Another iPhone 7 fail

[Armen]

Among other issues like the ones I listed

I can understand where you are coming from but your personal experience is not the absolute truth for every iPhone 7 out there. I haven't had an issue with mine

Caught me, well more "beam me up Scotty"


Next big Apple thing needs to be tap the emblem communicator, with Siri A.I.
Ala Next Generation. Ever notice how science fiction movies/programs predict future. Hope they wrong with all the after apocalypse movies in last few years.

Ask Siri to beam you up.

 

[dk001]

Every person's iPhone experience is unique to themselves. There may be a lot of overlap and instances where they are unique. Many are similar. Many are different. Don't try to fit everything into nice neat little buckets.

 

[5105973]

Ah, the joy of multiverses! See, in my universe, the iPhone 7 is so popular that I'm still waiting for my carrier to get stock in jet black. I wish it was as unloved here as it is wherever you live. In my universe there are also no year over year iPhone 7 sales data for comparison yet, because the new phone only caught the last two weeks of the previous quarter.
[doublepost=1477493939][/doublepost]

I'd love to know your thoughts when you read this comment of yours in five years' time.

A lot will change in five years. That's a whole 'nother ball of yarn. I can only deal with the situation in front of me now and maybe into next year.

And I'm not even saying I'm ruling out getting the iPhone 7 or even that darned honking huge 7Plus this year or early part of next year. I'm experimenting with Android and I like it as an OS so far, but there are trade offs with it and with the hardware that runs it. I'm still evaluating my options.

Getting back to Apple, I hate the removal of the 3.5 mm jack. It is inconvenient. Five years from now I am not going to look back on how it was handled at this point in time as a particularly smooth and welcome move.

But I can certainly use an adaptor or my Bluetooth headphones and ear pods. I do own them. I think it's a pain to keep them charged and they skip and stutter sometimes, but I own them. And if things don't work out for me with Android in the next couple of months, I certainly haven't burned any bridges with Apple or my friends on this forum. I'll be back on iPhones if I need to. Well, technically I haven't left when you consider I've been using my SE all day, chasing down Pokemon with my family on our trip.

 

[hoveowl]

I'll bet you miss the floppy drive also.

 

[dotnet]

A lot will change in five years. That's a whole 'nother ball of yarn. I can only deal with the situation in front of me now and maybe into next year.

Yes, of course.

With every big change (and this change is big, no doubt), there is always the onwards and upwards crowd, and the crowd that digs in their heels and has to be dragged into the future by their nostrils. I'm getting old enough to worry about not being part of the latter

There has been hardly any progress in wireless audio during the past decade, to my perception anyway. It takes a bold step like the iPhone 7 to shake the parties involved out of their slumber.
[doublepost=1477527393][/doublepost]

I'll bet you miss the floppy drive also.

Eliminating cruft always brings about a transitional period, involving inconveniences and workarounds. For the floppy drive this period is well and truly over, nobody misses that anymore. With the optical drive it's definitely not over yet. We'll have to see how the transition to wireless audio goes.

 

[HEK]

I can understand where you are coming from but your personal experience is not the absolute truth for every iPhone 7 out there. I haven't had an issue with mine


Ask Siri to beam you up.

Too funny......she says...

"OK stand still"

"OK, can you move a bit to your left, standby."

"Can you shoo that fly away first"

"Can I see your badge please"

"Where have I heard this before"

"Energizing"

"Please remove your jacket, shoes, belt and empty your pockets"

Seems like Siri not only knows Star Trek, Fly movie, and also is a pseudo TSA agent. Besides having a sense of humor.

 

[daviddth]

Too funny......she says...

"OK stand still"

"OK, can you move a bit to your left, standby."

"Can you shoo that fly away first"

"Can I see your badge please"

"Where have I heard this before"

"Energizing"

"Please remove your jacket, shoes, belt and empty your pockets"

Seems like Siri not only knows Star Trek, Fly movie, and also is a pseudo TSA agent. Besides having a sense of humor.

Also:
WiFi or 3G?
We're having a wee bit o trouble, David

and a few others

 

[HEK]

Also:
WiFi or 3G?
We're having a wee bit o trouble, David

and a few others

So is that contextual, hard programmed in? Or is my iPhone becomeing self aware like Lewis Black's droid.

 

[5105973]

I'll bet you miss the floppy drive also.

I miss a lot of things. I am blessed to have been around to watch the home computing era begin. Fun times! My husband still has his Apple IIe set up and running in good working order!

I didn't have any problem transitioning away from any formats that were well and truly past their time, like floppy was. The headphone jack is not past its time yet because the replacements are not quite there yet in terms of offering matching quality and convenience at appealing price levels as you'd get with wired options. In about a year or two we will see much better battery life and flawless connectivity from the wireless options and maybe a year after that, that level of quality will trickle down to moderately priced options. Right now, it's a transitioning period and it is not an easy one the way Apple has sprung it on us. Grumpy Moms are gonna grumble.

Neither of my wireless sets sounds particularly great despite costing well over $200 so I'm guessing there is room for improvement on sound quality, too. But my sets are a year old so maybe the newer ones already sound good. I don't know. I don't want to spend another $500 to find out.

I do already connect my phones wirelessly to just about everything else like portable stereo speakers and car audio systems and my printer. So I am aware the future is wireless.

 

[polbit]

I'll bet you miss the floppy drive also.

And here's the crux of it.

Floppy drive was dead. Apple was right to eliminate it, and move forward. When they eliminated an optical drive, it was a bit more controversial, but I understood the compromise between form factor and backward compatibility.

A headphone jack is different. At the end of every music output you need an analog device - something to convert the stored digital data to an analog vibration, be it speakers or headphones. There is nothing outdated about a 3.5mm plug like there was with the floppy or the optical drive. It's just a wired method of connection to produce sound.

 

[polbit]

I miss a lot of things. I am blessed to have been around to watch the home computing era begin. Fun times! My husband still has his Apple IIe set up and running in good working order!

I didn't have any problem transitioning away from any formats that were well and truly past their time, like floppy was. The headphone jack is not past its time yet because the replacements are not quite there yet in terms of offering matching quality and convenience at appealing price levels as you'd get with wired options. In about a year or two we will see much better battery life and flawless connectivity from the wireless options and maybe a year after that, that level of quality will trickle down to moderately priced options. Right now, it's a transitioning period and it is not an easy one the way Apple has sprung it on us. Grumpy Moms are gonna grumble.

Neither of my wireless sets sounds particularly great despite costing well over $200 so I'm guessing there is room for improvement on sound quality, too. But my sets are a year old so maybe the newer ones already sound good. I don't know. I don't want to spend another $500 to find out.

I do already connect my phones wirelessly to just about everything else like portable stereo speakers and car audio systems and my printer. So I am aware the future is wireless.

Wireless is not even close to audiophile quality. My everyday $200 Sennheiser Momentums will simply destroy any wireless headphone on the market, and this is the low-end.

I'm sure someday wireless will have enough bandwidth and low enough latency that high quality audio is possible. That time is not now, and I don't see it on the horizon. Again, the jack removal had nothing to do with courage, or progress, and everything to do with increased income potential for Apple at the expense of customer.

 

[rainafterthesun]

Wireless is not even close to audiophile quality. My everyday $200 Sennheiser Momentums will simply destroy any wireless headphone on the market, and this is the low-end.

I'm sure someday wireless will have enough bandwidth and low enough latency that high quality audio is possible. That time is not now, and I don't see it on the horizon. Again, the jack removal had nothing to do with courage, or progress, and everything to do with increased income potential for Apple at the expense of customer.

But you don't have to use Bluetooth, if you don't want to.

I'm sorry but the line of, your wife being confused with the old pair in the bedroom and the new one in the kitchen (different connector but same pair of EarPods) was a bit whine-ish, first world problem tone. Why not just give the old ones to the kids who weren't on the iPhone 7 and have your wife strictly use the pair that came with the phone?

Lightning port > 3.5mm (http://www.theverge.com/2016/6/7/11874706/iphone-7-lightning-headphones-reasons)

I'm glad your wife returned the phone because no one should be stuck with a product that they're not happy with or ready for. It's one of the reasons I'm happy with apple and one you probably easily took for granted since you've been a customer since the 80s. The fact that you could return a used phone without any hassle or restocking fee. Your wife tried something new and didn't like it--we get it.

 

[dotnet]

Wireless is not even close to audiophile quality. My everyday $200 Sennheiser Momentums will simply destroy any wireless headphone on the market, and this is the low-end.

Nothing in portable audio will come close to audiophile quality. Get that out of your head. The closest thing to acceptable quality for audio enthusiasts are external DAC/Amps, the smallest good ones are larger than an iPhone. Whatever you think of your Sennheisers, to audiophile ears they sound like crap. People who are serious about audio spend more than that on speaker terminals. And no, I'm not referring to voodoo-philes who fancy products beyond the realm of physics.

Interesting to note, also, that none of the decent (for lack of a better word, being a speaker man myself) headphones I've ever owned had a 3.5mm plug. They all have 1/4" plugs. The 3.5mm plug and associated flimsy cables are not compatible with audiophile quality.

Portable audio is about convenience, not quality. There are certainly large audible differences even at this bottom of the barrel, but do not kid yourself that you're getting any sort of high quality out of a smartphone jack. Your best chances lie in fact with future wireless cans that have quality DACs and amps built in, and use an improved wireless comms stack.

Again, the jack removal had nothing to do with courage, or progress, and everything to do with increased income potential for Apple at the expense of customer.

Despite ample evidence to the contrary you keep clinging to this delusion. Wireless audio isn't going to improve unless someone takes a bold first step. The past decade or so is proof of that. Most companies able to take that bold step are lacking the courage. They prefer that someone else blazes the trail and then follow with me-too products. Just watch.

As for increased income, you realise that Apple is throwing in two DAC/amps in exchange for a commodity socket? Do you think they're making a profit out of that? Do you think they're lusting for your $9 to replace the lost dongle?

Removing the headphone jack is part of a very long (and somewhat risky) game for them, not some quick money grabbing move.

 

[Applejuiced]

Do you think they're making a profit out of that? Do you think they're lusting for your $9 to replace the lost dongle?

Well said.
A company that's sitting on more than $237 Billion in cash liquid assets is really hoping you'll buy an additional $9 adapter so they can make some money

 

[daviddth]

Interesting to note, also, that none of the decent (for lack of a better word, being a speaker man myself) headphones I've ever owned had a 3.5mm plug. They all have 1/4" plugs. The 3.5mm plug and associated flimsy cables are not compatible with audiophile quality.

Pretty sure I still have my 1/4" to 3.5mm adapter set somewhere - 1/4 to 3.5mm to use "modern" headphones on older amps, and also the 3.5mm to 1/4" so I could use my old sennheiser's on the newer 3.5mm gear. Those adapters would be older than quite a lot of people on this forum, and I'd guess close to 40 years old

 

[dk001]

Yes, of course.

With every big change (and this change is big, no doubt), there is always the onwards and upwards crowd, and the crowd that digs in their heels and has to be dragged into the future by their nostrils. I'm getting old enough to worry about not being part of the latter

There has been hardly any progress in wireless audio during the past decade, to my perception anyway. It takes a bold step like the iPhone 7 to shake the parties involved out of their slumber...

I can't agree in whole.
For the last couple of years I have been trying to find a happy median betwixt work and play regarding wireless. For work I want great connectivity and sound - both directions. For play I want standardization as I move between devices / equipment and great sound. I have tried a number of wireless sets.
Wireless shortcomings:

• BT connections that just drop.
• Sound quality that changes mid call / mid play.
• Battery life

This doesn't just apply to iPhones, but to iPads and Android devices also.
For Apple to just do a "Surprise!" without properly addressing these issues (a dongle is a band-aid, not a fix) means for me I m skipping the 7 or any current model that drops the jack.

Personal note: the iPhone amongst my devices has the worst reliability regarding BT connections.

 

[dotnet]

For Apple to just do a "Surprise!" without properly addressing these issues (a dongle is a band-aid, not a fix) means for me I m skipping the 7 or any current model that drops the jack.

That's a perfectly valid position to take. And yes, the dongle is a transitional aid. If you don't want to ride out the rapids of the transition you can bide your time and wait for calmer waters. But the wireless portable audio industry (from chip designers to headphone makers) will hopefully get the message and off their butts.

 

[dk001]

That's a perfectly valid position to take. And yes, the dongle is a transitional aid. If you don't want to ride out the rapids of the transition you can bide your time and wait for calmer waters. But the wireless portable audio industry (from chip designers to headphone makers) will hopefully get the message and off their butts.

Biding my time however still looking. Think you missed I have been looking for a dependable wireless alternative for the last couple of years. Without one, I am still relying on wired.
Another concern; W1.

 

[BeeGood]

As for increased income, you realise that Apple is throwing in two DAC/amps in exchange for a commodity socket? Do you think they're making a profit out of that? Do you think they're lusting for your $9 to replace the lost dongle?

Removing the headphone jack is part of a very long (and somewhat risky) game for them, not some quick money grabbing move.

The "money grab" argument that I've heard (linked below) seemed plausible. Basically the idea is:

• It's cheaper to waterproof a phone without the 3.5mm jack
• Since the lightening port is proprietary, Apple will eventually get more in royalties now that everything will ultimately be made to plug into the lightening port.

It's a little conspiracy-theory-ish (EDIT: and he does mention that card readers like square won't work, which is incorrect), but I suspect saving/making money factored into Apple's decision to some degree.

I'm not against the removal of the jack, I just wish that Apple had gone about it differently.

 

[Armen]

I miss a lot of things. I am blessed to have been around to watch the home computing era begin. Fun times! My husband still has his Apple IIe set up and running in good working order!

I didn't have any problem transitioning away from any formats that were well and truly past their time, like floppy was. The headphone jack is not past its time yet because the replacements are not quite there yet in terms of offering matching quality and convenience at appealing price levels as you'd get with wired options. In about a year or two we will see much better battery life and flawless connectivity from the wireless options and maybe a year after that, that level of quality will trickle down to moderately priced options. Right now, it's a transitioning period and it is not an easy one the way Apple has sprung it on us. Grumpy Moms are gonna grumble.

Neither of my wireless sets sounds particularly great despite costing well over $200 so I'm guessing there is room for improvement on sound quality, too. But my sets are a year old so maybe the newer ones already sound good. I don't know. I don't want to spend another $500 to find out.

I do already connect my phones wirelessly to just about everything else like portable stereo speakers and car audio systems and my printer. So I am aware the future is wireless.

In my opinion Wireless technology will get there faster if companies like Apple or Samsung ditch the headphone jack. Wireless audio companies should be competing with each other for business by improving technologies (sound quality, battery life, etc) but instead they are competing with much cheaper wired headphones.

There will always be a niche market for wired headphones (sound engineers, DJ's, recording studios etc) but the average person shouldn't have to deal with wired headphones that snag on everything, get tangled up, get chewed on by pets and other inconveniences just to be able to enjoy quality sound.

I still remember the init string for my external Practical Peripherals 9600 baud modem AT&F&C1&D2&Q5&Q9L0

 

[SparkFlash]

My wife replaced her iPhone 6 with iPhone 7. It's been few weeks now, and as a non-techie person, here's her review: feels and looks the same, but locks up and looses signal a lot more often. She wants her old phone back. This is the first time since iPhone 3 that she doesn't like a new iPhone. I'm pretty sure she's not the only one.

Then yesterday, my 6 year old daughter wanted to listen to PBS Kids. She brings her kid headphones, aaaand fail - we already lost the stupid dongle. Had to use my 6S Plus instead.

Mine never locks up or loses signal so not sure if you should take it in? As far as the feel and look being the same, why did she upgrade in the first place? It looked the same before you bought it too. No?

 

[nia820]

Even though Im enjoying my iPhone 7 plus, the one thing that bugs me the most is no headphone jack. It was too damn soon for Apple removing the headphone jack. Especially since bluetooth headphones and earphones tend to ve inferior yo wired headsets when it comes to sound and reliability.

And you're screwed when you want to listen to some tunes or watch videos but your iPhone also needs charging.

And to the average user is does just feel like more of the same.

 

[dk001]

In my opinion Wireless technology will get there faster if companies like Apple or Samsung ditch the headphone jack. Wireless audio companies should be competing with each other for business by improving technologies (sound quality, battery life, etc) but instead they are competing with much cheaper wired headphones.

There will always be a niche market for wired headphones (sound engineers, DJ's, recording studios etc) but the average person shouldn't have to deal with wired headphones that snag on everything, get tangled up, get chewed on by pets and other inconveniences just to be able to enjoy quality sound.

I still remember the init string for my external Practical Peripherals 9600 baud modem AT&F&C1&D2&Q5&Q9L0

Don't disagree but feel your answer is a bit under visioned. By doing it in this fashion all Apple has accomplished is driving growth in the market segment for cheap low cost BT headsets and cheap batteries. Now if Apple did this and rolled out a new BT headset with improved connectivity and battery life and associated technologies then I would agree.
They didn't.

 

[Applejuiced]

Even though Im enjoying my iPhone 7 plus, the one thing that bugs me the most is no headphone jack. It was too damn soon for Apple removing the headphone jack. Especially since bluetooth headphones and earphones tend to ve inferior yo wired headsets when it comes to sound and reliability.

And you're screwed when you want to listen to some tunes or watch videos but your iPhone also needs charging.

And to the average user is does just feel like more of the same.

For all these years I never had the need to charge and plug in my headphones at the same time.
Usually the Plus models last longer anyway so I dont see a need to charge it again during the day and I get plenty of usage out of it.
By 9-10 pm I still have 20-30% battery left.
Some really making this sound like its the end of the world.

 

[Armen]

Now if Apple did this and rolled out a new BT headset with improved connectivity and battery life and associated technologies then I would agree.
They didn't.

Don't the Airpods fit what you are describing?

the new W1 chip
5 hours of battery from a device so small (Samsung's new earpods last 1 hour before needing a recharge)

I'm sure the quality of sound from the airpods won't be anything amazing but it's a start no?