Rumor has it…

Posted on September 13, 2012 by admin_ecar

Rumor has it…

It’s not actually rumor any more. The news has been posted and everyone who’s been watching for confirmation now has it. The next version of the iPhone is coming soon. And there IS something different.

It’s thinner, lighter, and has a power port that doesn’t work with any of the existing iAccessories, including the eKey adapter.

That’s my main concern with the new iPhone; they’ve changed the power port. Instead of the 30 pin port that all previous iDevices have had, the iPhone 5 has a much smaller port. This means that our existing eKey adapters will not work in the new iPhone 5.

Let me repeat that.

The new iPhone 5 will NOT work with our existing eKey adapters.

If you run out and buy the newest iPhone (you know who you are!) and come in to ECAR to get it set up as your key, no can do.

If you already have an eKey service on your current phone, then upgrade to the iPhone 5, you will not have a working key.

I’m sure that we’ll be hearing shortly how Supra is planning remedy this. They couldn’t do anything until the rumors were confirmed. Apple didn’t give anyone, even other corporations who manufacture accessories for their phones, any advanced notice. So these companies are now working to get around the change.

Apple will be making available adapters that are supposed to make their newest phone work with existing accessories. However these will not be available until some time in October. Doesn’t help us much.

I got most of my information from a Computerworld article released today, September 12, 2012. But there’s plenty of other articles available online.

And in case you were wondering, the fobs that Androids and Blackberrys use with the eKey software will NOT work with the iPhones. We’ve tried that already.

So here’s your piece of advice for the day. If you want to use your phone as your Supra key, do not run out and buy a phone that may not work with it yet. And at this point, the iPhone 5 does not work with the eKey adapter!!

If you have any questions, please call us at 850-244-2411, or email susan@ecaor.com. You can also comment on this blog.

Susan Beck, MLS Director
Emerald Coast Association of REALTORS
Fort Walton Beach, FL