A report on Apple Insider today says that according to Japanese website Macotakara, Apple’s new Lightning dock connector will be able to host USB devices, which means that the manufacturers of third-party accessories will be able to market totally different products than were previously possible with the old 30-pin dock connector. AppleInsider says that up until now, the iPad was the only iOS device that was able to host USB devices, via a Camera Connection Kit. The kit, which was only compatible with the iPad and not the iPhone or iPod touch, enabled the user to connect cameras, wired keyboards and other similar USB devices to their iPad. Now, if this report is proved to be correct, the Lightning connector has built-in USB support, so you may well be able to connect USB accessories to it such as cameras and keyboards, via third-party accessories. Apparently Apple has said that Lighting ports will be supported by third-party accessory makers such as Bose, JBL and B&W.
Source: New Lightning dock connector capable of hosting USB devices - report
