Apple’s “new” UAC port wasn’t made by Apple and it isn’t new

Enlarge / This connector, sometimes called an “Ultra Mini Connector” or “UC-E6,” isn’t new and it’s not an Apple creation. (credit: Mitsumi)

A 9to5Mac report making the rounds today claims that Apple would be adding support for a new connector to its “Made For iPhone” accessory licensing program. Dubbed the “Ultra Accessory Connector” or “UAC” in Apple’s documentation, the report claims this is a new port, smaller than Lightning or USB-C, that could be used to charge devices or transfer data.

In reality, the UAC is just Apple’s name for a port that is already used in some digital cameras and other accessories—Apple has just given it a new moniker. Currently, it goes by a few different titles: Mitsumi calls it an “Ultra Mini Connector” and Nikon calls it a “UC-E6” cable. In any case, it appears to be just another connector for the regular-old USB spec. When contacted for comment, Apple told us that it was adding the port to the MFi program at the request of licensees, not because it’s trying to push licensees to support a new kind of connector.

It’s understandable that Apple’s users would get worked up over the idea of a new port—the company’s iDevices just made the jump from 30-pin connector to the small reversible Lightning connector in 2012. The Mac is still in the process of moving from a mix of USB, power, Ethernet, and Thunderbolt ports to USB-C and Thunderbolt 3. And Apple’s iPhone 7 grabbed a lot of headlines for removing its standard 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of Lightning and wireless headphones.

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Source: Ars Technica – Apple’s “new” UAC port wasn’t made by Apple and it isn’t new