[arthurrr]

Anybody happen to know if the lightning port, in theory at least, can support Thunderbolt? In the future, I'd really like to be able to plug in a nice A/D audio converter to the iPad and use it as a DAW.

If it's not theoretically possible, then the lightning port really isn't future proof.

[delinka]

I don't believe that's possible. Looking at my Thunderbolt cable and ports, I notice: 1) The cable is not reversible. It's a shaped barrel to fit one way. 2) The cable has many connection points (I think I count 10) above and below the inside of the barrel at the cable's end. 3) The inside of the cable is an innie and the inside of the port is a outie, opposites of Lightning (Lightning doesn't have this shaped barrel thing going on, the cable's just an outie with connections on both sides, so the port's just an innie.)

And I also know from other reviews that Thunderbolt cables aren't just powered with electricity, but powerized (?!) with processors at each end. My fingers suspect this is true because the ends get damn hot.

[3JPLW]

That's exactly the kind of thinking that the original article is arguing against! It doesn't matter what shape or size or gender or even the number of pins a connector has!

The biggest restriction on getting Thunderbolt on an iOS device is not going to be the connector or cable. It will be the controller chips necessary to support such a fast protocol. And fast enough flash chips to provide the data quickly enough.

Lightning can act as both a USB controller or peripheral. It can already provide or receive power. The active elements inside Thunderbolt won't be the limitation.

[ConstantineXVI]

You'd essentially have to pack a PCIe controller inside the iPad for it to work, so (for now) not without a few design concessions from Apple. And it's Intel's interface; good luck getting them to support it with ARM devices.