Reuters Confirms a Smaller Dock Connector and Relocated Headphone Jack on Next iPhone

[touchtone561]

Standards anyone?

RCA connection has been around almost 70 years, but Apple 30-pin can't last 10? How many years old is the headphone jack?

That 30-pin port was the iOS standard. It serviced dozens of devices.

You knew that when you bought that $40 clock radio, or $600 speaker your iPod / iPhone would connect, even if it didn't charge. Almost every hotel I've been too lately domestic / foreign had clock radios with iPhone 30-pin connections.

Adapters are a pain in the _____. Another thing to be lost, borrowed or stolen.

I know my japanese car has a custom iPod cable that probably will not work.
But that isn't my only point, they will kill off the universal nature of that port for iOS devices.

So unless it is some sort of micro-usb it is a waste of time. But who knows a year from now it will be the greatest thing "again" since slice bread.

 

[Lennholm]

FOR THE LAST TIME PEOPLE - MICRO USB ABSOLUTELY CAN CARRY SOUND AND VIDEO AS WELL AS DO TV OUT. It can literally do everything the 30 pin connector can do except maybe charge as quickly.

Micro-USB can only carry 5V power and data, period. That data can be anything but it requires a USB controller in the attached device.
The point that has been made about the dock connector is that it has discrete video and analog audio channels which means any peripheral that uses audio and/or video can be very simple with cheap components instead of a USB controller.
As an example, this: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC748ZM/A?fnode=45 would not be as simple as it is with standard USB.

 

[sitsonthefence]

Not getting the fuss.

Sometimes things change. All products get updated and sometimes there is significant change. It's a "new" iPhone. Why should everything you have ever bought work with products that are yet to exist?

Wasn't FireWire core to the original iPod?

Didn't iMacs come with CRTs?

Actually maybe I should be annoyed that my new iMac is not white, as I'll now have to repaint my walls as they don't match anymore..

Oh the expense!

Or maybe just don't buy it. You don't have to...

 

[aristotle]

It is a clone part. Apple would never settle for such a lopsided design.

They also would not sacrificed compatibility just to move the headphone jack to the bottom. Many clone phones have the jack on the bottom.

 

[2IS]

Is that a freaking joke? you mean all the accessories that i have bought would be obsolete soon? Way to tell people to use Android instead, Apple!

Brilliant idea. Because your apple accessories will work with android devices.

 

[Ivabign]

I just bought a new MacBook Air and I can't find a serial port for my old mouse! Damn, I love that rolling ball! (sarcasm)

 

[Rebel Hedgehog]

Well there best be an adapter for my £400 Zepplin that's all I can say!!

 

[Pompiliu]

I'm the only one who still likes the 30-pin connector? It's iconic for iPhones, iPods,etc.

I don't want Apple to change it.

 

[cvaldes]

It is a clone part. Apple would never settle for such a lopsided design.

They also would not sacrificed compatibility just to move the headphone jack to the bottom. Many clone phones have the jack on the bottom.

What's the big deal? The iPod touch has the headphone jack on the bottom.

 

[theguyfromit]

OMG WHat am i going to do

So what am i going to do with the 131 spare iphone chargers i seem to have picked up over the years?

Thats nearly as annoying as those captcha things on email forms...

God they get my back up!

 

[Pompiliu]

Well, i have to sell my 2 months old $75k Mercedes. It only comes with 30-pin dock for iOS devices. And i'm not gonna use the jack line in and manually change the songs from my iphone that is in the glove compartment, lol. That's so 1999.
Too bad, it was a great car.

10x Apple


P.S. I also have 20+ cables, 2 iPods hi-fi, a $600 Zeppelin, a couple of radios with dock connector, etc.

 

[MvdM]

Vote against the so maniest stupid decision by Apple : http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/say-no-to-smaller-iphone-dock-connector/

 

[satyrica]

srsly?

Everyone screams innovate until they are presented with the "harsh reality" of having to use a $0.99 adapter to use their old ****. OMFG NO!!!

 

[ericrwalker]

Vote against the so maniest stupid decision by Apple : http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/say-no-to-smaller-iphone-dock-connector/

A little late bro, I am sure the hardware if finalized on the new phone and it sounds like they are already being produced. If you want to keep using your old dock, keep using your old iPhone.

 

[Pigumon]

but it was bound to happen inevitably.

I think you meant "bound to happen eventually". Inevitable basically means "bound to happen", so it's redundant.

If this is legit, might be a massive design fail, placing the microphones even further away from either a right- or left-handed user’s mouth when talking on the phone and possibly even placing an obstacle there (cable) further diminishing speech quality.

You use the iPhone as a phone??

Smaller is always better.

I'm sure the appropriate inappropriate joke has already been made.

Well this just about sums it up. Apart from rumours, no idea what the phone will actually be like, but buying it anyway because they've been Apple-washed.

As opposed to "Android-washed". This kind of argument was done before it ever started. Apples and Oranges. Just stop.

... Ironically a standard micro USB cable is still smaller?

Not ironic at all. USB only has four pins, the dock had 30 and now 19 because it offers more functionality.

 

[alfistas]

Apple should just make it a micro-USB, now that they are adept at putting standard ports on the Retina MBP (HDMI, USB 3). Didn't the EU mandate that all phones sold needed to connect (or charge) via micro-USB or the manufacturer must provide an adapter free of charge? This would be one way to bring the cost down further (and keep the margin higher) by using a standard jack like this....proprietary connectors are so 1986 (ADB, anyone?)

I couldn't agree more!! What is the point of a proprietary port?? We'll just have to wait and see. I don't trust any of that analyst-rumor BS anyway. They're completely out of touch 99% of the time!!

I really hope for USB3 support though...

 

[LizKat]

So what am i going to do with the 131 spare iphone chargers i seem to have picked up over the years?

Thats nearly as annoying as those captcha things on email forms...

God they get my back up!

The spare iPhone chargers I have all have a USB connector on them. Nothing changes there. If the connector is changing on the iPhone then it's just the docks that need adapters, not the chargers.

 

[SkippyThorson]

Bet you can't wait to plug your Samsung nexus galaxy chocolate sponge cake world edition with tingling sense HD powered by android 4.1 beta with 3D into your iPod dock.

One of the funniest comments I've ever read. In stark contrast to...

Well, i have to sell my 2 months old $75k Mercedes. It only comes with 30-pin dock for iOS devices. And i'm not gonna use the jack line in and manually change the songs from my iphone that is in the glove compartment, lol. That's so 1999.
Too bad, it was a great car.

10x Apple

P.S. I also have 20+ cables, 2 iPods hi-fi, a $600 Zeppelin, a couple of radios with dock connector, etc.

I hope this comment is a joke. If that's the case, I had better sell my Smart ForTwo and Ford Fusion, house, land, and all of my pants with pockets so that I can better accommodate the new connector.

Give me a break. "Sell my 2 months old $75k Mercedes"??? Get a life.

 

[egibbys]

Should be welcome to many. I'm ready for a change.

 

[AngerDanger]

Which fragmentation is that exactly?

You must mean hardware! Well we're talking about dock connectors and 99.99% of Android use microUSB so that can't be it. Hardware fragmentation that allows you a choice (eww evil, hiss hiss!) in what size and shape phone/tablet you want and allows you to have the latest and greatest hardware available (but who needs a decent sized screen and 4g/LTE anyways??)

1) That was it. As of right now 99.99% of Android devices use microUSB, and 100% of iOS devices use a 30-pin connector. It's a seemingly insignificant difference but one that Apple has avoided until now. According to this recent MR article, Apple will even provide the adapters with future iOS devices, so they've managed to virtually maintain that 100% compatibility.

2) Haha, that is me to a tee! I hate good things and hiss like a cat. Fantastic. I wish Apple allowed consumers to choose not to buy their products too.

 

[Gix1k]

Just sell me the phone already!!

 

[Dansk]

Look at successful companies/ideas in the past that LASTED. The one constant is? If it isnt broken? Dont fix it!

Changing the dock connector just to make something visually appealing is insane. If its mag safe or the like I guess I see it but still.... Those big ipod/phone connectors are TOUGH and proven why risk changing it for little or no performance gains. Overall I think the resize of the dock conn is a FAIL. That said my final thoughts will be reserved upon launch and if the new dock port performs miraculous tasks or has ten times the speed etc then great I get it. But if it does the exact same job as the original? MASSIVE FAIL i might buy a droid just out of spite. I have a ton of devices with the current dock at numerous locations and the LAST thing I want to do is look for more pieces of a puzzle. Especially when im boxed at night on the dock ( lake side dock that is ) fumbling about with the damn thing and adapters etc. Not liking this plan at all..... but as I said i'll wait before final judgment. Plus having the headset and dock on the same plane makes connection options suffer. Thats a loss too

Are they not increasing the size of the device supposedly? So shrinking the dock conn was truly nec?.

The earphone jack on the bottom? Again fail imo but if its the same jack so we can all use our nice headphones? Not a deal breaker to me I can deal. I still think its dumb I dont want the cable lying across my arm/hand when Im trying to work itunes ( mostly in the gym all sweaty etc. )

 

[slicecom]

Changing the dock connector just to make something visually appealing is insane.

They're not changing it for looks, they're changing it to allow for more space inside the device for a bigger battery to power the power-hungry LTE antennas. Same reason for moving the headphone jack to the bottom (even though it's actually BETTER on the bottom because 90% of people put their phone in their pocket upside down) and same reason for Apple fighting vigorously to make the SIM card smaller. Every mm inside is valuable space.

The people who are complaining about the new dock connector would probably be the first to complain about poor battery life. Apple can never please these people, so I'm glad they ignore them.

 

[AngerDanger]

every android device uses micro usb, so yea, you're wrong there.

Not quite, so yeah, you're wrong there.

 

[aristotle]

What's the big deal? The iPod touch has the headphone jack on the bottom.

The iPod Touch had the jack on the bottom from the very beginning but the iPhone always had it at the top and the same goes for the iPad.

That is not the problem. The problem is that the grills on the bottom are not the same size, there is nothing gained from moving the jack to the bottom and moving the jack is a ridiculous reason to break compatibility on the dock connector.