Apple News, Analysis and Podcasts

Outside of the “i” nomenclature which Apple tags virtually every product, Apple is not a company that subscribes to any form of dogma. Adopting smaller 3.5" floppy drives, pushing USB ports over serial, or flipping an entire video industry on its head with a new software philsopy — it makes no difference. There are simply no sacred cows at Apple, and that's what keeps Apple relevant, inventive, and leaves the rest of the industry playing constant catch up.

Will Apple continue its path to reveal an iPhone 5 that delivers monumental hardware changes over previous versions? iOS and iCloud are so closely integrated, virtually all functionally will run wirelessly once the latest software rollout arrives in September. iTunes, photos, backup, syncing, apps, iOS updates, it's all wireless. The only item remaining requiring phycial connectivity is power. But even connection for power appears on its way out.

The rumor mill is gaining momentum presenting the idea that Apple will launch an iPhone 5 with a lower cost iPhone 4S — attacking both the subsidized and pre-paid markets. This two-pronged strategy allows Apple to offer an iPhone 5 being built with quality, features and elegance in mind, while at the same time delivering pre-paid markets a lower-cost iPhone 4 that can directly take on the low-end Android world.

The iPhone 5 is likely to become the most lick-able, elegant, port-less mobile device anyone has ever made. The 30-pin connector will be gone, replaced by a thin, efficient charge-pad, or what we can only imagine will be called an "iCharge" (pad).

Of course, Apple would be the first to offer an iPhone 5 charging cradle and car charing solution. The iCharge cord would be USB on the end mating to the male wall plug and also allowing it to plug into a car charging solution. As for sliding around, Apple's been big into magnets of late, so expect the iPhone 5 and iCharge to have a magnetic solution akin to iPad 2 and the smart cover. The magnetic solution will eliminating the iPhone from sliding off the center console, dash or passenger seat.

The actual advantages may seem minor, but the charging solution will deliver the most elegant smartphone ever, while allowing for more internal component space (which Apple typically consumes every square nanometer), and eliminates ever having to connect the iPhone to anything — ever again.

Perhaps most importantly, iCharge will allow Apple once again to pave the way, while other hardware vendors continue to play follow the leader.

2 Comments

1. James ~ August 9, 2011 03:23
   I guess it is time to stock up on 30 pin USB cables. Has Apple or the makers of car stereo units figured out a solution for playing music in the car now that the iPhone will be cordless? A USB blue tooth dongle perhaps? Blue tooth streaming? Or will third party players have to fill the breach with work-arounds? Ever use one of those play your iPod over the radio solutions? Ugly, ugly stuff. Call me a troglodyte, but I see no need for this cable-less "solution" The 30 pin USB cable is a simple, elegant, and cheep device that handles both data and power in a tidy package. If you some how lose the cable, it is no big deal because you can purchase a new one almost anywhere. The new device will be clunkier, pricer and much less convenient. Replacement of a lost or stolen unit will, at first, be a major annoyance. And the kicker is that you're still dealing with a cable. You got to plug that thing into the mains somehow. Maybe some green corporation will make a unit that gets its juice from the sun, but that will not how most iPod, iPhone users will roll. I'm sure that the new iCharge will be a big hit with the early adopters and other technophiles. Me, I see this as technology for technologie's sake. After you get over the "how cool is that" factor, the new power management system is no real improvement over the previous way of doing things. In many ways it is a step backwards, a much more fiddly and easier to brake / fail way of doing business. Apple has gone here before, most notably with the MagSafe power unit on the MacBooks and PowerMacs. At least there is some justification for that solution; it prevents damage happening to the portables from clumsy people tripping over the power cord. From where I sit, I see no real benefit from this new power management system, only issues.
2. Joe ~ August 10, 2011 02:45
   James: the iPhone has supported the Bluetooth A2DP profile since iOS 3.0 (2009) and quite a few car stereos, headphones, cell phone headset, portable speakers and home stereo systems support this as well. As for MagSafe, I have avoided having to either repair or just live with two damaged MacBook Pros on a number of occasions where people are not watching where they are going and barreling on through my where my adapter is connected. MagSafe to the rescue! Power cable pops off, MBP stays on my lap, on my table or on my counter with no damage to either MBP or power adapter. Compare that with the two adapters my wife had to replace when her older MacBook power brick got tripped on by our 4-year-old. I'll stay with my MagSafe. I'm tired of cables. It's one less thing to carry around and worry about. If I could put my phone in my care and have it charge without plugging anything in, I could save a step in the process, make it less likely to forget in the car, not have to worry about whether or not I have a cable in the car, have one less component to replace, save wear'n'tear, etc. If it works -- which is the only sticking point -- I will welcome it. When reading your post, I thought for sure I was reading something from many years ago... it's time to step into 2011... welcome, brother...

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