation of cable can break without undue stress being placed on it, due to the shrinkage of the material I believe. It's a design flaw. But if it makes you feel better, yes, you must just be a superior kind of user.
 
Reason077 said:
In order to be reversible (ie you can insert it either way around), the pins are duplicated on either side.
Click to expand...

That shouldn't be necessary if there is an active controller in the connector itself (and presumably in the device as well) though.

I'm calling bs on this rumour - I'd be willing to bet that the actual connector will match the shape of the cutout we've seen on the prototypes and will be a simple metal connector (in the same style at the Thunderbolt/USB connectors) protecting the pins inside... This thing just doesn't look like something that Apple would produce for such a frequently used connector, and it doesn't look to me like something that will stand up well to being used in docks (imagine how far up you're going to have to pull your device to clear the connector if it's that far in) and other accessories...

And while Magsafe might not make complete sense in cable form, it makes a lot of sense for accessories, such as docks (ie the connector in my car is a pain to have to physically plug the phone into, it'd be much easier to just place the phone into the dock.)
 
Usb 3?

My hope/guess is that they'll use the excuse of a new dock to introduce the iPhone 5 with USB 3, then knock out an iPad Mini with the same thing, then finally introduce the next gen of iMacs (which I've been waiting for since January :mad: ) all at the end of September. Then I'll be a very happy boy just in time for my birthday:D

They'll probably toss out an updated Mac Mini with USB 3 at the same time and then their whole line minus the Mac Pro will be USB 3 / Thunderbolt
 
Usb

Why not just use an industry standard MHL/Microusb connector, which is more than small enough to fit and has millions on accessories?
 
Exio said:
Why would it have HDMI or any video out? You need to jailbreak your phone to have it do video out anyway. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Your wrong about that you just need a jailbreak tweak to have video mirroring on all apps, your videos youtube etc you just need the apple digital video cable

----------
musio said:
----------

So why are apple breaking EU policy - surely they can make it microUSB compatible with their extra pins?
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They are not breaking eu policy, they offer an adapter which is available in the apple store which covers their policy.
 
NT1440 said:
Any more fragile than a standard microUSB connection? (I hate how many of those break from just plugging in a device normally over time)
Click to expand...

We need a revolutionary change from plugging in.

ALL cables fray/pull apart after repeated use. I buy the 30 pins cable on Amazon 10 cables at a time and go through them in a year.
(They are hooked up in different locations: Car, office, apartment etc.)

Always break at the same spots.

At least my complaints about making it a reversible plug were heard:)

As for damaging unprotected leads, they can probably be shortened via a key contact by accident.
 
So many parts leaking as august kicks off

the new one looks fragile but am sure they got something to make sure we dont line up to buy extra :apple: cables
 
kalsta said:
Until…

Image

Okay, putting the cynical me back in his box… I'm betting on the new connector being good too. It's one of those things they really can't afford to screw up,
Click to expand...

That has nothing to do with the connector but Apple's inability to prevent fraying of the cable through a better strain relief design. I agree that it seems Apple just cannot get it right and really hope they come up with a better design. Then again, I've had every single one of my laptop fail on me with the power adapter cable so the industry as a whole could use some improvement. Plus it especially hurts when my $300 netbook requires me to purchase a $60 power adapter. :(
 
fazik93 said:
Why not just use Thunderbolt for everything now?
Click to expand...

This would be the perfect time for Apple to push Thunderbolt forward as a universal connector. I'd love to ditch all the USB-FW-etc stuff and just have Thunderbolt... if the cords were less expensive.

The first iPods with FW were smoking-fast awesome. It was a tragedy when they switched over to slowpoke USB.
 
kalsta said:
Well spotted!


I was wondering the same thing about friction. A magnet seems like a more likely scenario. The intelligent 2 x 8 connection is also an interesting concept. Has that been done before?

I am not aware if it has been done before, but certainly technically feasible. Second, I did notice on a picture here:

http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/10/next-iphone-tiny-docking-connector-possibly-spotted/

That the side of the connector has an indentation that would be a friction point. This does not mean that it still could not be magnetic. I think that the generic feedback regarding orientation of the adapter had to be to make it omnidirectional. I also dont see 8 pins alone, so I think 16 omnidirectional makes more sense. We will see.
Click to expand...
 
Thunderhawks said:
We need a revolutionary change from plugging in.

ALL cables fray/pull apart after repeated use. I buy the 30 pins cable on Amazon 10 cables at a time and go through them in a year.
(They are hooked up in different locations: Car, office, apartment etc.)
Click to expand...

No offense, but what the hell are you doing to your cables? I have 2 that I have used for the last 3 years with dozens of devices (mine and my friends) and they're in good shape.

That said, I've seen some really scary cables but they usually happen when (against repeated warnings) my friends continually yank the cord out from midway through the length of the cable.
 
fertilized-egg said:
That has nothing to do with the connector but Apple's inability to prevent fraying of the cable through a better strain relief design. I agree that it seems Apple just cannot get it right and really hope they come up with a better design.
Click to expand...

Oh, their earlier cables were just fine. I still have an older one—I think it must have come with my iPhone 3G (which I'm still using), and it looks as good as the day I bought it. Then they switched to a different kind of plastic (and a modified design) and that's when all the problems started.
 
NT1440 said:
No offense, but what the hell are you doing to your cables? I have 2 that I have used for the last 3 years with dozens of devices (mine and my friends) and they're in good shape.

That said, I've seen some really scary cables but they usually happen when (against repeated warnings) my friends continually yank the cord out from midway through the length of the cable.
Click to expand...

Just plugging in and out by the actual plug . (Not yanking at the cable)

Most of them break at the 30 pin connector rubber part. I noticed Apple has doubled the size of that rubber part in their new devices (iPad)

The car cable gets damaged most often, as I plug and unplug a lot of times, not to leave my iphone in the car.

Since I have it laying loose it will occasionally fall on the floor, depending on breaking etc. Maybe that is a pull it cannot take.

In my other charging station the iphone sits upright on the cable and that bending may not be okay. Again plug unplug often.

Looks like my cables are just being used more than normal.
 
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