Apple's new Lightning connector is 80% smaller, orientation independent
Apple's new 9-pin iOS device connector, dubbed Lightning, is 80 percent smaller than its predecessor, is all-digital, and can be plugged in either way.
The new dock connector helped allow Apple to make the new iPhone 5 the thinnest smartphone on the market. The Lightning connection will be quickly supported by a number of third-party accessory makers highlighted by Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller, including Bose, JBL, and B&W.
Schiller also promised "a bunch of accessories" that will allow users to utilize their legacy accessories that rely on the nearly 10-year-old 30-pin dock connector.
Lightning features
Source: ArsTechnica
Bluetooth, WiFi, AirPlay, Wireless sync, iCloud
Source: ArsTechnica
Lightning icon
Source: ArsTechnica
Schiller noted that the Lightning moniker matches up with the existing Thunderbolt branding. However, speed and pricing of the new cables was not mentioned, as Apple highlighted that many functions, including syncing, video output and updating, can now be accomplished wirelessly using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or mobile connections.
The new dock connector helped allow Apple to make the new iPhone 5 the thinnest smartphone on the market. The Lightning connection will be quickly supported by a number of third-party accessory makers highlighted by Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller, including Bose, JBL, and B&W.
Schiller also promised "a bunch of accessories" that will allow users to utilize their legacy accessories that rely on the nearly 10-year-old 30-pin dock connector.
Lightning features
Source: ArsTechnica
Bluetooth, WiFi, AirPlay, Wireless sync, iCloud
Source: ArsTechnica
Lightning icon
Source: ArsTechnica
Schiller noted that the Lightning moniker matches up with the existing Thunderbolt branding. However, speed and pricing of the new cables was not mentioned, as Apple highlighted that many functions, including syncing, video output and updating, can now be accomplished wirelessly using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or mobile connections.
Comments
Goodie, goodie; more dongles!
Quote:
Originally Posted by NexusPhan
8 pin* Not 9. Maybe you had this article pre-written?
Hmm. It says 8-signal. Does that mean 9 or 8 pins?
And now we've got Lightning.
This is all very, very frightening.
(I couldn't resist...)
I think AI should have stuck with Apple's term: "reversible"...
Much less suggestive.
The Store is back up. You can order the cables and adapters. Says available to ship. What time GMT does the pre-ordering begin on Friday for the iPhone. I'm sure they will be sold out in a matter of an hour or perhaps less.
So...we've had Thunderbolt.
And now we've got Lightning.
This is all very, very frightening.
(I couldn't resist...)
<<<<
You forgot iCloud
Quote:
Originally Posted by CGJ
So...we've had Thunderbolt.
And now we've got Lightning.
This is all very, very frightening.
(I couldn't resist...)
Donder und Blitzen!
Thunderbolt? USB 3?
This morning on the Today show some "tech expert" who is clearly a moron, was going on about how the new doc connector would be a micro USB connector because all the countries of europe were going to require it..... Some tech experts should read more and talk less.
Originally Posted by zunx
Thunderbolt? USB 3?
There's not even a standalone page for it on Apple's website, which I find surprising. We don't even know what it DOES; all we heard was "most of this stuff is done wirelessly now".
Quote:
Originally Posted by applenewbie
This morning on the Today show some "tech expert" who is clearly a moron, was going on about how the new doc connector would be a micro USB connector because all the countries of europe were going to require it..... Some tech experts should read more and talk less.
Wish they would - that way no one in Europe can get one - more for the world to buy, since they sell all they can make anyhow. What next - "European Union requires Flash Players on all i-devices"?
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilBoogie
Headphone jacks are orientation independent, the new connector is not.
Ok, you'll have to explain that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by melgross
Ok, you'll have to explain that.
The new connector has two possible orientations… North facing and South facing, if you will. A headphone jack is round, so it can face any direction on the compass. It would be better to refer to the new dock connector as reversible, as someone else suggested earlier in the thread.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
There's not even a standalone page for it on Apple's website, which I find surprising. We don't even know what it DOES; all we heard was "most of this stuff is done wirelessly now".
Yes, I spent some time looking. I imagine it's USB 3, since Thunderbold would be impossible, at this time, on a mobile device. that's both because of the cost and size of even the cheap Thunderbolt chip, and the power requirements, which are fairly high. At some point in the future it could happen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HazMatt
The new connector has two possible orientations… North facing and South facing, if you will. A headphone jack is round, so it can face any direction on the compass. It would be better to refer to the new dock connector as reversible, as someone else suggested earlier in the thread.
Ok, couldn't get what you meant.