Apple's Lightning connector: a bumpy ride to a new accessory standard
Apple's latest iPhone, iPod touch and iPod nano ushered in a new era, at least for accessory manufacturers: they ditched the old 30-pin Dock Connector in favor of the new Lightning standard. With a durable, double-sided, all-digital design, it might be a vast improvement in the long run. For now, it's a bit of a mess, as Apple's attempt to restrict manufacturing and charge higher fees is causing delays before iPhone 5 accessories roll out.
Why does Apple's Lightning to HDMI adapter have an ARM computer inside?
Panic Software, purveyor of Mac OS X applications, was curious why Apple's $49 Lightning Digital AV adapter wasn't performing very well. The picture quality was lacking, displaying odd video artifacts and failing to output full 1080p video. So Panic cracked open the case, and what should it find... but a tiny ARM computer chip inside. It's got an Apple logo on top, and markings indicate it might have 256MB of memory within.
Why does the adapter need a processor, though? Panic Software's...
Harman announces $399 JBL Rumble speaker as support for Apple's Lightning standard grows
It's been a long time coming, but CES 2013 looks destined to be the biggest showcase yet for iOS speaker docks and other accessories that support Apple's Lightning connector. Take Harman for example, which today announced another two JBL speakers to complement those it introduced in November. The $149 OnBeat Mini slots in between its existing Venue LT ($199) and OnBeat Micro ($99). Like the Micro, the Mini is being touted more for its portability than any revelations in sound. For that, the...
First third-party Lightning cables come in multiple lengths from Griffin
Griffin has announced the first third-party Lightning cables. While we've started to see accessories trickle out for Apple products that use the new connector, such as the iPhone 5 and iPad mini, until now you haven't been able to buy an actual charge & sync cable from anyone but Cupertino itself. Griffin is offering the cables in four different lengths: 2-foot, 3-foot, 4-foot (coiled), and 3-meter (9.7-foot), priced at $16.99, $18.99, $24.99, and $29.99 respectively. For comparison, Apple...
Weeks after Lightning connector debut, Belkin unveils first third-party accessories
54 days after Apple unveiled its new Lightning connector to the world, the first third-party accessories have arrived. Belkin today announced that both a car charger and dock compatible with the latest line of iOS hardware will be available in mid-November, each priced at $29.99. We're somewhat perplexed by the car charger: Belkin has taken the bizarre step of replacing the USB port found on previous iterations with a hardwired Lightning cable. Whether this change was orchestrated by Apple as...
Apple woos accessory manufacturers with Lightning summit in China
We reported earlier this month that part of the reason iPhone 5 owners haven't seen any third-party Lightning accessories just yet is because of new restrictions Apple put into place for its accessory licensing program. It appears that logjam will start moving in just a few weeks, with 9to5Mac reporting that Cupertino's next summit for accessory makers will be happening between November 7th and 9th in Shenzhen, China.
The MFi Technology Summit — MFi stands for Made for iPod / iPhone / iPad...
Mystery chip in Apple Lightning connector exposed
When Apple unveiled its new Lightning connector, there was a bit of sticker shock surrounding the adapters that offer compatibility with older 30-pin dock accessories. The company is charging $29 for the basic adapter and $39 for one that integrates a small cable. Some had hoped that third parties would be able to produce alternatives on the cheap, but it was soon discovered that Apple had incorporated a chip widely believed to prevent any type of unauthorized or knockoff Lightning-based...
Apple's new third-party certification rules may delay the launch of Lightning-compatible accessories
We've been wondering what Apple's new Lightning connector for the iPhone 5 would mean for the iPhone accessory market, and now it's looking like the company is tightening up manufacturing of its new connector and imposing new restrictions on participants in its Made for iPod / iPhone / iPad (MFi) program. iLounge is reporting that third-party manufacturing facilities will need to be certified before it can produce any Lightning accessories, and we've confirmed this change with our own...
Apple's new Lightning connector sends shockwaves through the accessory market
The Blue Danube. Fragments suspended in air. An iPod speaker dock spontaneously explodes in slow motion, capacitors, speaker drivers and chunks of plastic slowly spinning away from the wreckage. Philips, Sony and Logitech creations, ripped to shreds. Jawbone proclaims: "The dock is dead."
The video is a self-serving jab at rivals, but the wireless audio vendor has a point. Last week, Apple did away with the nine-year-old Dock Connector, replacing the ubiquitous 30-pin jack with a new...
Apple says Lightning to HDMI and Lightning to VGA adapters are on the way
There's been some confusion as to what Apple's new all-digital Lightning connector will be capable of, but the company has just cleared some of that up. An Apple spokesperson told The Verge that Lightning to HDMI and Lightning to VGA cables "will be available in the coming months."
Originally, the fact that the $29 Lightning to 30-pin adapter doesn't support video output led to worries that the Lightning connector itself was to blame, and that Apple would steer customers who wanted to share...
Phil Schiller sees no need for NFC or wireless charging, Lightning connector to be used 'for many years'
With each week that Apple came closer to announcing the iPhone 5, prospects that its latest handset would contain Near Field Communication (NFC) technology seemed to dwindle. What began as an "obvious" rumor quickly turned into unlikely speculation. In an interview with AllThingsD following today's media event, Schiller shed some light on why Apple chose to keep NFC out of the handset — at least this time around. The answer is software. "Passbook does the kinds of things customers need...
The new iPod touch: $299, 4-inch display, Siri, new colors, and upgraded cameras
After two years of maintaining the same aesthetic design, Apple has given the iPod touch a much deserved overhaul. As rumored last week, Apple has redesigned the iPod touch to feature a larger 4-inch Retina display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, the same used in the new iPhone 5. Announced alongside the new iPod nano, the new iPod touch is just 6.1mm thin and weighs only 88 grams, the lightest and thinnest yet. While the previous generation missed out on processor tweaks, Apple has dropped the A5...
Apple updates iPod nano with a larger screen, Bluetooth, and an FM tuner for $149
It may not be the focal point of the day's announcements, but Apple's not forgetting about its line of iPods. In addition to the new iPhone 5-inspired iPod touch, the company's also updated its cheaper line of portable music players at its event today in Yerba Buena. The new nano has a larger, 2.5-inch display, it's thinner and lighter, and has the new Lightning connector. It actually looks like a tiny iPhone, almost. There are physical playback controls along the side of the device, a nice...
iPhone 5 includes smaller 'Lightning' dock connector design
One of the more persistent rumors around the iPhone 5 was related to a smaller dock connector design. Apple has now revealed that its new iPhone 5 will include a smaller version of the typical 30-pin dock connector — breaking compatibility with existing first- and third-party accessories. The new connector, dubbed Lightning, is 80 percent smaller than the old design with an 8-pin connector that is reversible for easier use. Apple has a solution to combat the accessory woes though, the...
iPhone 5 coming into focus as dock connector, motherboard, and assembly photos emerge
If everything we've heard lines up, we're less than a month away from the introduction of the next iPhone — and as such, the rumor mill is churning out a wide variety of leaked potential parts and body designs. One of the biggest points of speculation thus far has been the new iPhone's dock connector — for months, we've been hearing that Apple would abandon the 30 pin connector it has used on iOS devices since the iPod way back in 2003 in favor of a smaller plug. That rumor has picked up...
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Next-gen iPhone rumored to have 1136 x 640 resolution, redesigned dock connector
Following a flurry of reports earlier this month of Apple ordering up new 4-inch displays for its next iPhone, 9to5 Mac is today joining the rumor mill with affirmation that Apple is indeed in the process of testing a new model with a larger and higher-resolution display. Citing an iPhone 5,1 and iPhone 5,2 that are presently in the pre-EVT (Engineering Verification Test) stage of internal testing, the site claims both variants will be equipped with a 3.95-inch screen spanning a more...
