Apple Lightning Adapter Costs $30, Doesn’t Work With Old Speakers

When Apple announced $29 and $39 price tags for its Lightning dock adapters customers were immediately angered by the high price tag for such a simple piece of technology. What potential customers should have been upset about was the adapters lack of iPod out and video controls.

According to CNN Money:

“… Those expensive adapters don’t support video or a feature called “iPod Out”. That means if you buy a $29 adapter so you can plug your iPhone 5 into your speaker dock, there’s a chance you won’t actually be able to play music through the speakers.”

Of course the point of buying an adapter is that it can be used with your legacy equipment. After all why would you purchase a $29 Lightning adapter if you can’t use it on the iHome speaker system you already have in your possession.

Apple is not exactly hiding the lack of support, on its website Apple states:

“Video and iPod Out not supported.”

Apple’s 30-pin connector was capable of sending analog signals which have now been replaced with an all digital format.

What Apple has not yet explained is why the adapter was not built to convert digital signals into an analog format as required by older devices. Of course the simple answer is that Apple would prefer customers purchase newer third-party devices that better showcase the company’s newer technology.

If your device has an audio in jack, for example a 2.5mm headphone jack, you can still connect your iPhone 5, then again that completely misses the point of a dedicated adapter.

In the meantime you can still charge your iPhone 5 through old connector docks or connect your device to your PC via old cables.