New Images Claim To Be Apple iPhone 5 Connector

A French blog has posted several images of what it claims is the new dock connector for the iPhone 5, which  is expected to be unveiled in San Francisco on Wednesday.

Reports earlier this summer suggested Apple was preparing to ditch the 30-pin connector it has used in its iDevices since the third generation iPod, making all existing iPhone, iPad and iPod chargers and accessories incompatible with Apple’s latest smartphone.

Apple iPhone 5 Connector

The connector shown in the images appears to be similar to a Micro USB cable, and follows a similar 9-pin format. Apparently the new connector will have a refreshed layout which ensures that it does not have to be the right way up when inserted into a device.

The move to a smaller plug is supposedly motivated by Apple’s desire to have more freedom with the iPhone’s design. The existing connector currently takes up 25mm of space on the bottom of the device and Apple is keen to move the headphone socket from the top.

A smaller connector would also allow Apple to do things like put a bigger battery in and it is possible that the iPhone 5 will be up to 20 percent thinner than previous models.

It is also expected to have a larger screen and Near Field Communication technology. Reports earlier today indicated that it will support 4G LTE networks in Europe, Asia and the US, making it the first Apple smartphone to feature such compatibility.

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