iPhone 5 Unveiling: Leaks Dub Apple's 9-Pin Dock Connector As 'Lightening'; What Are 'Earpods' And 'Loop'?

Technology website 9TO5Mac reported late Tuesday that the new smaller 9-pin dock connector, widely expected to replace the traditional 30-pin dock connector in future iOS devices including the iPhone 5, is named "Lightening." Although the new dock connector has been dubbed so internally, the report believes that the name "Lightening" will also be the name under which the product will be marketed.

According to the report, there could be two reasons that could make the moniker sensible. First, it goes quite well with the name "Thunderbolt" for the Mac connector. Second, "Lightening" could possibly mean that syncing via a computer using the new dock connector will be very fast compared to the existing 30-pin connector. The smaller 9-pin dock connector is rumored to be sold for around $10.

Last week, a pair of redesigned Apple earphones surfaced online via a Vietnamese website Tinhte. Now, according to 9TO5Mac, the Cupertino tech giant will introduce the new headphones alongside the iPhone 5 Wednesday and call "Earpods." The new "Earpods" will be available for $29 in the U.S., the same price as the current headphones.

The report by 9TO5Mac states: "We've also received word that a couple variations of a new dock adapter between Lightning (get used to it!) and the 30-pin connector will be announced. The first version apparently clips onto the bottom of the new iOS devices. The second is a version with a little cable attached for accessories like tight-fitting cases."

The report also cited "a source at a high-profile U.S. retailer" saying that the new iPod shuffle will continue with its 2GB capacity. However, it will be available in new colors such as yellow, blue, green, purple, silver, "slate" and red.

In addition, the source also revealed that the new iPod touch will get "a unique new 'Loop' accessory in multiple colors," including black, red, pink, yellow and blue. The retail price for the product is expected to be around $10.

When it comes to the new iPhone 5, the handset is expected to come with a larger 4-inch screen with in-cell touch technology, a uni-body design and a smaller 9-pin dock connector. The device 5 is likely to run on iOS 6, which would be completely scalable to a larger 640 x 1136 display. The device is also highly rumored to be powered by a much-improved processor.

Other much talked-about iPhone 5 features include 4G LTE technology, Near Field Communication (NFC), 1GB RAM, improved Siri, liquidmetal casing, an 8 megapixel (or even higher) rear camera, a 2 megapixel front-facing camera for video chatting and a much-improved battery life.