Apple may remove headphone jack on next iPhone (Oh hi there Android!)

[sof006]

I can't see this happening... but then again it wouldn't surprise me if it did happen. Go figure.

[thehardwarehacker]

rumors like these circulate with every generation or 2 after their born, but lets be honest, apple isnt as stupid as most make them out to be. we all know that they analyze as much data as they can before most big jumps. now personally, IF they did make a change like this, there's a good chunk or users including myself, who use Blu-tooth earphones, which means that this wont effect said users. considering that blu-tooth earphones aren't that expensive, about as much as good wired headphones, i dont think its too far fetched to consider the possibility that users who upgrade to the next generation, if apple decides to do this, will just go wireless. 

[minimoose]

Nah. I like my earphones to stay fully passive analog.

 

 

They're awesome until they're not awesome and the cost-effective simplicity of a passive stereo headphone is desired.

Yeah sure, but when has an Apple product ever been about cost effective simplicity. It's fine if you don't like this, but this isn't a new kind of move from Apple.

[TheElt]

Anyone remember the old Sony Ericsson phones, back when it was the norm for everything to have a proprietary connector?

 

Well they had one port that handled everything, USB data, charging, headphones. So if this is true, how long until Apple go ahead and release something like;

 

 

Which was never standard and was always an aftermarket purchase, just to use headphones while you charged your phone. Why have we come full circle? Why is the new iPod supposed to be just as thin yet have a 3.5mm jack?

[Snadzies]

I can't remember the last time I used the 3.5mm jack on any of my phones.

I now use bluetooth headsets as I would go through wired headphones way too quickly.

The repeated gentile tugging on either end of the cables would eventually work the wires loose and short them out after a couple months.

I tired more expensive pairs and cheap $5 pairs and there was hardly a difference in how long they lasted.

[SSL]

Yeah sure, but when has an Apple product ever been about cost effective simplicity. It's fine if you don't like this, but this isn't a new kind of move from Apple.

 

Sad but true.

[Real_PhillBert]

 

With the iPhone 7, due out next year, Apple plans to remove the port, according to a report out of Japan. Instead of plugging headphones into a dedicated jack, users will connect them to the iPhone’s Lightning data port. The new smartphone will come with a pair of headphones that can plug directly into the port, but in order to plug in regular headphones, users will need a separate adapter, according to the report. 

 

I'm a bit surprised by this considering just a month or two ago Apple patented a thinner headphone jack, presumably as another solution to the same issue.

 

The headphone jack is thicker than the Lightning port, and the actual connector is almost twice as long. By removing the headphone jack, Apple could theoretically make its devices thinner and allocate more space to a display, batteries or other electronics. The move would also allow music and sound to be transmitted digitally from the device to the headphones, potentially improving fidelity. ... Meanwhile, by combining two or more functions — power and sound — into one port, the new design would make it difficult for users to connect the phone to two devices at the same time. iPhone users likely wouldn’t be able to charge their phones and use wired headphones at the same time, unless they purchased a separate adapter.

 

I'm a bit torn on this one, on one hand it is pretty nice to be able to charge your phone and listen to music or watch YouTube without an adapter, plus a proprietary headphone connection (or at least one that only apple uses) seems like a bit of a kink in the road for users. On the other hand I see this as a step toward a phone without any ports at all. IMHO wireless charging and bluetooth/NFC/WIFI make the data connection unnecessary and bluetooth headphones are just plain more convenient.

 

Link to article: http://www.siliconbeat.com/2015/11/30/98783/

Link to report cited in article: http://www.macotakara.jp/blog/rumor/entry-28639.html

[ShadowCaptain]

SNIP

 

Please can you change the title to "APPLE RUMOURED TO BE REMOVING" - not report it as fact as - we have no idea if this is true

 

 

 

I am 50:50 - lightning based headphones potentially could sound better, and you can still use 3.5mm headphones with an adapter

 

but honestly its a pretty retarded decision, and IMO audio connections should not be proprietary 

[yannickverc]

I'll agree with this if it becomes a thing on EVERY phone, (IOS and android and windows phone) AND if current headphones with 3,5mm jack are compatible.

 

But if it's just some Apple only thing again I must say this is yet another Apple-only-thing to make more money.

 

I mean, I just got my uber expensive headphones a few months ago. I'm not gonna throw that away because Apple decided it wants to make some lunchmoney. 

[The Cool n00B]

I feel like Apple just wants to steal more money from us with retarded adapters. Also, why tf would they go through the trouble of patenting the D shaped headphone jack only to do this? ugh, Apple is retarded sometimes.

[Real_PhillBert]

Please can you change the title to "APPLE RUMOURED TO BE REMOVING" - not report it as fact as - we have no idea if this is true

 

 

 

I am 50:50 - lightning based headphones potentially could sound better, and you can still use 3.5mm headphones with an adapter

 

but honestly its a pretty retarded decision, and IMO audio connections should not be proprietary 

 

I compromised a bit. I went to Apple MAY remove... 

 

All news postings have a bit of speculation unless confirmed by the manufacturer.

[Senzelian]

iPhone 13 specs:

A random CPU
A random display
a little bit of ram
75mAh battery
No ports

1/2 milimeter thin (camera bump not included)

[ShadowCaptain]

I compromised a bit. I went to Apple MAY remove... 

 

All news postings have a bit of speculation unless confirmed by the manufacturer.

 

thats cool just dont like rumours being reported as fact

 

 

 

I mean, I just got my uber expensive headphones a few months ago. I'm not gonna throw that away because Apple decided it wants to make some lunchmoney. 

 

Plug them into the adapter and into the phone

 

 

The benefit I guess it the phone should include WAY better digital audio processing and a better DAC

 

BUT - is that really worth losing convenience?- people who WANT that audio performance will have a Fiio anyway

[yannickverc]

Plug them into the adapter and into the phone

 

Isn't that going to be a hassle? phone-adapter-3,5mm jack (unless the adapter is incredibly small of course) 

[Nineshadow]

Please can you change the title to "APPLE RUMOURED TO BE REMOVING" - not report it as fact as - we have no idea if this is true

What's wrong with "may" ?

It presents a possibility.

[ShadowCaptain]

What's wrong with "may" ?

It presents a possibility.

it didnt say "may" before - it just said "apple to remove"

 

 

Isn't that going to be a hassle? phone-adapter-3,5mm jack (unless the adapter is incredibly small of course) 

 

They could do it just like the lightning to micro usb but with 3.5mm instead - just leave it on your headphones

 

 

MY issue, is not that you cannot use 3.5mm headphones... its that you cannot use Lightning headphones, so if I want to buy a £300 pair of lightning headphones, its useless if Apple change the adapter, or if you want to connect it to anything else

 

So basically my issue is the opposite

 

[Samfisher]

Didn't this exist already last week or something?  I could be wrong. News threads are so messy and the Google Search forum search isn't helping ):

[Real_PhillBert]

Didn't this exist already last week or something?  I could be wrong. News threads are so messy and the Google Search forum search isn't helping ):

 

I looked for another thread about it but didnt find one. If you do find one let me know, please

 

This particular article is dated from yesterday, but there could have been other articles about it. 

[Senzelian]

The benefit I guess it the phone should include WAY better digital audio processing and a better DAC

I don't think it should include it.

The weakest link is still the 3.5mm audio jack, no matter if it runs through lightning first or not.

[Samfisher]

I looked for another thread about it but didnt find one. If you do find one let me know, please

 

This particular article is dated from yesterday, but there could have been other articles about it. 

Found it, on page 1  

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/494151-apple-may-remove-headphone-jack-on-next-iphone-oh-hi-there-android/

[Dezz]

Too lazy to read.

 

Posting this just in case: http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/494151-apple-may-remove-headphone-jack-on-next-iphone-oh-hi-there-android/

[ShadowCaptain]

I don't think it should include it.

The weakest link is still the 3.5mm audio jack, no matter if it runs through lightning first or not.

 

it would not have a jack, the headphones will be designed to connect via lightning - so you have to buy specialist headphones to get the benefit

 

As I say, my issue is not that 3.5mm headphones wont work - because they 100% will, my issue is that my expensive new lightning only headphones, will not work with anything else, and if apple change from lightning I am fucked

 

heck If you buy a pair of "lightning" headphones - you cannot even connect it to your own macbook

 

Better idea - Why dont Apple make them USB C headphones, make the port USB C, and then globally we can change from 3.5mm to USB C 

 

 

But I still think its.. a BAD move 

[Naeaes]

Well of course they're going to do this. USB type-C (regardless of whether it's 3.0 or 3.1 or whatever on the data-side) supports analog audio output natively. It's a simple pull-down resistor in the headphones (to electronically 'tell' the phone that this is an analog audio device and it should act accordingly) and tapping into specific pins in the type-c connector. Engineer porn images here.(SFW) IMO it won't be long until 3,5mm jack is gone and buried from all mobile devices. On that note, if Apple engineers have any reason at all in their head, they'll forget about the Lightning already and do the USB Type-C in phones too. Or else we'll soon be battling with Lightning-to-Type-C-analog-audio-only-adapters. Explain that to your grandma.

[Real_PhillBert]

Found it, on page 1  

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/494151-apple-may-remove-headphone-jack-on-next-iphone-oh-hi-there-android/

 

Apparently I suck at searching

 

Thanks.

[Dave :)]

Will merge threads with:

 

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/494151-apple-may-remove-headphone-jack-on-next-iphone-oh-hi-there-android/