The modern world is hard to imagine without personal electronic devices that are always at hand. One of the manufacturers, namely Apple, has long won the hearts of many caring users. iPhone smartphones, iPad tablets, iPod players - all this finds application in various aspects of everyday life. Of course, you can’t do without the process of charging the device’s battery, but few people know that this can be done not only by “tying” the device to the cable, but also with pleasure and benefit at the same time. All you need is an iPhone docking station. This article will tell you what types of them are, what they are for, and will allow you to decide on the choice of the most useful and convenient device for charging your Apple smartphone.
Some statistics
It is not possible to count the exact number of smartphones that are used daily by almost every person on earth. Most often, the figures showing the production volumes of certain devices are classified or simply not disclosed. In addition, even counting devices sold from store shelves, you can find out completely incomplete information. And all because there is an Internetshops, sales of "gray devices" and other uncovered factors.
Thanks to independent researchers such as GSMA Intelligence, the number of activated and used SIM cards exceeded 7.2 billion in 2014! It's not hard to imagine that (again, according to independent estimates) Apple occupies a large niche in the competition. Actually, for the part of users who live in Europe and on other continents, it has long become customary to use such a device as an Apple dock in everyday life.
What is the docking station for
Translated from English, the dock station sounds like a "docking station" (popularly they are also called "cradles"). Its main task was initially to provide users with the opportunity to expand the original functionality of the device. Docking stations in their original form had more connectors for connecting several devices and simultaneously charging the main one.
In addition, along with charging, it became possible to transfer multimedia data and traffic from the connected device. Comfortable and very functional. But time does not stand still, and now docking stations can become whole portable audio systems and simply beautiful accessories that fit the interior design of even the most sophisticated owner's home.
Practical application
So do you need a docking station for iPhone? This question was easily answered by experts fromApple back when the iPhone 2G appeared. The first devices were supplied complete with a similar device, which caused a flurry of positive emotions and responses from Apple fans. When the Cupertino-based company realized how popular docking stations were, docking stations were dropped from standard iPhones and sold separately. Of course, this was done because of the thirst for profit. But this did not reduce the popularity of devices, and the number of satisfied customers continued to grow with the release of new models of smartphones, tablets and players.
Types of docking stations
Every self-respecting manufacturer of accessories for Apple technology does not disdain the creation of high-quality chargers. Actually, the docking station for the iPhone is the charger, and that is why the variety of these devices has long exceeded all imaginable and unimaginable limits. As described above, the main difference is the ability to charge, play music and decorative functions. Very often, special mounts-holders are attributed to this category, which help to fix the device in a car or on any surface. Such devices have only mechanical functions and are not equipped with charging connectors. That is why you should not confuse docking stations with mounts.
Compatibility
Most often, cradles are designed for use with certain device models. But there is such a thing as a universal docking station. Of course, when purchasing this or that stand with charging, you want that when you change your Apple smartphone, for example, toSamsung cradle continued to perform its function. But in this case, the uniqueness of the accessory is violated, which is not very beneficial for the manufacturers of the stations themselves. There is no need to think here, because it is more profitable to sell several different products, albeit with a time difference, but having received a large profit. But on the other hand, the buyer may opt for lesser-known brands that produce universal stands. However, this statement is true only in the case of a change in the brand of a smartphone or tablet. But devices from the same manufacturer most often retain their standard connectors, and you don’t have to change the cradle. For example, an iPhone 5 dock can easily accommodate the newer 5S and SE, and in some cases the larger 6, 6S, 6 Plus, and 6S Plus.
Popular brands
Of course, there are quite a lot of manufacturers of accessories, including docking stations, so much so that you can’t count them on the fingers. But still, some of them are relatively more popular among competitors in their price segment.
For example, if you need to be able to charge your smartphone and listen to music at the same time, names such as Bowers & Wilkins, Bang & Olufsen, JBL, Bose and Philips are most often flashed. Entire portable audio systems are capable of reproducing high quality sound and enjoying your favorite songs. If the cradle is needed simply as a beautiful stand suitable for the interior, and at the same time charging, then the docking station will turn out to be quite high-qualityfor iPhone by Juice, Twelve South, Belkin, HengeDocks and others.
Apple branded cradles
For those who are very serious about the "apple" brand, there are branded coasters. Of course, recently their diversity has been reduced to almost zero due to low sales. But if you visit the manufacturer's website, you can see that a couple of models still linger on the market. Of course, the Apple dock will not show cool functionality, but it will be able to guarantee full and unhindered charging of the device. At the moment, small cradles are offered with an 8-pin connector (the standard Lightning used since the iPhone 5). The color scheme is quite boring - the stations are offered in black and white.
But besides this, Apple guarantees full compatibility and excellent performance of the aforementioned Belkin and Twelve South brands, which is confirmed by their presence on the official website.
iHome iDL46gc Lightning Dock Station
It will be fair to describe the functionality of several cradles. The first device is a docking station with speakers, a built-in FM receiver, as well as an alarm clock and a calendar. iHome iDL46gc is a great option not only for charging your favorite gadget from Apple, but also for listening to music from it. In addition, the functionality of the station provides for the presence of 6 cells for storing FM frequencies, if you suddenly want to listen to the news or enjoy new compositions on your favorite wave in the morning.
The cradle automatically syncs and charges any device with a Lightning connector. But this is no ordinary docking station. Charging a second device becomes possible thanks to the presence of an additional USB connector, which will allow you to fill the batteries of devices with a Micro USB connector, USB Type-C and others with the appropriate cable. Relatively low cost (around $100) makes this device an indispensable center of entertainment and time planning on the desktop.
OnBeat Mini
You can not ignore the compact device from the manufacturer JBL from the USA. The cradle is equipped with a Lightning connector in conjunction with a 3.5mm TRS stereo jack. Originally planned as a docking station for the iPhone 5, 5C, and 5S, OnBeat Mini surprised owners of newer Apple models, as the latter also fit perfectly into the niche for the device.
Modern speaker system, equipped with branded full-range speakers, delivers deep high-quality sound. This can hardly be expected from such a "baby". In addition, JBL has equipped the docking station with a built-in battery that will allow you to play audio offline for up to 8 hours. A nice addition is the presence of a power saving mode, which is activated after 10 minutes of inactivity. It is impossible not to note the on / off and volume buttons that the docking station is equipped with. The price, by the way, is quite high - $150, which is logical, because you always have to pay for quality.
Fuz Designs EverDock
Developers from Fuz Designs did not bother with cool audio systems, alarm clocks and other, in their opinion, unnecessary features. All they have done is a very comfortable and functional cradle that allows you to place almost any device on you, even if it is wearing a case. The design of the stand is quite stable due to the material from which it is made - solid aluminum.
Included with the device are special silicone pads, replacing which, you can fix cables with almost any connector - Micro USB, 30-pin, Lightning and others. The latter allows you to forget about changing the docking station for a long time, because when purchasing new devices, you can always use the functional EverDock. The extended version with the Duo box also allows you to charge multiple devices at the same time without taking up much space on your desk.
The docking station for "iPhone" is quite a convenient and useful accessory. Strong fixation in a conspicuous place is the key to the integrity and safety of a smartphone or tablet. Well, if in addition to have a portable audio system, a pleasant pastime is guaranteed. And finally, a little advice: in order not to ruin the battery of the device, you should beware of fakes and unknown manufacturers. No need to be stingy when buying such an accessory - and then with peace of mind you can forget about unexpected breakdowns.
