The 30-pin dock connector has been with us since 2003. Since its launch, the iPod, iPod mini, iPod nano, iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad have all used this connector for syncing and charging. It’s been a good run, but it is getting long in the tooth. Its days are numbered, and some are saying that the next iPhone will be the end of the dock connector’s reign.
The iPhone 5, Apple’s next generation iPhone expected to go on sale around October, will come with a 19-pin connector port at the bottom instead of the proprietary 30-pin port “to make room for the earphone moving to the bottom”, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Not only is this an opportunity for Apple to shrink the size of the connector down, but it also allows for a connector that makes more sense. In low light, it is very hard to see which direction the current connector is facing. Using touch, there isn’t really an easy way to feel which direction is up, so you can end up trying to jam it in your device the wrong way. While many of us would like a standard mini-USB connector, I won’t be holding my breath. The control that Apple gets with a proprietary connector is intoxicating. It would be pretty shocking for them to give that up while they’re still selling so many devices.
Will you miss the dock connector when it finally does die? Are you hoping it still has some life in it? Sound off by leaving a comment below this post.
Source: Reuters
