Until now, any accessories that may have been made for Apple’s Lightning connector by third-parties have been unofficial, thus frowned upon by potential buyers. Well, Belkin has just announced the first official third-party accessories for Lightning, ready for launch this year.

“Belkin was the first third party manufacturer to develop accessories for the 30-pin connector back in 2003, and we are thrilled to be first to market again with solutions for the new Lightning connector,” said Martin Avila, general manager of Belkin’s core division. “People are eager for Lightning accessories and Belkin’s give them a reliable way to keep their new iPhone 5, iPad 4^th generation, iPad mini or iPod touch charged, protected, and ready to go.”

Belkin has announced two products, the ‘Belkin Car Charger for Lightning’, and the ‘Belkin Charge + Sync Dock’. Both products are available for pre-order soon from Belkin’s website, and both will cost $29.99 (£24.99).