A dock connector routes power, data, audio, and sometimes raw bus signals through a single physical interface on a portable device. Before the widespread adoption of USB-C, manufacturers relied on custom, high-pin-count dock connectors to expose all necessary internal buses to external accessories without cluttering the device housing with multiple ports.
Heard on the job
The pins on the dock connector are bent, so the radio charges but won't pass audio to the speaker cradle.
Related terms
Dock
A base station that provides power and peripheral connections to a portable electronic device.
Connector
An electromechanical device used to join electrical terminations and create an electrical circuit.
Pinout
A diagram or table detailing the purpose of each electrical contact on a connector or chip.