Analyst: Expect Apple's Lightning to strike for up to a decade
Apple's Lightning isn't going anywhere anytime soon, one analyst says.KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote to investors that Apple's Lightning is expected to follow in the footsteps of the 30-pin connector it replaced and come built into the company's products for up to the next 10 years, according to AppleInsider, which obtained a copy of a research note. The technology could be replaced as soon as five years from now, the analyst reportedly told investors.Apple introduced Lightning with its iPhone 5. The technology is an all-digital, eight-signal design. The 30-pin connector was the standard Apple used since 2003, starting with its iPod.With that change has come a host of possible headaches for consumers. The iPhone 5, because of its smaller connector port, will not work with the myriad docks, players, and other products that support the old 30-pin option. Over time, that will change as product makers deliver support for Lightning. In the meantime, iPhone 5 owners can purchase an adapter that costs $29.Apple might also be feeling the hit of Lightning a bit, according to Kuo. He reportedly told investors in the research note that the company is paying $3.50 to bundle Lightning in the iPhone 5, representing a 775 percent increase on the 40 cents it pays for the 30-pin connector. The Lightning cable costs $6, jumping 233 percent from the 30-pin connector's $1.80 cord.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
