- iPhone 5 will use a 19-pin connector instead of 30-pin, according to reports
- Change means that all current iPhone accessories must be replaced
- New connector could allow phone to be thinner and enable magnetic cable
By James Tozer
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Loyal Apple customers face being left with hundreds of pounds worth of obsolete accessories when the next version of the iPhone is produced.
The fifth generation model, expected to be launched in the US this autumn, will reportedly use a new connector for charging and for linking to audio equipment.
The rumoured proposal has sparked alarm among the company’s followers who fear they will have to buy new equipment to work with the phone.
Change: This picture is believed to show a prototype case for the new iPhone (right), with its new connector design which is set to make every existing accessory completely obsolete
Old and new: The current iPhone is shown with the prototype of the iPhone 5's outer casing
Docking stations, which play music stored on iPhones and can cost hundreds of pounds, may become redundant as will chargers. All iPhones made so far use a 30-pin connector both for power and to plug in accessories.
It is claimed that the iPhone 5 will use a smaller 19-pin version, which will be incompatible with existing accessories.
Leaked pictures apparently showing the handset reveal a smaller, rounder connector. It is thought that it could have been designed to allow for a slimmer iPhone or for a switch to charging by magnets rather than pins.
TechCrunch, an American technology blog, said it had confirmed the change by speaking to three separate manufacturers. Apple has made no comment on the rumours. The Californian-based firm’s British customers expressed their dismay last night.
Popular: But iPhone users could found themselves seriously out of pocket if they want to upgrade their device
On Mail Online, Allan from Dartmoor wrote: ‘Keep the same connector and I’ll probably get the next phone as it matched the various docks in the car and in the house. Change it and there is no reason for me to stick with Apple. This is why [the late Apple boss] Steve Jobs would have said “No†to this idea. It is not an opportunity for dock makers. It is an opportunity for Samsung [a major Apple rival].’
Another reader, Ross, wrote: ‘How much more â€" my iPad2 32GB is not a year old yet but in Apple’s eyes it’s old already. They are ripping us off â€" change, change, change. How to keep up? As soon as you buy it’s out of date in five months, it’s becoming a joke.’
THE IPHONE ACCESSORIES WHICH COULD BECOME OBSOLETE
 Bang Olufsen BeoSound 8 - $850
Bose Sounddock 10 - $600
BW Zeppelin mini speaker - $300
Others, however, were confident that an adapter would be available to enable the next generation iPhone to link to existing accessories.
Sirio Brozzi, of the US website Awesome Robo, said: ‘People are stunned by this possibility, myself included. Why fix something that’s not broken?’
Answering his own question, he added: ‘Have you guys ever heard of planned obsolescence? It’s a practice which encourages planning and designing a product so it’s only useful for a limited time, before becoming obsolete.’ Robert Scoble, another blogger, said the move would give Apple tighter control over accessory makers.
‘It will be nearly impossible to make unlicensed devices,’ he wrote.
Useless: The $850 Bang Olufsen BeoSound 8 is designed to work with the current iPhone's design
Obsolete: The BW Zeppelin speaker, left, and the Bose Sounddock 10, right, are other pricey gadgets which will have to be upgraded before they will work with the iPhone 5
‘Unfortunately these design goals mean making obsolete the something like ten power chargers in my home.’
Apple advertised for staff to work on the new connector earlier this year. It was seeking an engineer ‘responsible for identifying appropriate connection technology requirements for new products and follow through with selection and development of suitable interconnect products’.
The advertisement added: ‘This will often involve adaptation of existing connectors or complete new designs.’
The new model is expected to have a larger 4-inch screen that will reputedly offer better resolution viewing than a high definition TV.
It will include Apple’s new mapping software. This has sparked privacy fears as it uses aerial photography capable of showing detail just four inches across.
PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE: HOW YOUR GADGETS ARE BUILT TO BREAK
Throughout history electronics manufacturers have sold products with built-in obsolescence, or introduced new formats forcing consumers to rebut accessories and even music, films and TV shows.
Recent examples include the evolution of music, from records to tapes, CDs and downloads, each format requiring users to buy the music they already own again with the promise of better quality.
Film buffs have also seen huge changes, from VHS to laserdisc to DVD, Blu Ray and, finally, downloads.
Many gadget makers, including Apple, also sell electronics with batteries that cannot easily be replaced, forcing users to either upgrade or pay for expensive repairs.
Apple and others have also often changed the design of power supplies and other accessories with each new model, forcing consumers to buy new versions.
TV makers also warn that even th e latest TVs have a limited lifespan, with on average around 100,000 hours of use before they must be replaced.
However, manufacturers hope that consumers will upgrade to the latest technology far before this happens.
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Thank you DM for showing a picture of some products that may become obsolete. I would never have guessed that they might be included.
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Buy a Samsung or HTC. goodbye and good riddancs Apple.
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Apple is over priced and made in China; Talk about "greedy" oil companies and their "bloated" profits, take a look at Apple. They over charge for everything from the basic unit to the least add on. What a greedy bunch of thugs. But, then apple owners being a bunch of brainless slugs will stand in line to over pay for this latest of plastic nonsense with a battery they cant replace. - PJ, tampa, usa, 6/22/12 5:16 PM You really don't understand free enterprise, do you? Supply and demand, price equilibrium, basic stuff like that. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUY IT ! ! ! ! It's a disaster that our education system has filled your little head and millions of similar heads with Marxist drivel plus a punk attitude. If you were in charge, we'd be enjoying the economic dynamism of North Korea.
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No problem someone will bring out an adaptor OR dont buy an Iphone
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You know what folks I am amazed at the level of ignorance being displayed here by so many commentators and here is why;==== Records 78--- got ditched for a new format LPs, Tapes replaced with CDs, Video tapes replaced with DVDs and so on, it’s called PROGRESS. Are you all saying that all this progress should have been refused so as to protect 78 record players that people bought? You all want the best of everything so how the hell do you expect any company to deliver if you are all going to condemn progress. Sooner or later even the best jockey has to change the horse, you cannot keep on winning the derby with an old hag.
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Probably be an adapter to enable 19 pin
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"TV makers also warn that even the latest TVs have a limited lifespan, with on average around 100,000 hours of use before they must be replaced." At a generous 8 hours of viewing per day, that works out to 34 years. I'm not going to panic...
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I though that the EU were trying to mandate microUSB as the one and only connector/charger format for all phones. Or did that get dropped quietly when they started to focus on not going broke?
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Ok do you buy a new car. Let's say ford focus after 3 years you take it back for the new model out do you get given the same key as all the other models to start it???? Answer - Em No!!!!! So what's the difference between buying a new phone?? Not a thing. All phone companies change their chargers. Why not apple. If anything they did us all a good turn keeping the adapter the same for the iPhone and iPod. Stop moaning.
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Just to respond to the other reader about inaccurate Windows Phone 7 info. Windows phone 7 can upgrade to Windows 7.8 which looks and behaves like Windows phone 8. Windows phone 8 however has other capabilities like NFC, wallet which needs the hardware to be supported. All 100,000 apps will still be available for windows 7.8 for current users. I suspect that most developers will support 7.8 as it's the most widely used. Windows 7.8 will still be around for the another 2 years for the lower end devices so can't see what the problem is. A developer can easily compile their new app for 7.8. It is the same like apple doesn't support siri on 3GS haven't see people throwing away their mobiles. As for the Apple adaptor am using a windows phone, which is in my opinion the best and fastest OS out there, so not affected.
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