Apple to roll out smaller dock connector to all iOS products this fall

We’ve been hearing that Apple was going to be changing the iPhone’s dock connector since February of this year. Not only has the change been confirmed by a number of news outlets, but we’ve seen several leaked next-gen iPhone parts with the smaller charging port.

Along with its new smartphone, Apple is also expected to be using the new port in its iPad mini, which is rumored to debut this fall. But apparently it’s not stopping there. iMore has learned that Apple is rolling out the smaller dock connector across its entire iOS line…

Rene Ritchie of iMore reports:

“iMore has learned that Apple intends to update their entire lineup of iOS device products to support the new miniaturized Dock connector, and to do it as early the rumored September 12 special event this fall. This would include the new iPhone 5, the new iPod nano and iPod touch, the rumored 7-inch iPad mini, and an updated version of the current 9.7-inch iPad…

…Apparently, Apple believes consistent Dock connectors across the line, and other improvements they’re able to make to the new iPad this point, are more important than sticking to yearly release schedules, with a 16 month gap between iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, and no substantive iPod touch updates for 23 months and counting.”

So maybe the reports that have been calling for a retooled third-generation iPad this fall might not be so crazy after all. We’ve been hearing whispers that Apple was looking to slim down the tablet, and fix the heat problem, so it would only make sense to add the new dock connector as well.

But other than that, there’s nothing too surprising about iMore’s report. Of course Apple would want to use the smaller dock connector in the new iPod touch and nano models, why wouldn’t it?

Rene Ritchie’s sources have been top-notch over the last 6 months, correctly giving him the iPad event date, as well as the September 12 iPhone event date, which has since been confirmed by several publications.

It looks like all of our iOS accessories are about to become obsolete. But hey, at least Apple will be providing us with an adapter.