In a “move that will surely send shocks through the iPhone accessory ecosystem,” TechCrunch reported today that Apple plans to switch things up with the next incarnation of the iPhone by using a smaller 19-pin port instead of the existing 30-pin port for connecting accessories and cables.
Any way you slice it, for Apple users and enthusiasts, it would mark a big shift, requiring the replacement of more than a few accessories for people who upgrade to a new phone.
The 30-pin port has been the Apple standard since the third-generation iPod, but many sources, including Apple Insider and CNN, contend that Apple seems more set on saving space in the device than on maintaining standards for the sake of compatibility.
“The reaction on blogs and on Twitter has been largely negative, with commenters saying the new port — used to charge the phone and connect it to other devices — would render obsolete existing chargers and accessories such as speaker sets,” CNN’s John D. Sutter writes.
What do you think? Smart move by Apple? Or are they just being jerks?
