iPhone Hardware

Connector details continue to surface ahead of the iPhone 5 arrival next Friday. One of the biggest questions facing Apple was how to implement a smaller dock connector to replace the aging 30-pin design in service since 2003. We already know the Lightning 8-pin dock connector will be 80 percent smaller and completely reversible.

As it turns out, Apple decided to go with the Lightning proprietary design over micro-USB because the USB cables lack functionality. Engineers believed the disadvantages of losing the standard cable format would be outweighed by additional connectivity made possible by the Lightning cable, giving third-party devices more possibilities.

With the unrelenting flood of iPhone 5 rumors over the past few months, it's a wonder that Apple even had a keynote event to announce their latest smartphone. Despite all of the leaked details, there were still some surprises that Apple fans were treated to, even if the rest of the presentation was just confirming what we already knew.

Some of the common rumors that were confirmed included a hybrid metal and glass back, LTE network support and a larger 16:9 ratio in-cell touch display. And of course, Apple made the iPhone 5 thinner and lighter than its predecessor, without sacrificing battery life. Still, there were a few surprises that were mentioned in the rumor mill little or not at all.

We've come to expect Apple to launch new and improved mobile processors in iPads lately, then move them over to the iPhone. Well if the photo below is for real, the iPhone 5 will feature an A6 processor, one step ahead of the A5X found in the Retina display iPad.

The image was picked up by AppleInsider and is poor quality. With some enhancement, the A6 marking can clearly be seen on what is purported to be the iPhone 5 logic board. If authentic, the image is the first to leak of the next generation iPhone processor.

Well it seems that melablog has the iPhone 5 30-pin dock adapter all figured out. The concept below shows us what could be in store for next generation iPhone users who need to connect to some older accessories.

There have been never ending reports of a smaller iPhone 5 dock connector, with 8 or 9 pins. Besides saving space in the iPhone 5 chassis, this connector is said to be symmetrical and even feature a MagSafe connector.

Apple's latest acquisition may have more to do with future iPhones than previously thought. A report from The Next Web indicates that Apple wanted AuthenTec's technology for its products as quickly as possible from the $356 million deal.

The deal is indeed impressive, including fingerprint sensors, touchchips and other security technologies, and includes provisions for AuthenTec's patents. The new information comes thanks to paperwork filed with the SEC to notify shareholders about the details ahead of voting to go ahead with the plan.