Planning an iPhone upgrade this fall? Better plan an accessory upgrade, too—Apple is changing the design of its popular gadget’s connector dock.
The new iPhone 5, which is expected to hit shelves sometime in October, is shrinking the 30-pin connector to a 19-pin connector port—making everything from stereos to chargers and data transfer chords obsolete.
For the Applephile, it’s a frustrating change that could force consumers to spend lots of new cash on upgrading. But sources at the company, speaking to Reuters, say that it’s a necessary one; especially now that the new phones will have a headphone jack at the bottom of the phone instead of the top. It could help free up space for future designs and battery life.
Photo by DAMIEN MEYER/AFP/Getty Images
The change could be great news for enterprising accessory companies to cash in on consumers’ new needs, too. In China, some companies are already selling phone cases made for the new design. Planned obsolescence, folks: It’s what makes the tech world turn, and your money burn.
Video by Dallas Jensen.
