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

Apple Card iPhone 16 Pro Feature

Apple Card Promo to Offer Free AirPods Pro 3

Friday May 15, 2026 8:59 am PDT by
Starting as early as next week, customers who sign up for an Apple Card at Apple's retail stores in the U.S. will receive $249 cash back when they purchase AirPods Pro 3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The promotion has yet to be officially announced by Apple, so exact terms and conditions are not available at this time. AirPods Pro 3 are priced at $249 in the U.S., so customers who...
Apple WWDC25 iOS 26 CarPlay Light mode 250609

Six Popular iPhone Apps Now Available on CarPlay

Thursday May 14, 2026 9:10 am PDT by
Apple's CarPlay system for accessing iPhone apps on a vehicle's dashboard screen has received six popular apps in recent weeks: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Grok, Google Meet, WhatsApp, and the indie artist streaming platform Audiomack. Make sure you have the latest version of each app and they will automatically appear on CarPlay. ChatGPT Starting with iOS 26.4, CarPlay supports voice-based...
ipad mini 7 blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Thursday May 14, 2026 5:08 am PDT by
According to the latest rumors, Apple is close to launching its next-generation iPad mini. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to information found in code...

Top Rated Comments

179 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
179 months ago
Cue Bohemian Rhapsody...

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

Nuff said.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
179 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
179 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
179 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)