I do understand that. I own Lightning headphones that do that today. The Sony MDR-1adac. And I'm glad they do that because they sound better out of the iPhone's 3.5mm jack.
That said, 2 of the 3 headphones in the video don't do that.
I don't know if it is an issue with supporting multiple standards, but my Lightning headphones cannot draw power from the phone (they must be charged unless using 3.5mm) and cannot have their volume controlled by the phone, instead the volume on the phone stops working and you must use a dial on the headphones themselves. They can take in digital audio from any device with a ton of cable choices, but they don't support all of the features of any device. Maybe this is why the $800 pair doesn't support USB audio like my pair does. Might be hard to draw power and use proprietary features for multiple standards on the same chip.
The cable swapping thing will further raise prices as well. Paying Apple a Lightning license fee (and supplying the cable) for every pair of headphones you sell to an Android isn't very cost effective.
Apple may do it with Beats, but this all seems so strange, especially guaranteeing users that they'll get the same audio quality if they switch to Android. I switched to Android for a year and audio quality was a nightmare and the main reason I came back to Apple. If I'd owned my digital headphones then, audio quality wouldn't have come into play... Except for the fact that they still sound better through 3.5 (though only a very negligible amount). If Apple drops 3.5, forcing me to use my headphones digitally, I will definitely shop around for my next device. They will have given up a huge advantage that they currently have, as most Android phones use a terrible DAC that is built into the Snapdragon system on a chip. The phones with great displays tend to use that DAC, the phones with good DACs tend to use washed out displays.
But in general, you are right that swappable headphones do/will exist... And even though mine are a pain because of charging, I'd definitely suggest that no one buy any that can't be swapped. The $800 ones in the video are the perfect example... Even though they support 3.5mm, they clearly require a high volume output, making them useless for laptops, tablets, non-Apple phones. There's no telling what devices you'll own in 5 years, or even whether Apple will still use the Lightning cable. You don't want to upgrade $800 headphones until they break. I've got 3.5mm studio monitor headphones that I've owned for a decade.
Again, we're looking at 2 year old technology which has not necessarily been implemented in accordance with Apple's Lightning audio standards, which were published over a year ago. Apple almost always specifies things without explanation, and leaves certain things vague, which turn out to be for reasons Apple eventually exploits later when they enter the market with their own products.
So I wouldn't look at anything about a current product and assume Aple's just going to give us more of the same.
Will Apple limit the power draw from Lightning headphones? Maybe. They definitely limit the power a device can draw from the iOS devices. Personally I like the idea of an on board battery in some headphones to enhance other features, and preserve the phone's battery life, as long as it doesn't brick the headphones when they are drained. As for controlling volume, etc. from the phone, I'm not certain that's not a good thing, especially when everything is eventually going wireless and phones aren't likely to be anywhere nearby to control them. However, I do expect a digital interface that allows the headphones to be controlled by the phone's controls once Apple rolls out full support when they remove the Jack. Maybe an app that allows optional custom configuration and integration of the headphones with iOS.
As for what they can support, I sort of see them like iPhones which have steadily added radios and are backwards compatible with almost any wireless protocol in common use. Despite adding this expanded support year after year, the phones cost no more. So the iPhone can add new radios and support without obsoleting an older method. So too will headphones.
I don't really understand your comment about paying for a Lightning cable for use on an Android. If you have an Android, you don't buy a Lightning cable. While some SKUs may be packaged with Lightning cables, I'd imagine others won't be. Or maybe you buy them separately. That's one sure way to get Apple to be more reasonable with their Lightning licenses, when the only difference between the headphones is the cost of the cable.
Interesting point about Apple giving up a huge advantage in sound quality over that offered by Android devices. The reality is, that's enevitable, as people move to wireless. The only immediate defense is Apple needs the room for something important and that trumps their previous advantage in sound over other phones, while finding consumers value other aspects of the platform and ecosystem more.
As for price, that's the ultimate goal, to make great audio products much more affordable. Creating demand for wireless and digital audio products will drive competition, innovation, quality improvement, and lower prices. The limitations of today's commercial products are in no way a guarantee of what we can expect from Apple with the removal of the 3.5mm Jack.
