If you count them there are actually 16 pins. Apple wants you to think there are only 8 pins and that the connector can be reversed. But nothing prevents them f

If you count them there are actually 16 pins. Apple wants you to think there are only 8 pins and that the connector can be reversed. But nothing prevents them from adding some additional handshaking in a future device that lets them use all 16 pins separately. The connector could still be reversible with additional switching circuitry that routes signals to the correct place depending on how you have rotated the connector.