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[Vanillalite]

9to5 Mac

Apple deprecated what it called “ancient” technology yesterday, with the iPhone 7 lacking a 3.5mm headphone jack. The company is encouraging Bluetooth wireless headphones for audio playback (heralding its new AirPods) or using wired headphones via Lightning. However, with just one port, people who want to listen to music and charge their iPhone 7 at the same time are left with a conundrum.

Apple’s answer to this problem appears to be the $39-49 Lightning Dock which adds a 3.5mm headphone jack when docked.

This messaging appears to be the Apple solution, thanks to an email conversation sent to us by a reader. Zaheen Hafzer says he asked Phil Schiller about how to charge the iPhone 7 and listen to music at the same time. Schiller said whilst he prefers using the AirPods for the additional wireless flexibility, the Lightning Dock is the solution for wired headphones.

Here’s what Schiller said according to Zaheen:

Hi Zaheen,

I like to listen on my AirPods while my iPhone 7 Plus is charging because I am free to move around.
However, if you would like to listen to wired headphones while charging an iPhone 7 it is possible to do that as well.
The Apple Lightning Dock includes a headphone jack for using wired headphones or speakers while charging.
I hope that helps.

 

[GhostTrick]

So... if I get it right, Apple removed the "ancient" jack 3.5mm port... to have a huge ass adapter.

 

[Guevara]

Apple's answer to extracting an additional $39-49 from users.

 

[Bubba T]

Translation: Buy more of our shit

 

[TheTylerRob]

Buy more garbage you morons

 

[rambis]

Apple's answer to extracting an additional $39-49 from users.

.

 

[DJ_Lae]

Beautiful, sleek, elegant.

 

[Transistor]

Apple's answer to extracting an additional $39-49 from users.

Yep. This is god damn ridiculous.

"Already own a dock? Well, fuck you!"

 

[Neuromancer]

Well at least it's small and attractive looking.

 

[Wolfgunblood Garopa]

Lightning connector is the worst shit

 

[HeisenbergLannister]

They did it.

They invented the dock.

The future is here!

 

[necrosis]

Buy more garbage you morons

apple's motto

 

[BossLackey]

I like my iPhone, but have been thinking about going Android for more freedom. This week Apple made that decision for me.

 

[EloquentM]

Buying two

 

[Skux]

Cool, more wires and more things to charge.

I can totally see this future working out for them.

 

[Malvolio]

Accessories! Gotta catch 'em all!

 

[Fantastapotamus]

Buy more garbage you morons

The Apple mantra

 

[Polk]

I love how dock still uses headphone jack instead of lightning connector.

 

[Nafai1123]

Perfect for hooking up a battery pack while hunting Pokémon!

 

[collige]

But what if you want to use you wired Lightning headphones that came with your phone while charging?

 

[FyreWulff]

The courage to include the jack they just got rid of in every accessory


That thing looks like it'd be real easy to accidentally bend the connector, too.

 

[HiiiLife]

Apple knows all.

 

[Duane Cunningham]

 

[LyleLanley]

I love how dock still uses headphone jack instead of lightning connector.

That's because it's the exact same dock they've always had.

 

[DarkWish]

The dock isn't new. It was released a year ago I think. I've had it for a while, and I think I've only used the headphone port on there once.

 

[Glix]

Implied in the "I want to listen to music and charge" is also...

And be using the fucking phone, not have it in some clunky dock. Fucking idiots.


They also have the COURAGE to still not let me set a wifi connection hierarchy. Assholes.

 

[subrock]

unless you want to use the lightning earbuds

The dock isn't new. It was released a year ago I think. I've had it for a while, and I think I've only used the headphone port on there once.

no facts here please

 

[-griffy-]

Just so people are aware, this dock with this functionality has existed in some form for several generations of iPhone. This isn't a new thing made specifically for the iPhone 7, it's an existing thing that happens to provide a partial solution to a new problem.

 

[TheTylerRob]

"Beautiful, sleek, elegant. " - Apple

"It's a white square with a micropenis on it..." - English

 

[AHA-Lambda]

jesus christ, so their solution to a usability problem was to shove back in the port they called obsolete??

edit: oh it's not new? ah ok

 

[Nibel]

So they remove the headphone jack - basically causing the problem of not being able to charge and plugin the headphones at the same time - and then sell you the solution

..this is too courageous for me

 

[Skux]

 

[DarkWish]

jesus christ, so their solution to a usability problem was to shove back in the port they called obsolete??

I mean I understand people that are upset about the headphone port being removed and all... but this dock has been in stores since last year. They didn't shove anything back in. It already existed.

 

[Zeyphersan]

Not really an elegant answer by Apple. It's a solution for people with 3.5mm headphones, but NOT to use the lightning EarPods that come with the phone

Poor form

 

[AHA-Lambda]

what the fuck is that thing in the bottom left???

 

[therealist]

Courageous, thank you Apple. Apple is God.

 

[FStop7]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-4iJKFVLWM

 

[DOWN]

In this thread, people think Apple created this dock for iPhone 7 despite it existing with the same exact functions for a long ass time and in previous generations

 

[LyleLanley]

In this thread, people think Apple created this dock for iPhone 7 despite it existing with the same exact functions for a long ass time and in previous generations

Yeah, the only difference is that now there's a new black color to match the 7.

 

[CapitalismSucks DonkeyBalls]

I'm anticipating the software patch that will eventually make all non-proprietary Bluetooth/lightning headsets incompatible with iPhone's lightning whatever.

 

[KingKong]

what the fuck is that thing in the bottom left???

USB-C hub

 

[30yearsofhurt]

Buy more garbage you morons

Yet apple fanboys eat this shit up. Must be what Stockholm syndrome is like.

 

[molnizzle]

Every iPhone 7 comes with a lightning to 3.5mm adapter, why would you buy a dock just to use headphones?

 

[Transistor]

Every iPhone 7 comes with a lightning to 3.5mm adapter, why would you buy a dock just to use headphones?

Because you want to charge at the same time?

 

[LyleLanley]

Every iPhone 7 comes with a lightning to 3.5mm adapter, why would you buy a dock just to use headphones?

To use headphones and charge your phone at the same time.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Buy more garbage you morons

Buying two

There it is..

 

[radioactivez0r]

I like my iPhone, but have been thinking about going Android for more freedom. This week Apple made that decision for me.

I've been trending the opposite way, even in the face of some stupid moves like this. I'm curious why this week was the decisive one?

 

[flamingotripod]

Lmao at the mouse one, if the person who designed the charging port to be on the bottom on the mouse is still working at apple that is straight up embarrassing

 

[SecretDan]

what the fuck is that thing in the bottom left???

A USB hub.

Pretty common.

 

[molnizzle]

Because you want to charge at the same time?

To use headphones and charge your phone at the same time.

ahhhhhh

I only charge at night and while I drive, didn't think of that.