New iPhone 5 dock: What happens to all your accessories?
Last week’s announcement of the iPhone 5 got Apple fans salivating – so much so that pre-orders promptly sold out. But there was some sour with the sweet: Apple’s new, smaller Lightning connector for the new iPhone 5 is a major shift away from the large, instantly recognisable 30-pin connector it’s used on iPods and iPhones alike for the best part of a decade. And that could be a problem for all of your iAccessories.
Just what did Apple change?
If you ever thought Apple’s 30-pin connector was rather unwieldy compared to a skimpy little micro USB charger, you weren’t alone. That inch wide slot was actually stopping the company from shrinking the iPhone down any further.
It was also carrying a lot of dead weight: all 30 pins have different functions, and some of those are more than pointless today (Two alone for powering FireWire connections you can’t even find on some new Macs). With the new LIghtning connector, Apple shrunk it down to a much more dainty 19-pins, but it still does all the essential things like data in, data out – and unlike micro USB, audio out as well for all your music accessories.
So what’s the problem?
Apple’s 30-pin dock let it control and create a whole eco system of gadgets that worked with the iPhone and iPod, from chargers to alarm clocks and high end speaker docks. It’s a serious selling point of iOS and the iPhone in general, but sadly, the move does mean that you can’t pop your iPhone 5, new iPod touch or new iPad nano into all those gadgets you’ve already bought – and it that includes a pricey £500 B&W Zeppelin speaker, that’s obviously going to leave some people feeling miffed.
What’s Apple’s solution?
Apple had to draw a line in the sand to keep up with thinner and thinner phones from rivals like Samsung, and make the jump to a smaller connector, but it’s still provided a workaround for every upgrader with older accessories. From October, you’ll be able to buy a Lightning to 30-pin adapter, a little widget about the size of two 30-pin connectors back to back, to pop into your docks. Sadly, it doesn’t let you output video any more (just audio) and it costs a rather eye watering £25.
That’s a lot. Isn’t there anyway around it?
Not yet, but we’d expect that to change soon. Non-brand vendors will likely fall over themselves to make unofficial adapters that do the exact same thing for much less – keep your eyes peeled on Amazon for white label alternatives.
Got AirPlay?
Apple’s actually spent the last couple of years bracing for the impact of a whole new connector on the iPhone 5 – by removing the need for a cable at all. If you’ve got any of a slew of recent AirPlay speaker docks, the move to Lightning shouldn’t affect you at all – since you send music over the air on your home network, you don’t need a new adapter anyway. Problem solved!
Got a lot of iPhone accessories you’ll be leaving behind with the iPhone 5? Are you annoyed, or was it time to move on? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below.
User comments (10)
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Jon17 September 2012
I completely see the need to reduce the size of the connector, but when I'm paying £600 for a handset (16GB doesn't quite cut it nowadays) and have paid thousands of pounds for phones, laptops, connectors and accessories, not to mention audio equipment, I expect to get an adaptor free with my phone. Seriously, I know they're selling the adapter for £25, but it can't cost more than £5 to make even a decent quality one, I don't think it's too much to ask for one to be included - at least for early adopters of this first generation.
Report as inappropriateandi384117 September 2012
I'm a little annoyed at the fact that they knew people have spent there hard earned cash on the accessories, but they still want to squeeze yet another £25 out of you to continue using them. I bought myself a zeppelin air back in July and now I won't be able to charge my iPhone 5 when it arrives, plus now when I take the zeppelin out in to the garden, It does not connect to the wifi thus making me now risk damaging it by putting my iPad in or just spending out yet again. I reacon if wonderful steve jobs (god rest his soul) would of put the converter in with the iPhone 5. Myself and my partner both have docking radio alarm clocks, one costing nearly £100 and the other only £50 that will become no more than very expensive alarm clocks and we both have bluetooth parrots fitted to are cars that will not be able to charge the iphone 5 ! So cheers Apple chief executive. You have all those billions of £££ and can't help out the people that made you what you are today.
Report as inappropriateDavid17 September 2012
"EU law mandates that all handsets shipped inside Europe, including the iPhone 5, have to feature a MicroUSB port. " The iPhone 5 does not feature a MicroUSB port. Therefore Apple is KNOWINGLY breaking the law. All iPhone 5s released SHOULD be recalled costing Apple billions. I hope all companies affected in a negative way by Apple in the last few years help to ensure this happens. Apple may control US law but they do not control EU law and I hope they realise that in the near future. I'm not pro Apple or Android. I just believe in the facts. I have owned an Apple iPod Touch 2g for years and when I got it I thought the technology was amazing. It was a mash together of all different already existing products to produce one great one. However, Apple has always existed (imo) to make money rather than develop new ideas which is a real shame. I am currently looking at getting a Samsung Galaxy Nexus simply because the specs of the phone look great and it is not likely to go out of date for a good while (unlike Apple products) as it is the first phone with Jellybean. It also only costs £280, less than half of the price of the iPhone 5. When Apple start bring out fresh new products at reasonable prices I will consider purchasing their products again if nothing exists that is better or cheaper.
Report as inappropriateTony17 September 2012
It's not an EU law, it's an agreement. Apple will argue that the charger is still a USB based unit, only the cable is different. The agreement becomes pointless anyway, as all the suppliers still ship chargers with each new product.
Report as inappropriateAlibaba18 September 2012
I have a Airplay features so have no idea what the big deal. with Bluetooh and Airplay its time people start moving to next generation. I have been using Bluetooth audio since 2005 and didn't really notice any difference. Using wireless you phone becomes your control device anyway. Its a new phone so its good to see a new design. I too have an Onkyo dock but hardly have any use of it except charging but lot of that is done when phone connected to my notebook. Whats the fuss?
Report as inappropriateSean18 September 2012
I didn't mind the smaller connector, but when reading your review of the new lightning connector. I was disgusted with the fact that theres no video out with the adapter. I have both output leads for component and av which I use when I stay away. This means £60 waste on leads that I can't use on the next model. The only other way would be to buy the apple tv, but this is HDMI only! COME ON! Apple think of the loyal owners as well!
Report as inappropriatemick 20 September 2012
i will never own a iphone again apple have got a cheek,ripping us off yet again,charging £25 for an adaptor,also u will need a new fone case as well with the new iphone 5 being bigger than the others.....jokers,will b waiting for the NOKIS LUMINA 9200 a far better fone all around.......DONT BE RIPPED OFF BY APPLE FOLKS!
Report as inappropriatemick 20 September 2012
i will never own a iphone again apple have got a cheek,ripping us off yet again,charging £25 for an adaptor,also u will need a new fone case as well with the new iphone 5 being bigger than the others.....jokers,will b waiting for the NOKIS LUMINA 9200 a far better fone all around.......DONT BE RIPPED OFF BY APPLE FOLKS!
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Paul04 January 2013
I bought a £2 clone adapter so I cold use my £400 zeppelin with my iPhone 5...... And yes you guessed it - it doesn't work. It doesn't work on the apple leads supplied with my new car also!!! They both charge the phone but no audio!!! Does anybody know if the same applies to the official adapters ? Do they do the job properly or half a job like the clones...
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