Just what is the all-new Lightning connector?
Shown at the press conference revealing the iPhone 5 and 2012 iPod catalog, the exclusive Lightning connector takes the place of the 30-pin port seen on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod from 2003. Like the 30-pin connector, the Lightning adapter is made use of for charging the equipment like well as syncing content and data and audio and video recording output. The brand new tools had a USB 2.0-to-Lightning cable.

Exactly how is it different from the 30-pin connector?
It’s 80 per-cent tinier but stronger, and it’s reversible, so you don’t ever need to fret about which edge is generally the best or even bottom the moment you link. Apple also points out it’s an all-digital, eight-signal layout that changes to precisely what the signals ought to be definitely regarding the devices you’re hooked up to.

In which items will it be actually utilized on?
The Lightning connector is made use of for the iPhone 5, the fifth-generation iPod touch, and seventh-generation iPod Nano. Since it becomes part of Apple’s port/connector tactic together with Thunderbolt, it will certainly be the connector for iOS products for the direct future, so look for to see it on the fourth-generation iPad and various other future accessories.

Does this mean I cannot work with any of my outdated charging and docking devices together with the new iPhone and iPods?
You will certainly not be able to link outright to something that uses a 30-pin adapter. Though, adapters are offered that convert a 30-pin port in order to a Lightning port. With the adapter you acquire help for analog audio output, USB audio, along with syncing and charging. (Asing reported by Macworld, there is a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) in the adapter.).

The adapter does not support video output and not all 30-pin products will be maintained, both, so you may still need acquire brand-new dependent choose with the iPhone 5 and 2012 iPods. Another characteristic, iPod Out, which in turn provides various machines for instance car stereos iPod-like navigation of your music collection is also not supported. The adapter is fairly large too, and so any accessories that fit around the gadget quite likely would not function.

Just what form of adapters will be available, and just how much will they set you back?
A 30-pin adapter to-Lightning adapter is obtainable from Apple for $29. Also available is a $39 7.8-inch cable with a Lightning connector at some end and 30-pin adapter port at the other. Lightning to USB 2.0 cables will cost $19.

Apple may also sell HDMI and VGA adapters for Lightning. A Micro-USB to Lightning adapter will be offered in Europe. And you can of course assume a complete range of 3rd party adapters to be obtainable, too.

Are there any future-proof accessories I can purchase to prevent this specific from happening again?
There are continually going to be add-ons that call for using the connector and very little is ever heading to be really PERFECTLY future-proof. Even so, as Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller specified whenever providing Lightning, a ton of what we do now is wireless. Whenever achievable, take advantage of gadgets that use Bluetooth or Apple’s AirPlay. Consider, as well, the 30-pin adapter was around for roughly a 10 years, so opportunities are good you’ll be protected for the next several years with Lightning add-ons.