Supply Chain Rumors Reaffirm iPhone 7 Will Not Have Headphone Jack

Status
Not open for further replies.
It's also worth noting for audiophiles that the switch to either lightning or USB C could be a boon as you would gain support for digital audio (both in and out) which isn't currently possible obviously with the 3.5mm jack.
 
It's also worth noting for audiophiles that the switch to either lightning or USB C could be a boon as you would gain support for digital audio (both in and out) which isn't currently possible obviously with the 3.5mm jack.

But that's already included in the current iPhone. It's not exactly a switch, but a removal of an extra feature.
 
Let me refer you all to two posts from the previous thread.


Post 1 by LyleLanley

The Lightning headphones will be capable of receiving lossless stereo 48 kHz digital audio output from Apple devices and sending mono 48 kHz digital audio input. The input means that the headphones will also support a microphone for audio input following Apple’s upcoming update. Manufacturers will be able to take advantage of Apple Headphone Remote controls like Volume Up/Down/etc, as well as other buttons for launching specific apps such as iTunes Radio or initiating playback controls on iOS. In addition, the headphones can be made to work specifically with a companion iOS app and launch a specific app when connected to an iOS device.

There are a few benefits of using the Lightning cable to send audio. Apple says the headphones will be able to draw power from an Apple device (even if the device is asleep), which for some products could eliminate cost associated with an internal battery. It could also work the other way around by providing power to an Apple device from an internal battery or external power source. That enables you to listen to music and also use a passthrough setup so you could charge the device simultaneously, much like you can with an audio dock that uses a Lightning connector. The headphones will also be capable of receiving firmware updates.


Post 2 by Sir Abacus (this I basically agree with)

There are a couple of advantages to using a Lightning port for audio output.

  • You're not limited by the low power codec in the phone allowing you to use 24-bit 192KHz output if you wish.
  • You can put 5.1 PCM over the Lightning cable and then use a DSP in the headphones to create a virtual surround soundstage with two drivers.
  • Multichannel recording
  • Active noise cancellation with no batteries required
I'm not sure if they're really worth the loss of a legacy port as useful as a 3.5mm socket but if Apple is building it into the OS it would definitely be nice additions.
 
fuck wireless headphones.....hate having shit die on me. Also why should I spend double the price for the same quality? I'm not getting rid of my studio headphones anytime soon.

I have everything wired for my PC

my game controllers are almost always plugged in
 
I hope instead of advancing to wireless they replace it with the smaller asymmetrical jack they patented. Just to make the phone .7 mm thinner. No other changes.
 
Guess I'll skip that iteration then until fan outrage forces Apple to add it back in to a later model.
When Apple removes controversial stuff like this they have never added back. There was outrage when they dropped the floppy, outrage wheat they add the disc drive and so on.

If the port is gone it is NEVER coming back. You'll be waiting a long long time.
 
Yeah, because why support audio output in an universal way when you are Apple and you can make people get specific headphones with specific plugs for your devices at 5 times the price of the normal ones.

Historically, that's almost never worked.
 
As my post says, I use wireless and wired in my day. I'd like it to be all wireless, but the tech isn't there yet. Weaning people off wired is a good start. At least to make it a viable alternative.
Wouldn't it be better if people were pulled away from wired by a superior wireless solution rather than pushed away from wired because maybe wireless will be better at an undetermined point in the future?
 
Wouldn't it be better if people were pulled away from wired by a superior wireless solution rather than pushed away from wired because maybe wireless will be better at an undetermined point in the future?

Sure. But the millions who buy the next iPhone apparently wont agree with us.
 
Aux plebes are the new SD card plebes. We're taking you into the future, stop fighting it.

Realtalk, waterproofing is a lot easier without an audio jack.
 
Aux plebes are the new SD card plebes. We're taking you into the future, stop fighting it.

Realtalk, waterproofing is a lot easier without an audio jack.

LG V10 user here....love 320GB of storage on my phone thank you. Also 256GB sd card came with the phone when I bought it....I'll stick with my pleb'in tech
 
It's also worth noting for audiophiles that the switch to either lightning or USB C could be a boon as you would gain support for digital audio (both in and out) which isn't currently possible obviously with the 3.5mm jack.

Yeah, but most people aren't audiophiles, use mid range equipment and digital audio is a net negative.
 
Cool, another reason not to buy an overpriced, under-functioning iOS device. Thanks Apple!

Aux plebes are the new SD card plebes. We're taking you into the future, stop fighting it.

Realtalk, waterproofing is a lot easier without an audio jack.

Realtalk: Motorola managed to do it on their budget Moto G line.
 
Aux plebes are the new SD card plebes. We're taking you into the future, stop fighting it.

Realtalk, waterproofing is a lot easier without an audio jack.

Waterproof is cool but a gimmick for most people
My moto G 3rd gen is waterproof and has a jack. Don't tell me apple can't do it
 
http://www.macrumors.com/2016/01/05/iphone-7-no-headphone-jack-supply-chain/

Thank goodness. I'm glad Apple will kill the decades old, ancient tech of aux input. Good riddance. They'll drag the luddites kicking and screaming into the future, just like they have always done. Look at the past threads on GAF alone about optical drives and Flash. Hilarious.

I also hope someone comes up with a good Bluetooth because today's and tomorrow's Bluetooth is awful. Their motto should be, "Next year!"

Edit: People are confusing the lightning thing. Apple doesn't want you to use a proprietary hook up. They want you to use wireless. They're just giving you lightning as the connected option. Join us in the 21st century jfc

The 21st Century, where you have to buy a replacement for something that worked fine because of reasons.
 
I hope instead of advancing to wireless they replace it with the smaller asymmetrical jack they patented. Just to make the phone .7 mm thinner. No other changes.

That jack has the same orientation problem as USB 2/3 ports.

Lightning connection is too flimsy.

It's wireless or stick with the headphone jack.
 
It's also worth noting for audiophiles that the switch to either lightning or USB C could be a boon as you would gain support for digital audio (both in and out) which isn't currently possible obviously with the 3.5mm jack.
You don't need to lose the analog audio out to get that.
 
Because we all know rumors that happen months ahead of when the product comes out are always 100% true.

On the hypothetical side that this is true, don't like it. Glad I'm not planning on buying a new phone for a very long time. I like my current set of headphones that have served me well for years and don't really want to buy another set just for my new phone (That I may not even like as well).

I mean, I wasn't too upset with the lightning connecter, I like it a lot better than the old one and did so even when they came out with it. It is very improved in many ways so I'm glad to see them change over. It had an actual clear benefit. But the headset is such a universal connector that even Apple has endorsed for all its existance and I don't see the new ways being an improvement worth getting rid of the old. Certainly not having to have a connector that works for both my headphones and powering up the device. It's not worth it to make the phone thinner (not to mention even the ipod which is thinner can still support it). And bluetooth headsets have their own downfall that isn't going to get better, they need a battery charge so you either have to worry about recharging them or buying new batteries. Either way, you have to worry they might run out of battery. And some one mentioned also worry about connection issues as well (that would get irritating).

As for people who want to go to Android over this... that might work in the short term. But Apple has this tendency that what they do spreads (how many phones have removable batteries now or allow you to insert an SD card for storage <- I think there's a few but I think that number has gotten smaller).
 
Got a 6S so this won't really affect me for a few years yet, but I can only forgive this if the Lightning headphones will be impressive or price/performance impressive or if they use the headphone jack space to give us a larger battery.

I don't believe any of those things will happen. (Would absolutely love to be proven wrong though).
 
Yeah, but most people aren't audiophiles, use mid range equipment and digital audio is a net negative.

That's the catch 22.

Most people AREN'T audiophiles which is why Apple BT earpods wouldn't be a net negative audio wise to the average joe as the current wired ones they use are hardly an audiophile's wet dream.

Again I think dropping the port for thinness is kinda stupid.

That being said I find it funny audiophile's complaints about this when they should probably be using an external DAC already via the lightning port already anyways.
 
I never had a time where I wanted my phone to be waterproof... but I use my headphones daily.
 
This seems like a really bad idea. The percentage of people using wired headphones/auxiliary-connections must far outweigh those using wireless, no? Why force most of your users to use a dongle?

This isn't like removing disc drives where people freaked out and then realized most of them never used computer disc drives anyway.

It's still unconfirmed, so we'll see, but I just think it's a bad idea.

Oh, and Bluetooth audio is trash.
 
That's the catch 22.

Most people AREN'T audiophiles which is why Apple BT earpods wouldn't be a net negative audio wise to the average joe as the current wired ones they use are hardly an audiophile's wet dream.

Again I think dropping the port for thinness is kinda stupid.

That being said I find it funny audiophile's complaints about this when they should probably be using an external DAC already via the lightning port already anyways.

I think there's a pretty big gap between the big, mainstream headphone market using $100 dollar earbuds who'd notice a significant decrease over bluetooth and an actual audiophile who'd detect a DAC difference.
 
Wired headphones

Pros:
  • Plug and play
  • Universally accepted
  • A veritable mountain of high quality headphones available at all price ranges
  • Huge variety of accesories, from dirty cheap to crazy expensive
  • Connector can power external speakers
  • Don't require batteries
  • A good set of headphones will last forever
  • A crummy set of headphones for an emergency can be obtained for literally nothing

Cons:

  • Have wires
  • Circuitry takes some space

Wireless audio

Pros:
  • No wires
  • More space may simplify engineering or allow for thinner devices

Cons:

  • Not exactly plug and play
  • Not universally accepted
  • Legacy devices will need adaptors in the form of dongles, making them even less convenient and adding costs
  • Audio quality is compromised
  • Smaller variety of accesories and at higher prices
  • No connector to power external speakers
  • Require batteries, charging
  • Battery degradation ensures you'll have to buy new headphones over time
  • No such thing such as "free wireless headphones" at trains, planes etc.

I'm all for a wireless future, but call me back when we have a proper, more convenient alternative to wired headphones like we did when we transitioned from physical media to digital one.
 
That's the catch 22.

Most people AREN'T audiophiles which is why Apple BT earpods wouldn't be a net negative audio wise to the average joe as the current wired ones they use are hardly an audiophile's wet dream.

Again I think dropping the port for thinness is kinda stupid.

That being said I find it funny audiophile's complaints about this when they should probably be using an external DAC already via the lightning port already anyways.
I like using my ath ck10s without having to lug around a dac so this wouldn't do anything for me.
 
That's the catch 22.

Most people AREN'T audiophiles which is why Apple BT earpods wouldn't be a net negative audio wise to the average joe as the current wired ones they use are hardly an audiophile's wet dream.

Again I think dropping the port for thinness is kinda stupid.

That being said I find it funny audiophile's complaints about this when they should probably be using an external DAC already via the lightning port already anyways.

Do you think that Apple will include Bluetooth headphones with the phone? Or are they just not going to include any headphones with it?
 
I think there's a pretty big gap between the big, mainstream headphone market using $100 dollar earbuds who'd notice a significant decrease over bluetooth and an actual audiophile who'd detect a DAC difference.

The mainstream market is too busy using either Beats headphones or the included Earpods. Neither of which are the hallmark of audio quality.
 
It's basically Apple needing to something new to market and opening a new avenue. Other than making the iPhone like the 4/5 version, they've got nothing to get people talking. It's extreme but there is sod all to differentiate smartphones now. They get the headline, wireless headphone future invented by Apple tag even though it's not new and that thinner phone goal. What will they call it. Apple AirSound or something. The media will lap it up.
 
OP has really gone all in on the Apple kool-aid.

This is an absolutely awful decision, if true. And very transparently all abut pushing Apple's own proprietary solutions, as per usual. The future: when you spend more money, and with fewer options, for the same service as before.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom