iPhone 5 To Have Different Connector?

The iPhone 5 will have a different connector to its predecessors, rendering existing accessories incompatible with the device, reports have suggested.

TechCrunch says that it has received confirmation from three manufacturers that the Apple smartphone will have a 19-pin ‘mini’ connector rather than the existing 30-pin one used by the iPhone 4S.

Apple introduced the connector in the third-generation iPod and it’s used by many peripherals such as docks and chargers.

Downsizing

The current connector offers structural stability when connecting to accessories, but apparently Apple is concerned with saving space within the device.

The pin-out will be similar in size to the Thunderbolt  port used in many MacBook devices, but it will be different, according to three manufacturers who have “independently verified” the news. They added that they were facing an “uneasy few months” as they wait for it to be officially announced.

Speculation about what form the as-yet unconfirmed but widely expected iPhone 5 will take has intensified in recent months, with some suggesting that it will have a larger screen, while others are saying it will be 20 percent thinner than previous models.

Even the release date remains a mystery with reports that it was set for a June launch looking increasingly wide of the mark as the end of the month approaches.

Its predecessor, the iPhone 4S, was launched last October and featured iOS 5, iCloud and voice recognition software Siri. It was well-received both critically and commercially, shifting four million units during its first weekend on sale.

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