Next iPhone will come with a smaller, 19-pin connector, reiterates Reuters

In order "to make room for the earphone [jack] moving to the bottom," the smaller, 19-pin connector will replace the all-familiar 30-pin one, that has been in use with Apple gadgets ever since the 3rd generation iPod hit the market. That is bad news for every future iPhone 5 owner who uses an accessory that relies on the 30-pin connector to work, like an iPhone speaker dock or an iPhone extended battery pack, for example. However, the change in iPhone design will be welcomed by every maker of iPhone accessories. Since the new model won't be compatible with older gear, users will have to look for new accessories for their new iPhone.

The question remains, however, whether Apple will make the 19-pin connector compatible with the microUSB standard. That isn't very likely, in our opinion, since the company likes doing things in its own special way. On the other hand, we are sure nobody would object if the new dock is made with USB 3.0 in mind, which would allow faster battery charging and speedy transfer of data between a computer and the iPhone.