Apple to exclusively sell 9-pin dock connector adapter

Apple could cash in to the tune of $100 million soon after it unveils upcoming devices with the new 9-pin dock connector. The Cupertino, Calif. company intends to be initially the only game in town for Apple fans, exclusively selling the adapters at $10 a pop, reports say.

The company will also sell Apple-branded USB cables for $19 each. This is in line with the MagSafe to Magasafe 2 converter cable Apple sells for $9.99 and the iPhone Micro USB adapter for $11 and $13.

According to iLounge, the new Dock Connector Adapter will sell for $10 each or $29 for a pack of three. The company should rake in $100 million by selling 10 million of the adapters by the end of 2012, the publication writes. Developers are worried Apple has stopped approving third-party connectors, fearing the firm will pull another MagSafe episode.

The MagSafe connector for the MacBook was jealously guarded by Apple, which used lawsuits and restrictive licensing to protect the add-on revenue stream for less expensive alternatives.

Apple is expected to announce its new iPhone 5 and potentially other products on Sept. 12.

What do you think? Is Apple trying to shut-out third-party developers from the rush to adapt existing hardware?