iPhone 5 will use a new 19 pin connector. Not backwards compatible with old accessories.

[OmarFW]

Do you happen to own an iPhone? Looking forward to getting the next generation? Well as nice as it's probably going to be, you might as well throw away every single accessory you've ever bought for your previous phones. Every single accessory created for the phone since its launch in 2007 is headed towards redundancy with the latest announcement, which states that all future iPhones will arbitrarily ditch the standard 30 pin charger cable for a smaller 19 pin cable. People were stunned by this announcement, myself included. I mean, why fix something that's not broken?

Have you guys ever heard of 'planned obsolescence?' Its a practice which encourages planning and designing a product so it's only useful for a limited time, before becoming obsolete. Its common practice, and used by many companies to create demand for the 'newer, better' model of the product. Yet this move was probably prompted by the major accessory makers facing dwindling sales, as customers saw no need to buy new accessories for a smartphone that had a universal dock system for 6 generations. What most tech blogs failed to address was the following question: Did the top accessory makers pad Apple's pockets or hardball negotiate for an incentive to drop the standard cable as a means of forcing consumers to buy new accessories? We're inclined to think so.

http://www.awesome-r...pin-scheme.html

 

[Creaky]

Think that's a stupid idea, why change something that works. Sounds like a money making decision than anything else, new connector means new accessories needed.

 

[NewDCD]

Think that's a stupid idea, why change something that works. Sounds like a money making decision than anything else, new connector means new accessories needed.

Apple, doing what it likes to do. Milking their customers. Eeyup, it's just for selling new accessories and whatnot. Watch as they make an extra ton of money.

 

[Svoboda]

Apple, doing what it likes to do. Milking their customers. Eeyup, it's just for selling new accessories and whatnot. Watch as they make an extra ton of money.

They're also doing this to get rid of companies that are putting out products that aren't licensed through them. They believe that if they do this those companies will fold because they will have to eat tons of remaining inventory and wouldn't be able to afford the financial hit they'd take.

 

[NewDCD]

They're also doing this to get rid of companies that are putting out products that aren't licensed through them. They believe that if they do this those companies will fold because they will have to eat tons of remaining inventory and wouldn't be able to afford the financial hit they'd take.

As always, it's win-win for Apple. Considering just how sue-happy they are, I'm surprised they didn't just up the ante and sue all of those companies that release unlicensed products. They sue companies that DON'T deserve to be sued, like Samsung, and the ones that actually deserve it are ignored by them because they won't make as much money off their kangaroo courts. Sad, really.

 

[QuatreHiead]

Well I figure it was going to happen sooner or later for Apple. After all, why in the world would they make it easy. Apple as many people have already mentioned have a reputation for changing up their hardware so that consumers have to purchase specialized accessories for their products. This will make all those people who earn partial or complete commission pay happy for a good minute. It's true, I remember working at Radio Shack encouraging consumers to get new accessories when they were perfectly aware they could use the others which were backwards compatible (or at least enough to continue functioning). I suppose smart move to make money, but how irritating. Luckily I don't have intentions of ever getting an iPhone, mostly for these types of reasons.

I believe that consumers should have the ability to shop smart and get products which are compatible with materials they already own if they so desire. This is harder and harder to do in the current market of technology it seems.

Also, if it is true this is a move to handle the competitors releasing off-brand products, then that really is sad. I hate to see them crushing others who are just trying to give consumers more options. Apple overprices all of their materials. It seems absolutely outrageous to want to charge someone $20.00 for a pair of head phones that are generic and come free with all of their devices. I've never understood it really. Don't get me started on the $30 for an adapter to charge your technology through the wall in your home. Sometimes I get sick of it all.

My apologies this ended up being a rant.