Mac Otakara reports that Apple's new Lightning dock connector is capable of hosting USB peripheral devices, meaning that Apple could potentially allow users to connect devices such as keyboard and other accessories directly to their Lightning-equipped mobile products.
Apple's Lightning to USB cable
Even if the report is true, however, it would require that Apple build device support for such functionality on top of the Lightning compatibility in order to allow accessory manufacturers to tap into the USB capabilities. Such functionality is also not new with Lightning, as Apple's iPad Camera Connection Kit has long provided an adapter that allows uses to connect not only camera but also a number of other peripherals to their iPads.
Apple's iPad Camera Connection Kit with USB-based camera adapter at left
Consequently, we hesitate to give too much importance to this claim, as Apple has long had the ability to support some USB-based peripherals via the original 30-pin dock connector but has elected not to make extensive use of the compatibility and the may take a similar stance with Lightning.
Apple's long-rumored smart home hub will have an iMac G4-style design and a host of unique features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports.
The smart home hub is said to feature a square 6-inch display, with variants that can be placed on a countertop or mounted on a wall. It features a single FaceTime camera on the front, with microphones and speakers in its connected base. Gurman described the...
Apple plans to introduce a series of new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Apple reportedly plans to debut its long-awaited smart home hub device, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV on the date. The new HomePod mini and Apple TV are set to retain their existing designs, but tout faster chips to support Siri AI. The new HomePod mini will...
Friday September 25, 2026 8:16 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris has uncovered an image file from Apple for an unreleased Apple TV 4K, suggesting that a new model will finally be released soon. The image is specifically for an "Apple TV 4K (4th generation)" model.
Apple TV 4K (4th generation) image (on a gradient)
The image reveals that the Apple TV will have the same external design as the current model, with all of its...
If you're willing to purchase a GS3 for me I'd love to check it out....but definitely not willing to give up my iPhone 5/Apple ecosystem based on my current experience with Android (Nexus 7).
While I'd also like to see it be USB3, it has been pointed out that the bottleneck is in the speed of the memory chips in the mobile devices, which aren't even fast enough to saturate USB2.
So going with 3 instead of 2 wouldn't speed anything up.
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
