iPhone 5 – Lightning connector and Apple Earpods?
New slimline connector gets a new name – along with those new Apple headphones
Apple’s iPhone 5 launch is imminent – but the rumour mill is still churning out some choice nuggets of news.
It seems near-certain that the iPhone 5 will come packing a new, smaller connector port – possibly including MagSafe – and now it looks like the new connector has a name. Following in the footsteps of the Thunderbolt cable, 9to5Mac is reporting that the new connector will be called Lightning – clearly someone at Cupertino is a Bohemian Rhapsody fan.
Its electrifying moniker suggests that, like Thunderbolt, the Lightning cable will offer faster data transfer speeds than the existing 30-pin connector. Expect to pay around US$10 for a cable.
For those of you still packing docks and accessories that use the 30-pin connector, Apple’s said to be offering two new dock adapters – one that clips onto the bottom of the iPhone 5, and one that comes with a short cable so that you can use it with cases.
Those leaked earphones we reported on last week are bona fide, according to 9to5Mac’s sources – they’ll be named Apple Earpods, and will offer improved acoustics over the existing Apple headphones. They should retail for around US$30.
Finally, Apple’s expected to reveal a new “Loop” accessory for the iPod Touch at its launch event – possibly alongside with a new version of the media player.
For the latest from the rumour mill, check our iPhone 5 rumour round-up.
UPDATE: Read our iPhone 5 review
[via 9to5Mac]
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Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief 