Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Am I the only one happy that they will remove the headphone jack in iPhone 7? (possibly, just rumor)
- Thread starter melman101
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
. That sounds great to me 
The main reason I think this is a bad idea compared to the times Apple did it before is the fact that yes, Apple did switch to optical disks from floppy's and from old style cables to USB, but this time, they're switching from 3.5mm headphone jacks to Lightning. The problem I see with this is that Apple created lightning and they're likely not going to give up that type of connection to every other company who wants to use it, so I don't see how it's going to be as effective as optical and USB which is a standard everyone allowed to use. It would've made more sense if they switched to USB-C because a lot of companies (including Apple) are starting to use it now, but I can't imagine there being a day where lightning is a true standard in many products and people can use their lightning cable'd accessories freely across all their devices. Sure, they'll obviously have Bluetooth which a lot of people use, but there will always be those people who strictly use wired connections and that's where it just doesn't make as much sense imo.
For me the advantage greatly out weight plugging the headphones in one a week.
Choice is good.
[doublepost=1452422931][/doublepost]
We all can not be audiophiles like you. Thanks for allowing me to have my opinion. I have used some of these higher end headphones and most do not come near their specs when listening to music off my iPhone via BT.
Enjoy!
Change is constant but. Of that list 8-tracks are truly dead and Beta is truly dead. VHS, tapes and CD are still being made. This are on their way out but people still use them sometimes. No like a 3.5mm jack which is used by 90% of people.Market, market, market.
Who NOW today is interesting in external DAC to use with your existing iPhone, included lightning to 3.5mm adapter DAC, please raise you hand?
I don't see too many hand, who is it, please raise you hands?
More people will raise their hand when they are forced to in the future with eliminated 3.5mm on new iPhone.
[doublepost=1452301656][/doublepost]
So as getting rid of VHS, Beta, 8-tracks, cassette, CD. They all have their benefit, and they all have cult follower, but they all are almost gone.
Like I said, only change is constant.
This would be like closing Walmart and Target and saying well Kmart is still around so we didn't kill general stores.
Please read it clear, word by word, thread by thread, reply by reply, and only quote what I wrote, not what you think is in my mind. Stop imaging what people mean in their post, start talking about what people wrote in words.
Changing is contant, not changing is competed yesterday, not changing is Completed today, not changing is competed 15 days from now.
I am not God, so as you are not, no one know when changing will 100000% complete.
And all old technology are ALOMST, ALMOST, ALMOST, gone.
There is ALOMST there, look for it.
I would need to know what I am gaining before I get on board. I don't view playing music through a proprietary port as gaining anything. In fact, I am losing something by having to use special hardware or dongles/adapters. There is no chance that everything I use adopts lightning (unless Apple licenses it out for some unprecedented reason), so I couldn't see myself every buying lightning headphones.
A large portion of the time I use wearing headphones is in the gym, where I do not want to hassle with charging them. I have tried, and I couldn't find a pair that fit nicely in my ears and felt comfortable either. The buds I use are four years old, have been through the wash twice and dryer once. That's way more abuse than buds should ever take, but the fact remains, they just keep on chugging. If I forget to charge a bluetooth pair that's game over.
I think the age of the technology is irelevent. We are still using toilet seats largely the same design as they have always been (maybe some toilet seat historian can chime in here). That isn't to say a better toilet seat can't exist, but I would need to see that option before dismissing what I have today as "needing to go because it's old". Technology should improve your life, not just be different for the sake of being different. People keep bringing up 8 tracks, and cds, and floppys, etc. But the next best thing clearly gave the user advantage (better sound, more storage in less physical space, etc.) From an interface standpint we already know that won't be different in this scenario.
All that said, if I get a waterproof phone with more battery life and less bezel I could get on board. But I expect any announcement we will hear is how amazingly thin the new phone is without this technology.
A large portion of the time I use wearing headphones is in the gym, where I do not want to hassle with charging them. I have tried, and I couldn't find a pair that fit nicely in my ears and felt comfortable either. The buds I use are four years old, have been through the wash twice and dryer once. That's way more abuse than buds should ever take, but the fact remains, they just keep on chugging. If I forget to charge a bluetooth pair that's game over.
I think the age of the technology is irelevent. We are still using toilet seats largely the same design as they have always been (maybe some toilet seat historian can chime in here). That isn't to say a better toilet seat can't exist, but I would need to see that option before dismissing what I have today as "needing to go because it's old". Technology should improve your life, not just be different for the sake of being different. People keep bringing up 8 tracks, and cds, and floppys, etc. But the next best thing clearly gave the user advantage (better sound, more storage in less physical space, etc.) From an interface standpint we already know that won't be different in this scenario.
All that said, if I get a waterproof phone with more battery life and less bezel I could get on board. But I expect any announcement we will hear is how amazingly thin the new phone is without this technology.
The worse thing is i first time bought expensive over the ear studio headphones, this will become sh*t in september.
Here is an article that goes over how Apple got the idea from Tidal and where they are trying to take it:
https://www.inverse.com/article/9468-apple-music-takes-tidal-s-idea-does-it-better
That's great - although even as an audiophile I'm skeptical of the value of anything above 44.1/16. However making the switch doesn't mean they need to get rid of the headphone jack. Doing so just makes it appear that they are offering something more than what other phones are offering. It 'appears' high-tech even if the reality is very different.
The reality is that since the launch of the Beats brand, headphones have taken off as a major growth industry, but now, after years of sales, growth is finally starting to slow. Manufacturers need something new to continue that growth curve. Some of it will be good for the end users, some of it will be an irritation as companies try to find a formula that replaces something that doesn't really need replacing.
Since, I"m sure, the design for the 7 has been set for probably at least 7 months all this discussion although interesting is sort of worthless.
It sounds to me if you use your earphones for high fidelity music any method that provides that is great. If you are one that just uses earphones because they are convenient in many instances the thought of having to buy sets of headphones and different ones for the phone and more for the jacks in the TV at the gym and for desktops etc. is just a pain. But we all live with progress and managed to convert to different power plugs on Apple devices. I'm sure it will drive people to Apple and away.
Unlike other devices headphones should just be universally working devices across all your devices and not be complex if you don't want complex.
At least it will be worth about 20 threads complaining about them when this does happen.
It sounds to me if you use your earphones for high fidelity music any method that provides that is great. If you are one that just uses earphones because they are convenient in many instances the thought of having to buy sets of headphones and different ones for the phone and more for the jacks in the TV at the gym and for desktops etc. is just a pain. But we all live with progress and managed to convert to different power plugs on Apple devices. I'm sure it will drive people to Apple and away.
Unlike other devices headphones should just be universally working devices across all your devices and not be complex if you don't want complex.
At least it will be worth about 20 threads complaining about them when this does happen.
I actually know you said ALMOST but my point is that some of those techs where almost dead when companies stopped supporting them as standard features. The 3.5mm headphone jack isn't anywhere near dead. It is still well used for everything.
Only in the past year have Bluetooth headphones started to get reasonable in price. But not run to the store and grab a $15 pair of headphones to replace the one I forgot when traveling.
I am so excited about this I may need a towel. In honesty though.... It's a bit of a money maker for them.
How can every other company follow when the Lightning port is proprietary. Do you think Apple will allow Lightning in other phones and devices?
See, your comment confuses me. I read in the past that to achieve HD quality sound, new hardware was needed as the current headphone jack only allows up to so much sound quality wise (analog versus digital I'm guessing.) This is where the lightning port comes into play. They are rumored to be replacing technology in upcoming Beats as well.
I'll wait and see what all the facts are though before I make a purchase decision. I'm currently content with my 6s Plus so unless my mind is blown away with updated design and features, I'll be holding out for the next S release.
It's not the headphone jack that is the limiting factor, it's the internal DAC that Apple has limited to 44.1/16 output. If they put in a compatible DAC (or enabled it on the one internal to the phone already) the 3.5mm jack would play the sound just fine at full resolution. The 3.5mm jack is effectively just a miniaturized speaker wire. It's merely carrying the signal after it has been converted from digital to analogue. Headphone amps costing even even many thousands of dollars still use plain old 'analogue' headphone jacks because they aren't a limit to the sound quality in any way.
I meant removing the headphone jack. Other companies will follow Apple's lead eventually
Well said. You are not the only one. Progress must start from some point, and the time is now to get rid of the 100 years tech. I don't think Apple would love to do this if the rumour was true, but they have to. We are living in progressive world. Innovation is in the shape of any form, including a better sound form.
Wireless or a Bluetooth headphones are no go for me, the last thing i need is another device to remember to charge and cooking my brain, and this is before we talked about sound quality.
To be honest, the only time I’m using the headphone jack is in flights, so i really don’t care if they keep it or not, as long as they will add adapter (Lighting to 3.5mm jack) or splitter (Lighting to Lighting\3.5mm jack).
To be honest, the only time I’m using the headphone jack is in flights, so i really don’t care if they keep it or not, as long as they will add adapter (Lighting to 3.5mm jack) or splitter (Lighting to Lighting\3.5mm jack).
Well, the benefit is the surprise Apple would demo on stage, it's a secret obviously. Nobody knows for certain. But here is the possible list of the advantage:
1. Less port
2. Water submerge capability
3. direct digital connection
4. power components in the headphone, which could include an internal DAC (digital to analog converter) and amplifier that bypass the internal DAC of the iPhone and/or active noise-cancellation circuitry
5. means: clearer sound
6. headphones with health-related sensors (heart rate monitor) get their juice via the Lightning port
7. built-in DAC and amplifier and can play high resolution 24-bit audio
8. battery-free
9. also path the way for more BT headphones: hassle free, wire free
10. open up the possibility for better BT headphones: innovation
And the list is go on, but as I said, they are mostly possibilities until Apple demo it on stage and show us what the Apple innovation.