Upcoming iPhone to have new dock connector, 19pin vs 30pin

[Bateluer]

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=24986

New photos and videos indicate that the new iPhone will now have a 19-pin port instead of the 30-pin port that Apple devices have traditionally offered since the third generation iPod.

If this pans out, how will long time iPhone owners feel when they have to re-buy all their accessories?

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

If you look at the 30-pin port. There are still some pins for Firewire that could easily be taken out.

 

[Eug]

I'm surprised they didn't do this years ago. That 30-pin port is just way too big, esp. for something like an iPod nano.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=24986

If this pans out, how will long time iPhone owners feel when they have to re-buy all their accessories?

Most will be happy to do it. This is why apple made the change, because they know people will keep buying.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

I'm surprised they didn't do this years ago. That 30-pin port is just way too big, esp. for something like an iPod nano.

Well there was the one for the shuffle.

 

[Eug]

Well there was the one for the shuffle.

Yeah, but the shuffle doesn't support anything meaningful. I have both the square shuffle and the square nano. It's an interesting contrast in dock connectors.

 

[Ns1]

I only need to buy new usb charging cables.

 

[Bateluer]

Most will be happy to do it. This is why apple made the change, because they know people will keep buying.

I was trying not to say that . . . but yeah, most people buying the iPhone 5/4GS will be buying a slew of new accessories without batting an eyelash.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Couldn't you just get an adapter?

 

[Mopetar]

Couldn't you just get an adapter?

Yeah, but it would still be awkward trying to dock it with anything where it's supposed to sit in an area. Take these speakers for example:

Having to put an adapter in would probably make the docking less smooth and leave the device sticking out more than it should. It's probably not the biggest deal, but it's definitely less than ideal.

 

[Eug]

I was trying not to say that . . . but yeah, most people buying the iPhone 5/4GS will be buying a slew of new accessories without batting an eyelash.

All I need is a USB cable, and it's likely to come with one. Maybe I'd buy a second one for charging in the car or to carry in my briefcase, but again it'd just need to be a USB cable. I already have the AC->USB charging adapters.

I don't bother with the other accessories like portable 3rd party speaker systems since Apple has a habit of obsoleting those with OS updates and new hardware, even if the port is the same.

 

[TuxDave]

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=24986

If this pans out, how will long time iPhone owners feel when they have to re-buy all their accessories?

Thank god I work near a small store that sells USB to Apple cables. $3 a pop. I'm sure I can manage.

 

[pm]

I had long been hoping that Apple would adopt microUSB after the EU adopted microUSB as the EU connection charging standard. Instead, Apple did this.

I will say that the fact that are a Apple compatible connectors everywhere has been one of the strengths to the iPhone to me as a traveller. But it would have been beautiful if Apple had adopted microUSB instead of this 19-pin connector. It would have been completely an utterly out of character for them, and poor business decision, but beautiful.

 

[Eug]

I don't see any advantage to using micro-USB. I hate that port, as it's seems so flimsy.

BTW, if this port is magnetic like rumours claim, that would rock.

 

[QueBert]

I cannot stand microUSB, I don't understand why MiniUSB didn't stay popular. I don't like it a lot, but I like it a lot more than MicroUSB. as Eug said it seems flimsy, but really it actually is flimsly. It was a poorly designed connector from the jump imho. I have had MicroUSB connectors break off, never had that problem with my iPod one, or even a MiniUSB. Thankfully some products still come with the Mini, my Bluetooth headphones did.

 

[Bateluer]

Guys . . . charging is easy. Its the speaker systems, car docks, various home docks, etc that will all need to be replaced.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

If this pans out, how will long time iPhone owners feel when they have to re-buy all their accessories?

Yes one more attempt to poke fun at the iOS crew. So how long have we had this connector? My 2004 iPod used the same connector. I believe any of the devices today will charge on the USB connectors, but the firewire ones from pre 4th gen iPod will have issues. But that's 8 years of chargers.

I could walk into a room and say "Hey can anyone spare an iPhone charger" and someone will pull one out for me. Easy. I could pull that an airport anyday and share Macbook chargers, iPod chargers, etc.

It's not like Apple switches every 2 years or something. Heck you get more life out of your damn charger than having to switch from Socket 1366 to 1156 to 1155, and to whatever's next...

 

[NikolaeVarius]

I cannot stand microUSB, I don't understand why MiniUSB didn't stay popular. I don't like it a lot, but I like it a lot more than MicroUSB. as Eug said it seems flimsy, but really it actually is flimsly. It was a poorly designed connector from the jump imho. I have had MicroUSB connectors break off, never had that problem with my iPod one, or even a MiniUSB. Thankfully some products still come with the Mini, my Bluetooth headphones did.

There are quality differences between them. Good ones are extremely firm and I love em. Compact, nice fit into the socket.

Yes one more attempt to poke fun at the iOS crew. So how long have we had this connector? My 2004 iPod used the same connector. I believe any of the devices today will charge on the USB connectors, but the firewire ones from pre 4th gen iPod will have issues. But that's 8 years of chargers.

I could walk into a room and say "Hey can anyone spare an iPhone charger" and someone will pull one out for me. Easy. I could pull that an airport anyday and share Macbook chargers, iPod chargers, etc.

It's not like Apple switches every 2 years or something. Heck you get more life out of your damn charger than having to switch from Socket 1366 to 1156 to 1155, and to whatever's next...

I assure you more people carry mini and micro usb chargers than ipod chargers. The sheer amount of electronics that use mini and micro usb is indicative of that

 

[poofyhairguy]

Guys . . . charging is easy. Its the speaker systems, car docks, various home docks, etc that will all need to be replaced.

You say that, but I know my wife is getting an iPhone 5 and she has a charger in the bedroom, in the living room and in the car. Part of that is the iPad uses it too, so now we have to have two chargers in some places.

A pain.

 

[Eug]

I have more iPod dock cables than microUSB cables. I have lots of miniUSB cables though.

 

[bearxor]

In my epic internal struggle to decide which smartphone platform to pledge my allegiance to for another two years, this is like item #99 out of 100, just ahead of "can it play doom?".

 

[psych2]

I know this is anecdotal, but my friend came over for some Max Payne 3 pwnage and his iPhone 4S ran out of juice. He didn't bring his charger and all I had were microUSB cables so yea he was SOL. Imagine having to carry both kinds just to be compatible lol. Proprietary charging solution sucks, and you reap what you sow

 

[TuxDave]

Guys . . . charging is easy. Its the speaker systems, car docks, various home docks, etc that will all need to be replaced.

<--- car has bluetooth and USB. Still safe!

 

[MrX8503]

I know this is anecdotal, but my friend came over for some Max Payne 3 pwnage and his iPhone 4S ran out of juice. He didn't bring his charger and all I had were microUSB cables so yea he was SOL. Imagine having to carry both kinds just to be compatible lol. Proprietary charging solution sucks, and you reap what you sow

USB can't do analog/digital video/audio out. It's also physically weak for docking to hold the device up.

Apple's 30 pin is proprietary but they're also everywhere. You only had USB because you probably don't own an apple device.

 

[Eug]

Heh. On the radio today I heard it's going to be changing from 30 pins to 129 pins.

I guess their editing and research depts didn't have their coffees this morning.