iPhone Hardware

The smaller, 19-pin dock connector expected to arrive with the next generation iPhone may be a different design after all. Leaked photos on 9to5 Mac show a dock connector cable with 16 pins, including 8 on each side. Apparently only 8 pins would be used in the iPhone 5, with the other side reserved for future use.

The plug has contacts that look more like a USB cable or SD memory card, and would not have to be oriented in a particular direction to connect. This symmetrical design simplifies the process of plugging in a dock cable to the port at the bottom of the iPhone or accessories. Speaking of which, there is some concern that the new design will render many third-party accessories obsolete, despite a rumored adapter.

One of the great things about patent lawsuits is that companies like Apple unleash photos of prototype devices that have never seen the light of day. The Verge has uncovered a great collection of iPhone designs that have never been seen outside of Apple's walls.

The designs range from an octagonal shaped iPhone with a silver bezel to a slim, tall profile device known as the n90. If this number rings a bell, it might be because early rumors of the iPhone 4 leaked this model number. The n90 pictured is quite different from the iPhone 4 that made it into production.

If you haven't already heard, the next generation iPhone will come equipped with a 19-pin dock connector, shrinking the charging and data port size to make room for other components. While this sounds like a great improvement, many have wondered if this move by Apple will render millions of iPhone accessories obsolete. Now according to a report by iMore, Apple will solve this problem with a dock adapter.

The smaller 19-pin port can be seen in the iPhone renderings above, which are based on parts photos and information leaked from the supply chain. By making the dock connector smaller, Apple is using space more effectively and will have room inside the chassis for an LTE radio and more.

Apple has recently been awarded a long list of patents related to the iPhone according to a report from Patently Apple. One of the most important is a patent detailing the user interface that iOS uses to display electronic lists and documents. It may not sound like much, but this covers a wide range of functions seen on many smartphones today.

Not only this, but a patent for a smaller dock connector looks similar to leaked parts and rumors suggesting that the next generation iPhone will sport a 19-pin connector. The iPhone 5 renderings above reflect an artist's conception of the port, which would shave valuable space off of the existing 30-pin connector.

Hot on the heels of the impressive next generation iPhone renderings revealed last week, designer Martin uit Utrecht has given us even more eye candy. This time the renderings of the iPhone 5 are done in both white and black, complete with fingerprints on the metal back.

These designs are based on leaked parts and diagrams showing a slightly longer device with a thinner profile. The taller iPhone 5 will accomodate an extra row of home screen icons thanks to a larger film-aspect ratio display. Apps not optimized for the larger screen are expected to run in letterbox format.