It was only last week that the USB consortium, responsible for pushing through the USB interface standard we're all familiar with, announced plans for a reversible USB cable to put an end to struggling with connecting their gadgets, but it seems that Apple is working on a design of its own.
Unlike the reversible USB 3.0 type C cable announced last week, however, it appears Apple's design will work with existing USB ports, meaning there would be no need to upgrade your PC or laptop, or swap out your costly iMac all-in-one for a compatible system. Having only recently swapped the 30-pin connector, which made an appearance on virtually every Apple portable device until the iPhone 5s, for the newer Lightning connection, Apple is unlikely to force customers to upgrade again, and it seems as though the company has developed a backwards compatible USB of its own.
Reversible USB port on the new Lightning cables! pic.twitter.com/bhVKjK3xKl
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) August 17, 2014
Sonny Dickson, an industry insider who has prior history with on-the-money Apple leaks, posted an image to Twitter seemingly revealing the redesigned cable, which Apple patented in 2013. Although he didn't go as far to confirm it would be arriving with the iPhone 6, there is a strong implication that if Apple is manufacturing cables in large numbers that it will almost certainly be included with the company's upcoming flagship handset.
The images show a USB A cable with terminal pins in the middle of the connector, which will seemingly work regardless of which way you plug it in. Current USB cables will only plug in one way, and can damage USB ports if you try to force it in upside down. That wouldn't be the case with the new design, and it wouldn't require new hardware either.
With Apple's first launch event of a busy Autumn schedule expected to take place in early September, we hopefully won't have long to wait to find out if the iPhone 6 will indeed arrive with a new, reversible USB cable.
