The iPhone 6 could well come with an ingenious new charging cable, according to a recently revealed picture.
When Apple introduced the Lightning charger port standard in 2012 with the iPhone 5, it provided a much tidier solution. Best of all, it could be plugged in either way up.
For its next trick, it looks as if Apple is set to address the USB end of the iPhone cable with the launch of the iPhone 6. It could mean an end to fumbling around with your phone or tablet charger – at least for Apple users.
Serial iOS leaker Sonny Dickson posted the above image on his Twitter account recently. It apparently shows a “reversible USB port on the new Lightning cables.”
How does this magical component work? It seems as if the physical connector element, which is usually fixed to one end of the metal housing, has here been slimmed down and positioned in the middle of the housing, with connector strips placed on either side.
The result – a USB connector that can be inserted any way up.
An Apple patent application for this very technology emerged last week, which appears to lend extra credibility to this image.
Of course, we’ve also learned recently that the next generation of the USB standard has been finalised, complete with reversible design. That new standard will take time to roll out and become firmly established, however.
With the iPhone 6 likely a mere three weeks away, it looks like Apple has finally come up with a welcome solution to an old and persistently annoying problem.
Read More: iPhone 5S vs iPhone 6 – What to expect
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
