iPhone 5 Set To Ditch 30-Pin Connector – Report

Apple is set to use a 19-pin connector in the iPhone 5 rather than the 30-pin connector it has used in its devices since the third generation iPod, according to a new report.

Sources have told Reuters that the old connector is set to be dropped so that the earphone socket can be moved to the bottom of the handset.

This will render any accessory designed for the old connector such as speakers and chargers useless with the new smartphone, infuriating long term users of Apple products, but providing a boost for peripheral manufacturers.

iPhone 5 connector

This is not the first report to predict the end of the 30-pin connector. It is 21mm wide, taking up a great deal of space on the bottom of current iDevices and has been superseded by technologies such as MicroUSB which are more powerful and take up less room.

A smaller connection would allow Apple to create new designs, put in a bigger battery or even create smaller products. It has been rumoured that the iPhone 5 will be up to 20 percent thinner than previous models.

The iPhone 5 has not been announced yet, but it is rumoured be powered by a quad-core processor that would match that of its rivals as well as Near Field Communication technology. Any potential release date also remains a mystery, but Fran Shammo, Chief Financial Officer of US operator Verizon, hinted during the company’s quarterly conference call that it could be released in the fourth quarter of this year.

What do you know about the iPhone? Find out with our quiz!