iPhone 5 to Have 30-pin Dock Adapter, September Launch?

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.

This is just one of the major design changes that have been confirmed recently, along with the inclusion of a nano-SIM card in the next iPhone. In addition to gaining approval for its nano-SIM design, Apple has also been awarded a patent for the smaller form factor dock connector.

It's not clear whether or not Apple intends to offer the 19-pin to 30-pin adapter as a freebie included with the next generation iPhone. We may find out sooner rather than later, if a report by Cult of Mac comes true. Rumors are flying that the iPhone 5 could see release as early as Friday, September 21. This would be almost a month earlier than the October launch that many analysts are expecting from Apple.