As the expected release date of next generation iPhone comes near, the daily influx of rumors steadily grows. Last year almost all rumors got debunked as Apple announced a mildly updated iPhone 4S, whereas there were strong reports of a fully redesigned iPhone. This time around Apple is surely going to release an all new iPhone. Word on the rumor mill is that the next generation iPhone will have a smaller 8 pin dock connector. Moreover this new smartphone will also feature enhanced Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, which is an unreleased feature of iOS 6.

This latest rumor debunks a previous one which claimed that Apple's next smartphone will come with a 19 pin dock connector. Ever since the original iPhone was released in 2007, all iOS devices have shipped with a standard 30 pin dock connector. This allows interchanging of accessories as well as charges. Introducing a new smaller dock connector now, 8 pin or 19 pin, will make all these accessories obsolete. It goes without saying that iOS devices that will be released after the new iPhone will obviously feature the same dock connector.

Whichever dock connector the company chooses, accessory manufacturers will have a lot of work to do. Though it is being reported that Apple will offer some sort of an adapter which will make transitioning to said smaller dock connector easier. The smaller dock connector also leaves up enough space on the bottom for that repositioned headset jack we have been hearing about. Case and panel leaks point at a smaller dock connector for sure, but it is too soon to be sure about the amount of pins in that connector.

As far as the enhanced Bluetooth 4.0 support is concerned, it is said to be an unreleased feature of iOS 6. This feature will be made available to other supported iOS devices as well when the next iPhone goes public. Bluetooth 4.0 will offer improved connectivity between two iOS devices as well as between iOS devices and latest Mac computers. The next iPhone is expected to be announced on September 12, 2012.