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AppleInsider is reporting that Apple is apparently considering replacing the standard 30-pin connector on future iPhones and iPads, as well as its headphones connections, with magnetic cables much like those used on the company's much-talked-about MagSafe power adapters. The company's focus on magnetic data and power cable for portable devices was revealed in a patent application by the company discovered by AppleInsider, named Programmable Magnetic Connectors. The filing reportedly describes a series of "coded magnets" found in both a portable device and a data and power cable, and includes an illustration of an iPad 2 with a forward-facing camera and associated cable that are described as having a "coded magnetic structure."
Related Story: Apple to pay class-action settlement refunds over frayed MagSafe connectors
According to the report, in the patent application, "Apple notes that current coupler designs, like with the 30-pin dock connector or headphone jack found on existing iPhones and iPads, prevent a device from being properly sealed. This is why the connector port and headphone jack feature water sensors, to determine if water entered the device through one of these openings. The use of MagSafe connectors not only for the data and power cable, but also headphones, could allow Apple to properly seal its devices and make it more difficult for moisture to damage the valuable electronics."
SOURCE: Apple exploring MagSafe data, headphone connections for iPhone, iPad (appleinsider.com)
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