Just out of curiosity, is there any particular reason (other than it being proprietary so they can make more money) that apple cannot use a standard USB plug like every other phone in the word?
The existing dock doesn't just include USB - it includes analogue audio line in/out, analogue video out, some basic control signals and some pins left over from when iPods used to support Firewire as well as USB. You can't do all that with a USB connector.
The new connector will almost certainly drop some or all of of those - however, those photos look as if it is going to be fairly sturdy, with a solid metal tongue that locks into a relatively deep slot in the iPhone case, and easy to insert - I.e. unlike the Micro-USB connector (and possibly the original Apple 30-pin) it looks like it has actually been
designed as a 'dock' connector that can also act as part of the mechanical support for the docked device and allows docking/undocking without straining the connector.
That would be a major advantage over Micro-USB.
NB: The standard USB3 "Micro connector" is a fugly
Micro-USB-with-outrider thing. Does that say "Apple" to you...?
Okay, I'm confused. Is this saying that the only way to get a charging cable is to pay for it from Apple? Cause the one in the image looks identical to the cable you receive in the box just with the new connector end?
The picture the rumoured (but looking increasingly likely) new iPhone-to-USB cable. Nobody knows for sure but it's a reasonable assumption that it will be 'in the box' along with a power adapter, as per the current iPad/iPhone (ISTR that the iPods currently include a cable but skip the mains adapter).
In the the text, however, they are talking about the dingus that lets you plug your hypothetical new iPhone 5 into a HiFi/speaker/car/alarm clock/tropical fish tank with the old 30-pin connector. You won't need that unless you have a dock, car adapter, speakers, hifi, alarm clock tropical fish tank or small Pacific island with an old-style 30-pin connector. Again, nobody knows for sure, but it would be 'in character' for Apple
not to give one away free.
Lesson for MacRumors editors:
never print a picture that conflicts with the text - people can't deal with it.