Apple Announces New Dock Connector Called 'Lightning' - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Announces New Dock Connector Called 'Lightning'

As predicted, Apple today announced that it is replacing the familiar 30-pin dock connector for its mobile devices with a new smaller one. The new connector bears the name "Lightning".

iphone 5 lightning
The new cable is described as an all-digital, 8-signal design with an adaptive interface, and improved durability. Users can use it in either orientation (reversible) and it's 80% smaller than the old dock connector.

Making iPhone 5 thinner and lighter required a pivotal change: replacing the 30-pin connector with something newer, smaller, and better. Introducing the Lightning connector. It features an all-digital, eight-signal design that’s significantly more durable than the 30-pin connector. Another brilliant feature of Lightning: It’s reversible. Which means there’s no wrong way to plug in the cable.

lightning cable e1347476331309

Apple will be providing an adapter for existing accessories and companies like Bose, JBL, B&W, and B&O are already working on the new connector. Apple's adapters include a direct plug adapter priced at $29 and one incorporating a short cable for $39.

lightning adapters

Popular Stories

American Express Gold Apple Pay Feature

American Express Announces New Apple Pay Feature

Tuesday June 30, 2026 10:27 am PDT by
American Express today announced that you can now redeem Membership Rewards points when checking out with Apple Pay on the web and in apps on the iPhone and iPad. When checking out with Apple Pay on iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 or later, tap on your eligible American Express card (Platinum, Gold, Green, and others) and select the Membership Rewards points option. You can use points to cover all or...
Apple Acquires Award Winning App Play Feature

Apple Acquires Award-Winning App 'Play'

Monday June 29, 2026 7:39 am PDT by
In February, Apple notified the European Commission that it would be acquiring certain assets from and have the right to hire certain employees from Rabbit 3 Times, the company behind the award-winning app design tool Play. The notification was published on the European Commission's website this week, following a four-month waiting period. Play was a Mac and iPhone app that allowed designers ...
series 10 apple watch titanium digital crown

Report: Apple Watch Redesign Coming Next Year With New Band System

Tuesday June 30, 2026 8:45 am PDT by
A "major overhaul" of the Apple Watch's design is due to arrive next year with a new system for connecting bands, according to a known Weibo leaker. In a set of recent posts, the leaker known as "Instant Digital" linked the new claim to older rumors about an "Apple Watch X" model, which was said to introduce a fresh design and break compatibility with the existing watch band system. Citing...

Top Rated Comments

180 months ago
Changing $29 for a phone adapter is indeed revolutionary. No company has ever tried to extort that much money from their customers before.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
parish Avatar
180 months ago
Cue Bohemian Rhapsody...

Thunderbolt and Lightning, very, very frightening ...
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tigres Avatar
180 months ago
29.00 is bull ****.

Nuff said.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
180 months ago
Video/iPod Out?

On the Apple Store pages for the two adapters, they both have a warning about "Video and iPod Out not supported."

I get the video part, but does that mean I won't be able to use the adapter with the 30-pin cable in my car to play music?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
zorinlynx Avatar
180 months ago
The adapters do not support "iPod Out"

Does this mean that line-level audio outputs are no longer supported?

If so this SUCKS! All the devices out there that let you dock an iPhone to play music will no longer work.

Nice going, Apple.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Want300 Avatar
180 months ago
$29 price tag? Yikes. Not horrible, but more than what I was hoping for.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD823ZM/A/lightning-to-30-pin-adapter

Changing $29 for a phone adapter is indeed revolutionary. No company has ever tried to extort that much money from their customers before.

$29?!?!?!?!?!

And I need at least two of these. That is insane
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors