Photos purport to show 'iPhone 6' Lightning port, microphone flex cable

Posted:
in iPhone edited July 2014
A pair of images out of Asia on Friday supposedly show a flex cable for an unannounced Apple product, containing a Lightning connector port, microphone and unusually large headphone jack.


Source: MacX


The photos of the alleged Apple part were posted to the MacX forum by a user who claims to have acquired the cable from an old junior high school classmate now working in the manufacturing industry in Shenzhen, China. Apple partner supplier Foxconn is known to have a factory in that area, though the connection is tenuous at best.

Because AppleInsider cannot verify the authenticity of the hardware, the following is offered for purposes of discussion only.

While the overall design of the flex cable is similar to that of Apple's most recent iPhones, including the iPhone 5s, there are a few interesting differences worth pointing out.

For example, the rear side of the cable appears to have additional grounding plates, circuitry and an oval hole cut out just above the Lightning connector. Apple's next iPhone is expected to feature an ultra-slim profile, meaning the cutout could be a space saving measure meant to afford extra headroom for components.

The headphone jack is also larger than those found in current model iPhones, which feature a rectangular cuboid housing a bit larger than the barrel holding the assembly's TRRS finger contacts. While mere speculation, the part could serve a dual purpose, perhaps as a secondary loud speaker. Apple does hold patents for a 3.5mm TRRS jack that integrates a speaker module and the part in Friday's photo appears to be specially molded.

It should be noted, however, that the audio quality from such a small enclosure and port opening would compare poorly to the dedicated -- and much larger -- speaker enclosure used in the iPhone 5s, and Apple is unlikely to take exchange overall fidelity for stereo sound.




Finally, in the image above, a small Apple logo can just be made out next to the Lightning port, along with what appears to be a part number.

Apple is expected to launch two new iPhone models this fall with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screen sizes. A rumor on Thursday claimed the smaller version is slated to enter production next week, while assembly of the 5.5-inch "phablet" may be delayed until August.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 27
    In China, clone makers are already selling iPhone 6 knock-offs.
  • Reply 2 of 27
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member
    Wow. That's [B][I][U]exciting[/U][/I][/B]!
    /s
  • Reply 3 of 27
    In China, clone makers are already selling iPhone 6 knock-offs.

    I heard that the clone makers were already up to iPhone 6s... iPhone 6 is sooo last month!
  • Reply 4 of 27
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member
    Could the Lightning port now support USB 3 and 2?
  • Reply 5 of 27
    rtdunhamrtdunham Posts: 428member
    For the iwatch, with a small speaker?
  • Reply 6 of 27
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    Could the Lightning port now support USB 3 and 2?

    I think that has to do with the USB controller on the board. I see no reason why it couldn't support it but would it make a difference if the read/write of the NAND is still so slow?

    What I've hoped would happen is for this simple NAND to be made into an on-board SSD. Basically two NAND chips with a small controller in a package. It doesn't have to be nearly as good as wha we see in the Mac, just better than what we have now in iDevices.
  • Reply 7 of 27
    For crying out loud, AI Staff! How difficult is it for your people to label the picture? Don't they know how to use the annotation feature of Preview? You display two pictures! Show one as the original and one with annotations!

    Which part is the Lightening connector. Which part is the Headphone Jack? Where are the extra grounding points? Point to the referenced oval! There are two, after all! Where is the tiny Apple?

    Not everyone who reads your posts have seen the inside of an iPhone or other electronic device. Help us out! If you're going to be instructive in your text, be instructive all the way! Annotate!
  • Reply 8 of 27

    "Which part is the Lightening connector."

     

    CORRECTION: Lightning Connector (I blame the tendonitis)

  • Reply 9 of 27
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    gunner1954 wrote: »
    "Which part is the Lightening connector."

    CORRECTION: Lightning Connector (I blame the tendonitis)

    1) I agree they should have labeled the image. If they don't want to spoil the default engine use a mouseover that will change the image to one with annotations.

    2) Here is better angle of a similar component in the iPhone 5S. You should be able to see the Lightning connector in the center.

    400


    3) You can edit your posts.
  • Reply 10 of 27
    Oh my! Look at that new cable and connector... I can't wait to get the new iPhone!!! I'm sorry, I love Apple and their products but I find these articles showing supposed parts of the phone funny as hell. what do I care what the camera sensor or other supposed part looks like? Why can't people just wait for the real phone to be released and be surprised instead of showing these fake or real parts? End of rant.
  • Reply 11 of 27
    solipsismx wrote: »
    Could the Lightning port now support USB 3 and 2?

    I think that has to do with the USB controller on the board. I see no reason why it couldn't support it but would it make a difference if the read/write of the NAND is still so slow?

    What I've hoped would happen is for this simple NAND to be made into an on-board SSD. Basically two NAND chips with a small controller in a package. It doesn't have to be nearly as good as wha we see in the Mac, just better than what we have now in iDevices.

    This?
    Anobit is a fabless semiconductor company based in Israel which makes a key component that improves the performance of NAND flash memory chips, which are used in iPhones, iPads, and iPods. As Robin wrote when the rumors first surfaced:

    Anobit provides flash storage solutions for enterprise and mobile markets, based on its proprietary MSP (which stands for ‘Memory Signal Processing’) technology. Its solutions are designed to improve the speed, endurance and performance of flash storage systems while driving down the cost.

    Anobit’s technology is comprised of signal processing algorithms that compensate for physical limitations of NAND flash, the company claims.

    http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/11/why-apple-bought-anobit/

    I read somewhere, that the Anobit tech allows inexpensive NAND flash to perform faster and more reliably for a small added cost.
  • Reply 12 of 27
    gunner1954 wrote: »
    "Which part is the Lightening connector."

    CORRECTION: Lightning Connector (I blame the tendonitis)

    Das ist Blitzen!
  • Reply 13 of 27
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post



    2) Here is better angle of a similar component in the iPhone 5S. You should be able to see the Lightning connector in the center.




    What is the component with the long wire?

  • Reply 14 of 27

    This is why I love Apple! Only Apple looks at a "state of the art" phone (5s) and says, "How can we improve it? Make better ports!"  :)

     

    My iMac has one cable coming out of it....the pwr cord. I don't even sync my iPhone anymore with the cable. 

     

    My (mis-guided) friends with Windows boxes have a myriad of cables and ugly power bricks all collecting dirt and dust around their desks. Ugh! The only electronics I have showing in my den are Apple. I have my wireless printer (Brother MFC) stuck in the closet so I don't have to look at it same with my ext. HD. I had to put an outlet in the closet to hide the non-Apple stuff.

     

    When my (mis-guided) friends come over they marvel had how neat my office is. But go home and do nothing about their own messy office. I think they are just humoring me and think I have a mild case of mental illness! :)

     

    Best.

     

    P.S. When I get a new Apple TimeCapsule it will placed neatly and prominently on a shelf all by itself! :

  • Reply 15 of 27
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by christopher126 View Post

     

    When my (mis-guided) friends come over they marvel had how neat my office is. But go home and do nothing about their own messy office. I think they are just humoring me and think I have a mild case of mental illness! :)


    You've obviously heard the expression "A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind", right?



    Albert Einstein's desk





     

  • Reply 16 of 27
    ytseman3 wrote: »
    Oh my! Look at that new cable and connector... I can't wait to get the new iPhone!!! I'm sorry, I love Apple and their products but I find these articles showing supposed parts of the phone funny as hell. what do I care what the camera sensor or other supposed part looks like? Why can't people just wait for the real phone to be released and be surprised instead of showing these fake or real parts? End of rant.

    Often, by closely examining these parts, one can predict the capabilities of the device.

    For example, when Apple released the lightning connector, there was a discussion whether it could be used with the much faster USB 3. The Lightning connector apparently had one less pinout than is necessary to support USB 3. Some suggested that the contacts on the edges of the lightning connector could be used for ground -- freeing up a pinout for USB 3 ...

    The fact that this article shows that there are a lot of changes in the grounding of the Lightning connector, suggests to me that Apple is enabling USB 3 support on the coming iDevices.

    I suspect that some models of iPads will have considerably more RAM and Storage to exploit their exclusive 64-bit APU advantage ... If that is so, then the speed of the USB 2/Lighting port I/O becomes a bottleneck -- A USB 3/Lightning port will eliminate that bottleneck.

    FWIW, there are industries like Video Production and Post Production which use current iPads -- despite their limitations.


    [VIDEO]


    The part about the iPad starts @ 11:41 -- but the whole video is worth watching.

    What's significant about this use of the iPad is that as video is captured on the set, it is streamed from the cameras to a central server, where it automatically (and semi-automatically) cataloged with metadata. Then it is immediately available for streaming back to iPads on the set ...

    Basically, you can capture a scene and immediately review it with the director, the talent, lighting, sound ... and call a take or reshoot the scene as necessary -- without ever leaving the set.
  • Reply 17 of 27
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post



    Could the Lightning port now support USB 3 and 2?

     

    Only on the 5.5" model. Because I made that up.

  • Reply 18 of 27
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ytseman3 View Post



    Oh my! Look at that new cable and connector... I can't wait to get the new iPhone!!! I'm sorry, I love Apple and their products but I find these articles showing supposed parts of the phone funny as hell. what do I care what the camera sensor or other supposed part looks like? Why can't people just wait for the real phone to be released and be surprised instead of showing these fake or real parts? End of rant.

     

    In the rumor business, not repeating a rumor on your site is tantamount to falling behind. Every site repeats every rumor or risks having no new content. For example, if AppleInsider was to limit itself to posting only the rumors where it had direct contact with the leaker (i.e., exclusive source), it would post nothing.

  • Reply 19 of 27
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by mstone View Post

     

    You've obviously heard the expression "A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind", right?



    Albert Einstein's desk





     


    I like it M! Thx! :)

     

    I remember seeing a photo of Stevo sitting at his desk in his home office. I was a little surprised that it wasn't green frosted glass with nothing on it. I was expecting a more spartan look. 

     

    It didn't look as bad as Einstein's. Just "comfortable!" :) I was also surprised he still had the old 30" monitor.

     

    I searched for the photo, but couldn't find it. It may have been in his biography.

     

    Best

  • Reply 20 of 27
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by christopher126 View Post

     

     

    I remember seeing a photo of Stevo sitting at his desk in his home office. I was a little surprised that it wasn't green frosted glass with nothing on it. I was expecting a more spartan look. 

     

    It didn't look as bad as Einstein's. Just "comfortable!" :) I was also surprised he still had the old 30" monitor.

     

    I searched for the photo, but couldn't find it. It may have been in his biography.


    image 

     

    There are tons of photos online. I just searched for Steve Jobs Home Office in Google Images

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