When Apple announced the iPhone 5 on September 12, rumors of a new 8-pin connector dubbed "lightning" were confirmed, assuring that an adapter would be required to make current iPhone accessories compatible with the new device.
The adapter is available on Apple's official website, and is now listed on eBay and Amazon from two companies, named Nanotech and iTronz. Apple prices the 7-inch cable adapter for $39 and the stub adapter for $29. iTronz offers a cheaper alternative, offering the stub adapter for $9.99, while Nanotech charges $17.95 for the 7-inch adapter.
The stub is set to release on September 26, with the cable adapter landing on September 30, a week after the September 21 launch of the iPhone 5.
CNET cautions users against jumping on these cheaper prices, noting that consumers "should certainly wait until you actually have the new iPhone, iPhone Touch, or iPod Nano before ordering a generic adapter so that you can quickly and easily test compatibility. And if you don't go the Apple route, be sure to order from a vendor that offers a money-back guarantee."
The Los Angeles Times reported that Lightning is not compatible with all devices, allowing for independent accessory makers such as iTronz and Nanotech to take advantage of this opening.
When the iPhone 5 launches on September 21 consumers will have the option of buying a 16, 32, or 64GB device, which cost $199, $299, and $399 respectively.
The smartphone's 3.95 oz Aluminum Unibody build will house the new Apple A6 processor and frame the new 4" LCD screen at a resolution of 1136 x 640. The device will run on iOS 6 and provide a max of 8 hours 3G talk and data use.
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