Possible reason for new dock connectors!

Clearly the existing shaped connected could be upgraded to that if necessary. It's a size issue.

 

i think it's 75% for faster charge rates and 25% for slimming the connector size down.

good post!

 

betting it is capable of higher charge rates

Higher/faster charge rates are always possible but not desired. Faster charging produces heat which lessens the life of the battery. This is well known. I have used rechargeable batteries for years and those with 'fast charges make the battery very hot and those batteries required replacement much quicker unlike slower trickle chargers which take hours longer but have the batteries last longer (more recharge cycles). To that end it is easy just to have many batteries so when one is in the charger another set can be in use. When a battery is fixed inside, like a laptop or phone, you want long battery life so bigger battery, efficient processors, and slower charging is what is called for - at least at the moment. Who knows what next generation batteries will bring.

 

Actually, this is directly opposite of how electronics work.

Connectors have specifications as to their maximum voltage capacity, maximum current capacity, dialectric properties, etc., and just by the laws of physics, smaller connectors = lower current/voltage handling capabilities.

as dI/dT goes up, connectors need higher surge current capacity, meaning larger pins and more space between pins.

 

Remember there are fewer pins, larger pads and greater spacing in the new connector style.

 

The MFi documentation doesn't list the new connector yet, so I can't verify, but just looking at the leaked pictures, it sure looks like there's a finer pin pitch on the new connector.

 

can you explain to me how fewer pins means it charges faster?
i dont know much about electrical engineering but i would think in order to change how fast it charges they would need to change the milliamps per load. So they'd have to change the device technology all together not just the connector? i.e usb 2.0 supports 100ma per load, and 3.0 supports 150ma.

I really hope it does charge faster, but if it works the way i think it does, People wouldnt be able to charge their devices on a normal USB outlet? Or Sync their phones unless they had a usb 3.0 (or whatever it was changed too)
USB 1/2 i think only supports 100mA ?
IDK just thinking.. correct me if i am way off?

 

USB 1.0 and 2.0 support up to a maximum of 500mA, 3.0 up to 900mA.

This is for the USB spec itself, i.e. connected to a computer that meets the USB standard specification.

Dedicated chargers that charge via USB can go as high as 5A.

 

the fact it takes 6+ hours to charge is reason enough to change the dock connectors

 

cool didnt know that thanks.

Am i wrong to think that the doc connector being changed to smaller pins will not change charge times? i honestly dont know much about this, so hoping someone with the background would know

 

No, you are correct. Smaller pins would have less current capacity.

I haven't seen the official Apple specifications for the connector yet, but I doubt the pins in the new connector will be small enough to do anything to decrease capacity down below what is currently being used, so charge times will most likely stay the same as they are.

Certainly not be increased beyond the capacity of the currently used connector, though.

 

Who cares as long as it is symmetrical.

 

It's not. Pictures show pins only on one side of the connector.

Edit: Assuming you meant symmetrical as in being able to plug it in right-side-up or upside-down.

 

With the current size wires, pins, and traces they have limited ways to decrease charging time - smaller battery or higher voltage. Doubt either will happen. With the old connecter they could have doubled up the power lines but doubt there is any to spare on the new one.

 

I don't see a need for quicker charging. The design change was needed for a lot of reasons. Charge times was not one of them

 

5A down the thin USB cable is going to warm it up quite nicely, and making it very dangerous.

The only sensible way is to raise the charging voltage to above 5V. That is why all laptop chargers use 9V+ (12V or 19V)