Apple’s Lightning connector: a bumpy ride to a new accessory standard – The Verge

Why does Apple’s Lightning to HDMI adapter have an ARM computer inside?

2013-03-01T23:58:37-05:00

lightning av adapter cracked open panic

Panic Software, purveyor of Mac OS X applications, was curious why Apple's $49 Lightning Digital AV adapter wasn't performing very well. The picture quality was lacking, displaying odd video artifacts and failing to output full 1080p video. So Panic cracked open the case, and what should it find… but a tiny ARM computer chip inside. It's got an Apple logo on top, and markings indicate it might have 256MB of memory within.

Why does the adapter need a processor, though? Panic Software's theory is that the device actually delivers video via AirPlay streaming. Your iOS device would compress the video, then the adapter would decompress it and de …

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Harman announces $399 JBL Rumble speaker as support for Apple’s Lightning standard grows

2013-01-04T11:50:03-05:00

Rumble

It's been a long time coming, but CES 2013 looks destined to be the biggest showcase yet for iOS speaker docks and other accessories that support Apple's Lightning connector. Take Harman for example, which today announced another two JBL speakers to complement those it introduced in November. The $149 OnBeat Mini slots in between its existing Venue LT ($199) and OnBeat Micro ($99). Like the Micro, the Mini is being touted more for its portability than any revelations in sound. For that, the company is announcing its high-end JBL Rumble at $399.95, and as the name implies, strong bass performance is the clear focus here. Harman claims the Rum …

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First third-party Lightning cables come in multiple lengths from Griffin

2012-11-29T19:03:34-05:00

griffin lightning

Griffin has announced the first third-party Lightning cables. While we've started to see accessories trickle out for Apple products that use the new connector, such as the iPhone 5 and iPad mini, until now you haven't been able to buy an actual charge & sync cable from anyone but Cupertino itself. Griffin is offering the cables in four different lengths: 2-foot, 3-foot, 4-foot (coiled), and 3-meter (9.7-foot), priced at $16.99, $18.99, $24.99, and $29.99 respectively. For comparison, Apple sells a 3.5-foot cable for $19, so Griffin isn't really undercutting on price here. Still, with more flexibility in length and a black color scheme, we're …

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Weeks after Lightning connector debut, Belkin unveils first third-party accessories

2012-11-05T12:37:04-05:00

Belkin Lightning car charger

54 days after Apple unveiled its new Lightning connector to the world, the first third-party accessories have arrived. Belkin today announced that both a car charger and dock compatible with the latest line of iOS hardware will be available in mid-November, each priced at $29.99. We're somewhat perplexed by the car charger: Belkin has taken the bizarre step of replacing the USB port found on previous iterations with a hardwired Lightning cable. Whether this change was orchestrated by Apple as part of new Lightning certification policies or merely Belkin's own doing isn't clear and we've reached out for comment. It makes for a significant redu …

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Apple woos accessory manufacturers with Lightning summit in China

2012-10-17T22:59:36-04:00

Apple Lightning connector stock

We reported earlier this month that part of the reason iPhone 5 owners haven't seen any third-party Lightning accessories just yet is because of new restrictions Apple put into place for its accessory licensing program. It appears that logjam will start moving in just a few weeks, with 9to5Mac reporting that Cupertino's next summit for accessory makers will be happening between November 7th and 9th in Shenzhen, China.

The MFi Technology Summit - MFi stands for Made for iPod / iPhone / iPad - is an opportunity for Apple to discuss the specifications and technologies needed for licensees building iOS and iPod accessories. This year presents a …

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Mystery chip in Apple Lightning connector exposed

2012-10-16T13:11:41-04:00

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When Apple unveiled its new Lightning connector, there was a bit of sticker shock surrounding the adapters that offer compatibility with older 30-pin dock accessories. The company is charging $29 for the basic adapter and $39 for one that integrates a small cable. Some had hoped that third parties would be able to produce alternatives on the cheap, but it was soon discovered that Apple had incorporated a chip widely believed to prevent any type of unauthorized or knockoff Lightning-based accessories.

An in-depth look at the connector by Chipworks seems to bear that theory out. The silicon expert discovered an unannounced Texas Instruments c …

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Apple’s new third-party certification rules may delay the launch of Lightning-compatible accessories

2012-10-03T17:43:02-04:00

Apple Lightning connector stock

We've been wondering what Apple's new Lightning connector for the iPhone 5 would mean for the iPhone accessory market, and now it's looking like the company is tightening up manufacturing of its new connector and imposing new restrictions on participants in its Made for iPod / iPhone / iPad (MFi) program. iLounge is reporting that third-party manufacturing facilities will need to be certified before it can produce any Lightning accessories, and we've confirmed this change with our own sources. From Apple's own documentation, the new rule says that "Only MFi Manufacturing Licensees will be able to procure mass-production quantities of Lightni …

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Apple’s new Lightning connector sends shockwaves through the accessory market

2012-09-17T14:01:05-04:00

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The Blue Danube. Fragments suspended in air. An iPod speaker dock spontaneously explodes in slow motion, capacitors, speaker drivers and chunks of plastic slowly spinning away from the wreckage. Philips, Sony and Logitech creations, ripped to shreds. Jawbone proclaims: "The dock is dead."

The video is a self-serving jab at rivals, but the wireless audio vendor has a point. Last week, Apple did away with the nine-year-old Dock Connector, replacing the ubiquitous 30-pin jack with a new "Lightning" design. It's far from the first time Apple has tossed out an old technology in favor of a new one (remember FireWire, and floppy drives?) but A …

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Apple says Lightning to HDMI and Lightning to VGA adapters are on the way

2012-09-13T19:07:03-04:00

Apple Lightning 30-pin adapter stock press 1024

There's been some confusion as to what Apple's new all-digital Lightning connector will be capable of, but the company has just cleared some of that up. An Apple spokesperson told The Verge that Lightning to HDMI and Lightning to VGA cables "will be available in the coming months."

Originally, the fact that the $29 Lightning to 30-pin adapter doesn't support video output led to worries that the Lightning connector itself was to blame, and that Apple would steer customers who wanted to share audio and video towards wireless technologies like AirPlay. In truth, you should be able to connect an iPhone 5 directly to a second screen with a new L …

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Phil Schiller sees no need for NFC or wireless charging, Lightning connector to be used ‘for many years’

2012-09-12T17:16:34-04:00

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With each week that Apple came closer to announcing the iPhone 5, prospects that its latest handset would contain Near Field Communication (NFC) technology seemed to dwindle. What began as an "obvious" rumor quickly turned into unlikely speculation. In an interview with AllThingsD following today's media event, Schiller shed some light on why Apple chose to keep NFC out of the handset - at least this time around. The answer is software. "Passbook does the kinds of things customers need today," the VP of marketing said, seemingly confident that iPhone buyers won't miss the ability to make the type of direct mobile payments possible with Googl …

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