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Apple Introduces Lightning Cable MFi Specifications for Headphones

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Apr 12, 2001
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Apple has introduced new specifications for manufacturers in the company's Made for iPhone (MFi) program that allow them to create headphones that connect to iOS devices via a Lightning cable rather than a regular 3.5mm headphone jack, according to 9to5Mac.

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The Lightning headphones will be capable of receiving lossless stereo 48 kHz digital audio output from Apple devices and sending mono 48 kHz digital audio input. The input means that the headphones will also support a microphone for audio input following Apple's upcoming update. Manufacturers will be able to take advantage of Apple Headphone Remote controls like Volume Up/Down/etc, as well as other buttons for launching specific apps such as iTunes Radio or initiating playback controls on iOS. In addition, the headphones can be made to work specifically with a companion iOS app and launch a specific app when connected to an iOS device.
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The specification includes two configurations for headphones. The first is called Standard Lightning Headphones, which uses minimum components when paired to a digital-to-analog converter. The second is called Advanced Lightning Headphones, which allows for more complex features like active noise cancellation.

The Lightning cable-equipped headphones would also allow iOS devices to power or charge headphones that require electricity, and would also allow for headphones to potentially power or charge up iOS devices.

Reports suggest Apple is planning to allow high definition music downloads and playback on iOS devices as well as new in-ear headphones that could take advantage of high-quality audio and take advantage of Lightning Cable MFi specifications. It is also possible Apple uses newly purchased Beats Electronics' popular headphone line to accelerate adoption for the new standard.

Article Link: Apple Introduces Lightning Cable MFi Specifications for Headphones
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/06/03/lighting-cable-headphone-mfi/
I guess that means high-end headphones will be able to use their own DAC in order to produce better sound, since the one in the iPhone, while not bad per se, is of course limited by cost and size constraints.
 
Welcome to the future, where you have to buy new headphones if you switch to Android :rolleyes:
 
I can see the internal space of the headphone jack being useful for other things, but using the lightning connector stops you form being able to charge the phone while using headphones. Of course if things shift to wireless charging that would negate that point, but you'd also have to have MFI headphones, you couldn't bring along your own set of favourite headphones with an old school jack. Unless we start having 3.5mm to lighting converters, but that starts to get messy.
 
There is already an optical audio combo port on the macbook pros. I wonder why they just don't use that standard already in place.
 
Thinner rumors may be true?

Of all the even thinner iPhone 6 rumors I didn't think they could go much thinner because of the headphone jack, guess this will be how they get around that, just get rid of it all together. I think it'll be great so long as it's not a pain to use an adapter to charge at the same time as listening.
 
Lossless 48 kHz digital output is a huge deal -- with the right headphones and source material, it will *vastly* affect audio quality. Bravo, Apple.
 
captain kaos said:
I can see the internal space of the headphone jack being useful for other things, but using the lightning connector stops you form being able to charge the phone while using headphones. Of course if things shift to wireless charging that would negate that point, but you'd also have to have MFI headphones, you couldn't bring along your own set of favourite headphones with an old school jack. Unless we start having 3.5mm to lighting converters, but that starts to get messy.
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Apple has always been a company to remove features before they were really obsolete. I don't really see how this would work out, considering they are moving to proprietary and not just removing the feature. In terms of listening to music while charging, that seems like a big issue. I'm sure Apple has something in mind. Only time will tell..
 
spyguy10709 said:
first thought - "that's stupid."

Second thought - "that's the coolest thing in quite a while"

Think about it - never needing to charge your noise canceling headphones? Digital audio out? Sweet!!
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Besides having to spend alot of money, I kinda like the idea too.

Am not being sarcastic.
 
This must mean that wireless charging is in the way; otherwise it would be impossible to listen and charge at the same time.
 
No thanks. I want a standard for something like this. Not for every other company to have their own port. This means no ones headphones work with each other. OG iPhone anyone? Just make a smaller standard. Pretty sure there is already a 2.5mm jack out there actually.

JPinSD said:
Of all the even thinner iPhone 6 rumors I didn't think they could go much thinner because of the headphone jack, guess this will be how they get around that, just get rid of it all together. I think it'll be great so long as it's not a pain to use an adapter to charge at the same time as listening.
Click to expand...

Except the rumors say it will still be thicker than the current iPod touch.
 
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I was going to buy an expensive pair of earplugs. Let me hold off for the time being.
 
i just hope i can still use my Sennheiser HD 598's with some sort of adapter. Quality headphones aren't exactly cheap.
 
Maybe there'll be a Lightning plug on the base of the headphones to help with charging?

What they could also do is put a Lightning port on Macs so we can take those Lightning headphones and listen to music at home. A Lightning to Lightning cable would be nice too.... won't have to worry about USB speeds or specs to transfer data or charge.
 
Except the rumors say it will still be thicker than the current iPod touch.[/QUOTE]

LOL, I had actually forgotten about the iPod Touch since finally getting my iPhone. If nothing else maybe they can get rid of it and expand the battery, more life out of my phone is what I want more than anything.
 
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