iPhone users to become suckers...

[maxpowr9]

Reckon I already thought of them as sheeple despite me enjoying my ipod touch but I am calling BS on this right now...

iPhone 5 Rumors Persist: New Dock Connector, Thinner Design

I can look at my iPod touch which is the same size an iPhone and the headphone jack is on the bottom-left next to the 30-pin charger.

They really just want people to go out and buy more accessories to boost profit further. That $250 Bose speaker system you bought to dock your iphone? Need a new one now. I am sure it will still work with old A/C adapters but all those cables you accumulated (even I have 3)? In the garbage they go!

[GamerBear]

I have car stereos, sound bar and car chargers that I bought that would work on all Apple Products (iPods, iTouch and iPhone) its definitely bullshit that they would change the iPhone 5 connector.

But then again I don't use my iPhone as a music player, thankfully my car stereo has Bluetooth so if I wanted to listen to my iPhone I can just connect it to the Bluetooth.

I just hope you can finally use Bluetooth to send pictures or files to your Mac, that was such a sad thing that my old LG Xenon phone could send pictures through File Send to my Mac and the iPhone can't even do that.

[looseliam]

Gosh I can't believe I'm going to jump to apples defence but here it goes:

Firstly I'm sure there will be adapters available. Secondly, not all the pins are needed any more. Thirdly, the $idevice's connector does more than just power and audio. There are channels for controls, etc.

[Jack Springer]

Requiring new "adapters" may be part of the reason Apple gave up the "green" thing.

I would be great if there were an industry wide consensus in adapters. Think of all the money it would save consumers and manufacturers -- less packaging, less raw and finished materials, etc.

[DigitalFudge]

Ya'll can have it. I'm here for the Galaxy Note 2



However I do enjoy Apple's music storage so I will probably pick up an Iphone 5 off contract.

[maxpowr9]

Requiring new "adapters" may be part of the reason Apple gave up the "green" thing.

I would be great if there were an industry wide consensus in adapters. Think of all the money it would save consumers and manufacturers -- less packaging, less raw and finished materials, etc.

Um, all android devices use micro USB for a cable. I could use my droid 2 charger with my new Samsung galaxy sIII. It is just Apple that has to "think differently". Hell my friend can charge his blackberry using my charger.

[GamerBear]

However I do enjoy Apple's music storage so I will probably pick up an Iphone 5 off contract.

I still have my iPod Classic 160GB, I listen to it on road trips, have it full with 17,000 songs, never had any real issues with it except for a few MP3 songs not playing due to corrupt MP3 tags. After converting from Creative MP3 to Apple I can say that they make excellent MP3 players.

Haven't been real sold on the storage of the iPhones I just keep the storage for pictures and then sync them to iPhoto or my PC's hard drive.

[looseliam]

^ if you like the ipod as an MP3 player, have a look at Roxbox. It's a firmware replacement for ipods. I like how it acts like a regular MP3 player as it lists the directory structure. So if the MP3 tags differ a bit on a compilation it doesn't matter.

And BTW, I think it's time the bear in your avatar lays off the cocaine a bit <g>

[GamerBear]

I need to find a new avatar.

Since I was using a Mac I found a program that fixed the tags it was only two artists that had the issue. I might give that program a try since it works on older Macs as well.

[looseliam]

I need to find a new avatar.

Naah, I like it. It just reminds me of people doing lines of coke, that's all =]

[bankside]

Just so you know, the rumoured "new adapter" would be Apple bringing its products into line with the new universal standard insisted on by the European Union so that we don't all have to go buy a new charger cord every time something changes. We can just use the "spare from the other one" from now on.

Thank you, European Union!

[JB3]

Reckon I already thought of them as sheeple despite me enjoying my ipod touch but I am calling BS on this right now...

iPhone 5 Rumors Persist: New Dock Connector, Thinner Design

I can look at my iPod touch which is the same size an iPhone and the headphone jack is on the bottom-left next to the 30-pin charger.

They really just want people to go out and buy more accessories to boost profit further. That $250 Bose speaker system you bought to dock your iphone? Need a new one now. I am sure it will still work with old A/C adapters but all those cables you accumulated (even I have 3)? In the garbage they go!

Apple will not do this without making an adapter available, either for free in the box or as a cheap accessory. They did this with the new MagSafe adapters on the new MacBooks. The iPod touch comparison is not valid because the Touch does not have any cellular radios or any accompanying components.

As others have stated, though, there are other reasons for this.
1. Apple no longer needs all 30 pins for the connector.
2. The connector takes up valuable interior space that they're going to need with the iPhone going LTE. As phones get smaller and thinner, every mm of space becomes valuable.
3. The connector may very well be dual-compatible with microUSB, as the EU requires.
4. The dock connector is 10 year old technology that hasn't changed very much. That is an ETERNITY in tech years. They HAVE to make that break and introduce a new connector at some point.

[Jack Springer]

I love the connector on my new MacBook Pro -- easy to attach with the magnet -- easy to pull off.

I replaced the power cord on my old PowerBook at least 1 time a year because of the design of the cord and how it connected to the laptop --- I even had to replace the DC-In Board because of the problems with that nasty connection.

However, I think it would be great to have a universal connection. Maybe the mag connection is the one.

[andysayshi]

I agree Jack. I'd love to see them adopt a magnetic connector like on their MacBook range. It's pure genius.

[T-Rexx]

I[t] would be great if there were an industry wide consensus in adapters. Think of all the money it would save consumers and manufacturers -- less packaging, less raw and finished materials, etc.

There is an industry-wide standard for cell phone data-connectors/chargers. It is called the micro usb connector. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in 2009, 17 of the 18 largest cell phone makers in the world agreed to standardize on the micro usb connector by 2012.

The only hold-out to the standard was (and is) Apple.


Micro USB to become phone charger standard | News | TechRadar

[looseliam]

Perhaps apple could do something with a plug that accepts a micro usb just for charging and then a regular cable for everything else. I recall motorola doing that on some phones way back when.

[T-Rexx]

Perhaps apple could do something with a plug that accepts a micro usb just for charging and then a regular cable for everything else. I recall motorola doing that on some phones way back when.

The problem for Apple is not that the usb bus is incapable of handling the needs of the iPhone. Obviously, the usb bus handles the power and data transfer requirements of almost every peripheral device of every kind which connects to modern desktop and laptop computers today.

The problem for Apple is that usb is not a standard that Apple owns or controls. Therefore, it does not force the necessary lock-in of consumers to the Apple ecosystem.

This is not about addressing the needs of consumers. It's about addressing the needs of Apple.

[JB3]

There is an industry-wide standard for cell phone data-connectors/chargers. It is called the micro usb connector. At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in 2009, 17 of the 18 largest cell phone makers in the world agreed to standardize on the micro usb connector by 2012.

The only hold-out to the standard was (and is) Apple.


Micro USB to become phone charger standard | News | TechRadar

...and the reason they did that was because of the prevalence of Apple's own port, and the number of accessories that supported it.

And, actually, Apple signed onto EU requirements for the universal port. (microUSB)

[looseliam]

The problem for Apple is not that the usb bus is incapable of handling the needs of the iPhone. Obviously, the usb bus handles the power and data transfer requirements of almost every peripheral device of every kind which connects to modern desktop and laptop computers today.

The problem for Apple is that usb is not a standard that Apple owns or controls. Therefore, it does not force the necessary lock-in of consumers to the Apple ecosystem.

This is not about addressing the needs of consumers. It's about addressing the needs of Apple.

I understand their motivation. I was thinking along the line of something that allowed a user to charge his or her $idevice with a micro usb yet still have functionality of their proprietary connection for accessories.

[JB3]

The problem for Apple is not that the usb bus is incapable of handling the needs of the iPhone. Obviously, the usb bus handles the power and data transfer requirements of almost every peripheral device of every kind which connects to modern desktop and laptop computers today.

The problem for Apple is that usb is not a standard that Apple owns or controls. Therefore, it does not force the necessary lock-in of consumers to the Apple ecosystem.

This is not about addressing the needs of consumers. It's about addressing the needs of Apple.

Not quite. The only reason they've stuck with it this long is because of the number of accessories that exist that use it.

[JB3]

I understand their motivation. I was thinking along the line of something that allowed a user to charge his or her $idevice with a micro usb yet still have functionality of their proprietary connection for accessories.

That's supposedly exactly what they've done with this new connector. If rumors are correct, the port will work with apple's proprietary dock connector system, but will also be dual compatible with microUSB. They'll probably have a microUSB dongle that can replicate some of those advanced functions if you don't want to use the new dock connector.

[trawler69]

Given the amount of 3rd party docks there are for the 30 pin connector it would probably be a big mistake to change it. Yes there could be an adaptor made but it would be ugly, which isn't Apple's way. Maybe it would be better to keep the connector so that all the old devices still work, but supply an adaptor so the phone can be charged from micro USB. I don't think Apple consumers would be very happy if they had to change all their compatible devices and leads. Apple themselves don't really make very many of the accessories compared to 3rd parties and by changing to micro usb would be opening them up to even more 3rd parties.

[JB3]

Given the amount of 3rd party docks there are for the 30 pin connector it would probably be a big mistake to change it. Yes there could be an adaptor made but it would be ugly, which isn't Apple's way. Maybe it would be better to keep the connector so that all the old devices still work, but supply an adaptor so the phone can be charged from micro USB. I don't think Apple consumers would be very happy if they had to change all their compatible devices and leads. Apple themselves don't really make very many of the accessories compared to 3rd parties and by changing to micro usb would be opening them up to even more 3rd parties.

They're doing it. Apple needs to make the change, and they have a history of providing adapters for situations where the pace of innovation requires big changes.

[justdra]

I get all my accessories for places other than apple. The only accessory I have from Apple is the one that came with the phone. U can get number working knockoff from anywhere for 10-15 bucks. I have number plugs around my home for hookup/charging. I still have another year left on my phone so its not really in front of my mind at the moment.

[JB3]

I get all my accessories for places other than apple. The only accessory I have from Apple is the one that came with the phone. U can get number working knockoff from anywhere for 10-15 bucks. I have number plugs around my home for hookup/charging. I still have another year left on my phone so its not really in front of my mind at the moment.

Be careful of knock-offs; there's a reason why they're knock-offs.

[USEDCAR]

I rarely buy new apple products i still have and use ipad1 and ipod classic 120 gigs and the ipod touch that came out a few years ago. Apple products comes out to fast and then the current product quickly becomes old. If they made a ipod classic i would def buy one.

Plus i like my EXPANDABLE android phone

[evanrick]

And if those of us with their current products have to buy that adapter, it is a small price to pay for the advances we have come to expect from Apple.

I haven't purchased anything from Apple in years or expect to purchase anything from them again. It costs $2000 a year to own a iPhone. I pay $5 a month for my android service.

[JB3]

I haven't purchased anything from Apple in years or expect to purchase anything from them again. It costs $2000 a year to own a iPhone. I pay $5 a month for my android service.

$2000 a year? Maybe if you use an insane amount of data and minutes. My bill when I had an iPhone was $1000 a year. I pay the same now with my Android phone.

[bankside]

I don't pay 2000 a year for two iPhones on a couples plan.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't pay 2000 a year for two iPhones on a couples plan.

[Jack Springer]

I haven't purchased anything from Apple in years or expect to purchase anything from them again. It costs $2000 a year to own a iPhone. I pay $5 a month for my android service.

Who pays $2000 a year for phone service?

People who don't know how to manage their money.

[looseliam]

Who pays $2000 a year for phone service?

People who don't know how to manage their money.

Perhaps they are the same people who spend $500/year on a cell phone?

[JB3]

Perhaps they are the same people who spend $500/year on a cell phone?

This year I've spent at least $1,500 on phones. (granted, it works out to only a couple hundred thanks to ebay) I spend nowhere near $2k a year for service.

[justdra]

Be careful of knock-offs; there's a reason why they're knock-offs.

I've used knockoffs since I've had my 3GS and they have all worked. There are plenty of knockoff companies with good products like Belkin or iFrogz or Griffin that are half the cost of Apple accessories.

[JB3]

I've used knockoffs since I've had my 3GS and they have all worked. There are plenty of knockoff companies with good products like Belkin or iFrogz or Griffin that are half the cost of Apple accessories.

Those aren't knockoffs though. Those are licensed accessories.

Knockoffs are the ones that look like the OEM versions, but are actually some cheaply made counterfeit.

[justdra]

Gotcha. I always considered if it wasn't made by the original company, it was called a knockoff. I know apple gives companies permission to make accessories but I just thought they were knockoffs. Well all of mine are "licensed accessories" lol, just cheaper than apple.

[maxpowr9]

This year I've spent at least $1,500 on phones. (granted, it works out to only a couple hundred thanks to ebay) I spend nowhere near $2k a year for service.

My companies have given me a $200/month allowance on my phone service. Even with that allowance, my phone bill is around $60/month. Mind you, mine is part of a family plan which has 5 people on it, 3 of which are smart phones. $2000/year for 1 phone is just ridiculous.

[looseliam]

Gotcha. I always considered if it wasn't made by the original company, it was called a knockoff. I know apple gives companies permission to make accessories but I just thought they were knockoffs. Well all of mine are "licensed accessories" lol, just cheaper than apple.

There's OE, OEM, and then everything else. OE is original equipment: parts purchase directly from the brand. Then there's OEM: original equipment manufacturer. It's the same part that's sold by the brand but not sold through the brand. The rest may compatible parts/accessories but have no relationship with the brand or it's manufaturers.

Car analogy:

Need an alternator for a BMW:
OE: buy from dealer
OEM: buy Bosch alternator from local supplier
One has a BMW logo and part number on it, one does not; they're the same part, though.
Or go to NAPA and get a part that isn't Bosch or BMW OE but will still work (maybe).

[JB3]

My companies have given me a $200/month allowance on my phone service. Even with that allowance, my phone bill is around $60/month. Mind you, mine is part of a family plan which has 5 people on it, 3 of which are smart phones. $2000/year for 1 phone is just ridiculous.

Yeah I don't know how you could spend that much.