iPhone 5 Rumors: Smaller Dock Confirmed

By Keerthi Chandrashekar | First Posted: Jun 23, 2012 01:42 PM EDT

An image of the iPhone 5 dimensions from MobileFun. (Photo : MobileFun)

The internet is buzzing with rumors about the new Apple iPhone 5 and its release date.

Some rumors like the one hinting for a larger screen and removable camera lenses are not directly confirmed by Apple, but are instead based on patents filed by Apple and recent hiring moves.

TechCrunch, however, has confirmed one new feature of the Apple iPhone 5 - it will come with a 19-pin dock rather than the 30-pin dock used by current iPhones.

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The move to a smaller dock means that all the accessories that current iPhone users have will be rendered useless, and will force iPhone 5 purchasers to buy new versions of everything from stereos to simple cables.

TechCrunch verified through three independent manufacturers that Apple will indeed be introducing a 19-pin dock with the new iPhone. The decision is an indication that Apple is trying to save internal space in the new iPhone in order to fill it with more hardware.

An accessory manufacturer speaking to MobileFun said there are three major changes:

1) The new iPhone will be bigger, measuring 58.47 mm wide, 123.83 mm high and 7.6 mm thin with a screen of 4 inches.

2) The headphone jack will now be on the bottom of the phone.

3) The new dock will be smaller.

Apparently, he was so confident in these changes that he has already begun producing new iPhone 5 cases based on the specs and design he has in mind.

Other rumors indicate that the new iPhone will come with a different rear plate, allowing for interchangeable camera lenses and filters and that the new iPhone 5 will come with an NFC chip. NFC, or near field communications, would allow the new iPhone 5 to make payments simply by waving it over a payment device or download movie show times from an NFC-enabled movie poster.

Although there has been no official statement from Apple hinting a new version of the iPhone, some people are already reporting the launch of the iPhone 5 for fall.