Redpark serial cable for iPhone/iPod touch/iPad outed

Back when Apple made the iPhone OS more flexible with how it works with third party accessories, it brought various gaming, PND and even medical companies on stage with it to show off their wares.  Now things look to be getting a bit more serious; peripheral connector firm Redpark have announced their DB9 and RJ11 serial cable reference designs, both approved by Apple, and which will work with not only the iPhone and iPod touch but – Redpark reckons – the iPad too.

While a serial connection doesn't seem the most exciting of things at first glance, it has the potential to turn the iPad from a glorified web-browser to a far more functional handheld.  Redpark will happily build accessory firms custom cables with task-specific connectors, and they're eying up "medical or scientific instrumentation, point of sale devices, industrial process control equipment, networking devices, and building automation equipment".