Apple Eliminates Headphone Jack From Latest-Generation iPad Lineup

[BeefCake 15]

I don't see the iPads selling well this time around....just isn't much of an incentive to upgrade.

 

[Beatrix Kiddo]

people will call the headphone jack obsolete and unnecessary because muh AirPods, meanwhile Apple went ahead and UPGRADED IT to support high impedance headphones on their newer Macs.

Your examples are irrelevant.

 

[Bob-K]

I know the headphone jack is divisive because of the number of people who pop up saying "just" use this or that instead. But removing a port and forcing people to use dongles is not a step forward, it never has been and never will be. Dongles are a pain and bluetooth does not always work properly (and there can be latency). I've tried to work with my iPhone and lack of 3.5mm jack for years and have basically given up.

Then you can either pay £££ for Apple's dongles, or buy cheap ones on Amazon, many of which don't work very well. And all for what? Because they won't keep a small 3.5mm socket in the device?

I think my gripe here is this is not a step forwards for a lot of us who actually just like the fact standard, plug in headphones "just work".

Agree 100%.

 

[Yr Blues]

Wired has better fidelity. I'm a musician.

 

[MyOwnDrummer]

I was thinking about getting my mum a new iPad to replace her iPad 4. Was looking at this but after reading the comments it looks like a disaster 😂

The commenters are the disaster. Buy the iPad if you want it. Your mum will love it.

 

[fenderbass146]

I highly doubt it. Any BT headphones work. I’m using Sennheiser Momentum 4’s right now. Haven’t touched my Air Pods in over a month.

Of course there are other options, always has been, but now that apple offers their own in house wireless buds, it's def something they considered. They wouldn't have removed it without an in-house solution available or in the pipline imo

 

[jimbobb24]

Are they giving up the education market? I don’t see schools being happy with using Bluetooth or loosing dongles.

Education gives students “free” chrome books that cost about $75. All my kids have them. Have never seen one of them use the headphone jack but assume it has one. When it breaks they just give students new ones. Apple probably not making it back into that market.

 

[GraXXoR]

It shouldn't be too hard to charge your AirPods since most airlines have USB ports even in economy class.

can you charge them while wearing them?

 

[Dionte]

There are plenty of times where I just want to grab a regular pair of headphones and plug into an iOS device but I can’t and it is frustrating but what can you do.

 

[darngooddesign]

can you charge them while wearing them?

You can buy wired USB-C headphones at a variety of price points.

 

[Colpeas]

Are they giving up the education market? I don’t see schools being happy with using Bluetooth or loosing dongles.

I think that's one of the reasons why they kept the 9th generation in their lineup. But seriously, the ipad was like the last iOS device to have the jack, so it's hardly surprising to see it go.

 

[darngooddesign]

Honstly who uses those old ports anymore? They are outdated, the best thing you can do is buy a decent USB-C dac for your headphones

Schools use them.

You can also buy wired USB-C headphones at a variety of price points.

 

[jimbobb24]

It's awkward for kids and education. Yes you can have dongles but then you can't charge at the same time. If it's on Macs it should be on iPads IMO.

Separately the e-waste that comes from pushing for all headphones to have degenerating, non-replaceable batteries in them is also obscene

The headphone kids get for school last 1-2 months and are replaced per child maybe twice a year. E-waste comes either way.

 

[jimbobb24]

I think it is simply a craven cash grab. Apple is betting that most people will simply acquiesce to the loss of the headphone jack, the loss of sound quality AND purchase Apple Bluetooth....

The headphone jack must cost <$1. I don’t think people feel compelled to buy headphones from apple. To me it’s so weird because I don’t see the upside for them except simplicity of device or philosophy against wired headphones.

 

[jimbobb24]

can you charge them while wearing them?

No but you can charge the case while you wear them then they can quick charge in a few minutes to give you an hour of listening time.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Maybe it'll receive the iPod touch treatment and have a final processor bump (iPad 9.5? ePad?) in a couple of years to help it last another 4 or 5 beyond that.

It’ll have to be a regional device since they can’t sell lightning in the EU 2 years from now.

 

[MyOwnDrummer]

If there was a filter on here that only allowed rational criticism of Apple, there wouldn’t be much left.

 

[CarAnalogy]

I really don't care for myself, but decisions like this will hurt Apple a lot in the long run.

With the accountants in charge there is no long run. Only next quarter.

 

[anson42]

The only time I use headphones is when I travel and then it’s wired ones because long haul flights AirPods don’t last long enough. I hope I can find usb headphones

Same here, I use earphones for parts of long haul flights while my AirPod Pros recharge in their case. I carry Apple's USB-C to 3.5mm adapter in the case I store my earphones in. Heck, I just leave the adapter attached to them, haven't lost it yet. I use in-ear, physically noise-isolating Etymotics. To my knowledge there is no USB-C equivalent on the market, not that I'd replace my Ety's with them at this point even if there were.

 

[guzhogi]

Agreed on the education posts. Headphones with the regular jack seem to be cheaper than USB-C, lightning and wireless headphones. Plus, a least with wired headphones, more devices have a 3.5mm jack than lightning or USB-C. And adapters are easily lost or broken.

For wireless, they're more expensive and you have to charge them, meaning that you have a cord. Heaven forbid they require replaceable batteries. There goes a lot of a school's budget.

 

[darngooddesign]

No but you can charge the case while you wear them then they can quick charge in a few minutes to give you an hour of listening time.

When mine were getting low I would charge one in the case, then the other, and get back to using both.

 

[Chaos215bar2]

people will call the headphone jack obsolete and unnecessary because muh AirPods, meanwhile Apple went ahead and UPGRADED IT to support high impedance headphones on their newer Macs.

This really flies in the face of the idea that the iPad Pro is useful for any kind of pro audio work. Bluetooth is simply not an option when you need low latency. Really disappointing move, and kind of reinforces the idea that this “Pro” product is little more than an expensive media consumption platform.

 

[lysingur]

can you charge them while wearing them?

It only takes around 20 minutes for my AirPods Pro to charge to 80%. I can watch two full-length movies on one full charge.

 

[T Coma]

Education gives students “free” chrome books that cost about $75. All my kids have them. Have never seen one of them use the headphone jack but assume it has one. When it breaks they just give students new ones. Apple probably not making it back into that market.

Schools give students “free” chrome books that I don’t have the cost for, (although there are Apple products in use as well). All my kids have them. Have never seen one of them NOT use the headphone jack so obviously they have one. When it breaks, the parents get a bill if it’s obvious abuse or repeated repair/replacement. Of course since I’m talking about private school, there is no endless supply of funding known as the government ATM. Surprisingly, the school needs to replace very few chrome books. Can’t imagine why.

 

[ian87w]

Apple always put special care towards the educational market, even in its darkest days.
In primary schools you can cultivate customers which will stay loyal for life.
Just shunning it like this is simply not right. You can't live forever off rich Starbucks hipsters.

Thus the iPad 9 still exists

What I meant is that whatever grievances we have for Apple right now, I doubt it will affect negatively to the company as their brand is really strong. It will take a lot more than a few fumbles here and there.