A new style of dock connector is fast becoming one of the most anticipated features of the iPhone 5, and now we’re hearing that Apple could be plotting to use a MagSafe-style connection, similar to those used on its MacBook range of notebooks.
New sources claim that the redesigned dock connector will feature just 8 pins internally, as opposed to the 16 or 19 pin designs that have been rumoured recently. The tip comes again from iLounge, who originally broke news that the next iPhone would feature a much smaller dock. According to their sources the power adaptor could be connected to the phone in both ways, eliminating the chance of users wrecking the connection on their phone by jamming the plug in the wrong way.
If this turns out to be true, Apple could well use an 8 pin layout inside the phone – likely two rows of four – which the charger or USB cable could connect to either way. It’s not clear if the connection will be magnetic like the MagSafe adaptors.
Perhaps more interestingly, iLounge also reports that Apple is working on a new Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity feature for its iOS devices that will enable various sharing methods. According to the sources, the new tech could result in the ability to push iMessages between an iPhone and an iPad, as well as notifications and updates. The feature could also allow users to start, end and answer calls to and from an iPhone using a second device, such as an iPad. We’re pretty certain Palm and HP fans will jump on this and declare it’s a copy of the functionality used on the Pre smartphones and TouchPad tablet.
This feature certainly sounds useful, and with more and more people owning both an iPhone and iPad or iPod, it’ll certainly be well received. We’d like it if you could start watching a video or listening to an album and then switch it to a second paired device, but we’ll need to wait and see just what the feature will entail.
Apple’s iPhone 5 is expected to be revealed with iOS 6 on September 12th, and launched on September 21st, several sources have now confirmed.
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