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Apple Readying Miniaturized Dock Connector for Future iPhones?

An updated "micro dock" could make room for bigger batteries, 4G radios, and other components far more important to the iPhone and iPad in a PC free world.
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If the goal is to move to the PC free world the standard micro USB would make more sense in terms of peripheral compatibility than a proprietary connector.
 
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That would keep me from upgrading my phone for a loooong time.

I have radios in different rooms of my house and work that I would not want to spend an extra grand to rebuy do to this.
 
Its ironic how Apple has been pushing for micro sims and other types of technology to shrink so that they fit better in their phones.

All the while they've been using these massive 30 pin connectors...

its called micro usb apple. Get on it
 
macnchiefs said:
Its ironic how Apple has been pushing for micro sims and other types of technology to shrink so that they fit better in their phones.

All the while they've been using these massive 30 pin connectors...

its called micro usb apple. Get on it
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It's called "micro usb offers a tiny fraction of the functionality offered by the dock connector".
 
that awkward year of using adapters while everyone changes every single device over to the micro-dock ones is going to suck though. I wouldn't be replacing all my iThings in the same year (unless I got a huge raise or won the lotto or robbed a bank) and with 3 running on the same dock if one suddenly wasn't I probably wouldn't have the right cord all the time.

Though I'm sure it's a necessary change to enable more design freedom
 
macnchiefs said:
Its ironic how Apple has been pushing for micro sims and other types of technology to shrink so that they fit better in their phones.

All the while they've been using these massive 30 pin connectors...

its called micro usb apple. Get on it
Click to expand...
Why are people down-voting micro-usb comments. Should the dock connector be the same as the 3rd Generation iPod (maybe earlier?) forever?

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bpaluzzi said:
It's called "micro usb offers a tiny fraction of the functionality offered by the dock connector".
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Make a dock plug with built-in micro-USB, or that sits next to micro-USB. Then the phone can be connected to computers or chargers using generic products that can be shared with other devices in the house...
 
while they are at it, I would like a connection that can't be 'almost' be put in backwards.

At first, I hated the 30 pin because I thought it was way to fragile for a connection that could be used multiple times a day , but never had one fail, so I trust 'em to do it right.
 
zachkolk said:
Smaller dock and Thunderbolt support? I hope so. It would greatly increase the need/want for a Thunderbolt port on your Mac and would probably get a lot of people to upgrade their Macs just for this boost in syncing speed (including me).
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If you're computer is starting to show it's age and you're in the market for a new one, I can understand how that will make your buying decision easier, but to spend at least $1k to get faster syncing is a little far fetched for me IMO...
 
Colpeas said:
Finally we can expect the Thunderbolt / USB 3.0 Dock Connector soon. Yay!

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-31747_7-20051313-243.html
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This is awesome - like it a lot.

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troop231 said:
Haswell for iOS devices? :confused:
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Sorry wrong name, should have been MedField

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M87 said:
That kills all kinds of great uses for these devices that rely on the dock connector, especially audio and music. It would be extremely stupid.
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You are probably right on this part, I have a dock connector in my truck's
stereo and use it all the time. Only problem is that it is rather old and I get an adapter so it charges my iPod touch that keep in my truck.
 
I think Apple will move completely to wireless syncing and a mag-safe style power cable before they 'change' the dock connector.

Then again, I could be mistaken.
 
Walkie talkie anyone?

Although I agree it's inevitable to downsize the connector and maybe even to lose the cable altogether, it would be expensive to have to upgrade the accessories that are compatible with the current dock. I started with the first iPhone and have collected several accessories over the years that would be rendered obsolete. The most recent being the AWESOME Elevation Dock. I think it would terribly upset a LOT of consumers. I could be proven wrong, but I don't foresee a desire for a phone so small it barely fits in my hands and isn't quite long enough for sufficient ear/mouth coverage. Please don't turn the iphone into a walkie talkie!
 
In all fairness, Apple has continued to use the 30 pin connector for long enough. It's not unreasonable for them to adopt another adapter as long as its life span is 5+ years.
 
The biggest failing of the dock connector is the way it connects. It's terrible. Always has been. What they should do is learn from their own design. How about simply using the magsafe connector as a jumping of point for starters? One of the coolest designed connectors around if you asked me. Why should we still be dealing with snap in pins? WTF?? It's not a game cartridge from the 80's!! A thunderbolt connector on one end and a new magnetic design on the end that connects to the device. I'd love to see magsafe on both ends, but I doubt they will change the displayport/thunderbolt design any time soon.
 
Good grief, it's about time

This has been a long time coming and should have happened before now. There is no reason for such a large connector with specific functions associated with the pins.

The big connector is a throw back to the 80's/90's. It is bulky, complex, and a key failure source. Nothing positive to say for it at all.

Serial coms (USB anyone) supports every function that the big connector provides and ensures that there is an abstraction boundary at the external connector.

Modern chips and VLSI make it easy for peripheral designers to build to a common interface like USB.

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gadgetguydw said:
Although I agree it's inevitable to downsize the connector and maybe even to lose the cable altogether, it would be expensive to have to upgrade the accessories that are compatible with the current dock. I started with the first iPhone and have collected several accessories over the years that would be rendered obsolete. The most recent being the AWESOME Elevation Dock. I think it would terribly upset a LOT of consumers. I could be proven wrong, but I don't foresee a desire for a phone so small it barely fits in my hands and isn't quite long enough for sufficient ear/mouth coverage. Please don't turn the iphone into a walkie talkie!
Click to expand...

This was a terrible design choice by Apple in the first place. It has had it's time but should have been changed long ago. The pain you feel should be attributed directly to who ever decided to keep this dinosaur alive for so long.

Besides, installed base is seldom a satisfactory reason for keeping a bad design. Pain accumulates and the change will only be worse in the future.

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scott911 said:
while they are at it, I would like a connection that can't be 'almost' be put in backwards.

At first, I hated the 30 pin because I thought it was way to fragile for a connection that could be used multiple times a day , but never had one fail, so I trust 'em to do it right.
Click to expand...

Second most frequent repair item on an iPhone is the dock connector. Screens are number 1. You need the screen and they will be broken but the dock connector is totally unnecessary.
 
Seanozz said:
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That would keep me from upgrading my phone for a loooong time.

I have radios in different rooms of my house and work that I would not want to spend an extra grand to rebuy do to this.
Click to expand...

I am sure there will be simple solid adaptors

And totally agree with some of the other people on here... Apple has the IP for the best connector out there - the magsafe... I have sent my phone flying on more than one occasion... but never my laptop.

C'mon apple - I am certain you have thought about it... now sort it.

Could even have 30pin > magsafe plugs to fit all our existing ( I have 8! ) cables
 
bpaluzzi said:
It's called "micro usb offers a tiny fraction of the functionality offered by the dock connector".
Click to expand...

Not true. You don't understand that moving to a serial transport layer with a simple 3 pin physical interface is capable of supporting anything that the dock connector does.

It does require the devices on either side of the connector to float the functionality over the transport layer but this is very very easy to do today. It is more trouble to design to the dock for something like L/R audio output than to decode an audio stream.

Do I sound frustrated? Yup I am. So many elegant and reliable tools/methods available yet the dock connector still survives.

What is really funny is that more often than not the only pins that are used on the dock are the USB pins. Sigh. 3 pin protocol on a 30 pin connector. Stupid stupid stupid.
 
I'm curious to know how they would cope this with the legacy support of iPod accessories. It's not about docks, actual cars have iPod dock connectors, you know.
 
BruceEBonus said:
If it aint bust ... know what i mean?

Don't let this be the day they took their eye off the ball ....

Steve ... you'd never have let them do this ... :confused:
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Yup. Hard to believe Jobs had such a backwards attachment to this awful connector.

I hope Apple does something innovative and uses a widely used standard. USB reduced the number of cable types I use in my shop by an order of magnitude. Apple is one of the few devices that I have to keep proprietary cables for.

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Aquaduck04 said:
It will be a bad day, but its inevitable and might as well happen sooner rather than later. I initially felt sorry for accessory makers (obsolete inventory), but this will be a boon for them forcing people to upgrade.
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Are you kidding? Accessory makers will LOVE this as long as they go to USB or to something that uses standard and cheap chipsets.

Many (most?) accesories just use the USB pins anyways. Why keep the 30 pin physical connector?
 
Sounds interesting, would be nice to have a slimmer device. Would be even nicer to have a universal type charge port such as Mico USB (not that it will happen) would just make life a little easier.
 
With Wifi, the 30-pin dock connector is obsolete. An iOS device can sync with a Mac by creating a computer-to-computer network where a real network isn't available, and I don't think you need 30 pins to send audio to a receiver.

The universal charger standard is a great idea, and looking forward there's nothing that can't be overcome after throwing away the 30-pin connector.

I can still use my current iPods and iPhone in my iHome speaker dock, and the iPod connector in my new car doesn't work correctly with the iPhone anyway.
 
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