Apple’s next iPhone is expected to go on sale this fall and rumours over its new design are surfacing.According to a recently released report by Reuters, Apple is changing the connector port on the bottom of the phone to make it smaller — a change that will no doubt annoy the Apple faithful but will be a boon for accessory makers.Citing two sources familiar with the matter, Reuters says the switch from a 30-pin connector to a 19-pin version will accommodate shifting the port for headphones down to the bottom.So why should we care about the iPhone’s dock connector? Because all those cool accessories you have — from speakers to power cords — won’t be compatible. You’ll need to buy all new ones or buy an adaptor — if the company comes out with one, which some tech analysts are saying Apple needs to do.“Apple needs to find a solution not to disappoint their current clients who want to upgrade to the new iPhone but are tied to an expensive accessory that have bought,” said Franciso Jeronimo, London-based analyst at technology research firm IDC.“I believe Apple will come up with some sort of adaptor so the new iPhone can be used with previous connectors.”Robert Scoble — one of world’s most respected technology writers — wrote in a recent blog post that an Apple engineer who is working on the new iPhone told him the company is making the change for a few reasons:Smarter iPhone CablesThe main reason Apple is changing the dock connector is so that they can have more control over device manufacturers — cutting down on counterfeits. The company will reportedly have a chip in the end of each new iPhone 5 cable which will verify the device is licensed. If a cable or accessory is not licensed by Apple, the cable won’t work.Thinner DeviceThe new dock connector save a hefty chunk of space inside the iPhone. It’s said to be as much as 50 percent smaller than the current connector. Rumours suggest Apple is trying to deliver an iPhone 5 that’s under 7.99mm thick — compared to the iPhone 4s which is around 9.3mm.Magnetic ConnectionPerhaps the best news is the rumour that the new dock connector will also feature a magnetic connector — similar to the MagSafe connector found on MacBook systems. Apple has various patents on a MagSafe connection for the iPhone and iPad and if done right, it could make plugging devices in easier than ever.Water ProofingAccording to Mr Scoble and his engineer source, the new doc connector will make water damage less of a possibility on the iPhone 5 and future devices. Apple has also reportedly talked to HzO, a company that waterproofs gadgets.Better MicrophonesSiri needs to ‘hear’ users in order to provide accurate actions and answers. That, along with a focus on call quality, Mr Scoble says, means Apple is looking to put in better microphones in the iPhone 5. This could mean better sound quality in noisy environments.The switch in cables, while annoying to many consumers, means big business for the companies that make those accessories.“It represents an opportunity for accessory vendors,” said Pete Cunningham, London-based analyst at technology research firm Canalys. “The iPhone connector has been a standard for a long time now and I would expect the same to be true for a new connector, should Apple change it as expected.”In the end though, Apple fans are Apple fans.“I don’t think it will stop Apple consumers from buying the new gadgets,” said CK Lu, Taipei-based analyst at research firm Gartner. “Many companies are interested in developing accessories for Apple because Apple users are more open and willing to buy accessories.”There’s also an interesting theory floating around out there that Apple has engineered the new dock connector to be compatible with the micro-USB standard in order to comply with the European Union directive to standardise chargers. If true, that could be good news for those of us who have micro-USB cellphone chargers (standard on most BlackBerrys) lying around the houseThe connector rumour is one of many on Apple’s highly anticipated device, which is expected to launch in October. Most recently, reports have suggested the iPhone 5’s screen will be thinner and jump from 3.5-inches to 4-inches — making room for a bigger battery. The handset is also likely to offer other enhanced features to face competitors like the Samsung Galaxy III and other Google Android-based smartphones, such as Long-Term Evolution (LTE) or high-speed data, near-field communication (NFC) capabilities (which allow for mobile payments) and a faster quad-core processor.