Is iPad 2 Getting “Light Peak” High-Speed Connector?
According to a recent CNet report, Apple will most likely unveil a new high-speed connector from Intel very soon. The rumor mill seems to indicate that Apple will publicly announce the use of “Light Peak’s” 10Gbps interface very soon.
CNet’s report did not confirm if “Light Peak” would be part of the upcoming MacBook Pros, rumored to be announced this week. But, MacRumors has speculated that “Light Peak” could possibly be part of the upcoming iPad 2.
In case you haven’t heard about “Light Peak”, it’s a new interconnect standard for PCs. Intel’s technology uses fiber optics instead of wires to transfer data, which results in a higher bandwidth. According to Intel, the new technology is expected to transfer content about 10 gigabits per second, which is significantly faster than USB 3.0. For more information about “Light Peak” click here.
But, why MacRumors has speculated about the new technology being implemented in the upcoming iPad? Simple. There have been plenty of rumors dating back to 2009 that have suggested that Apple would roll out a low power version of “Light Peak” for use in mobile devices such as the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. Think of it this way, “Light Peak” certainly brings very fast data syncs to iOS devices and the Mac portoflio.
According to Intel, the initial version of “Light Peak” will use copper instead of the intended fiber optic cables. However, tremendous data transfer speeds are still expected. And, many of us would not be surprised to see Apple pushing to accelerate the new technology.
MacRumors has talked about the presence of the “mystery port” on early iPad 2 case designs from third-party manufacturers. Some of the cases have identified the additional port as a possible Mini display connector. While other folks seem to believe the “mystery port” could be related to the anticipated USB port. MacRumors is simply “thinking out loud” and have speculated that it could be possible that Apple decides to implement the “Light Peak” connector on a future version of the iPad. So, why not iPad 2?
As of now, these are all rumors and speculation. Intel has certainly expressed their interest on getting “Light Peak” in as many products as possible. For all we know, Apple could simply decide to use the new technology for internal improvements on its products.
However, there is always that possibility where Apple could decide to provide an external port to increase data sync capabilities across its product portfolio. After all, Apple has always been a leader when testing and releasing breakthrough technologies. Could Apple decide to add an additional connector on the upcoming iPad? Who knows!
[Photo credit: MacRumors]
