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You said it would make for a smaller device which by saying it I'd assume it's a feature that interests you. Stop running around with goal posts.

a smaller device makes it more durable. more durability is a feature. it does not "enable Apple to move forward with the features / functions customers are demanding". Nobody is demanding for a thinner phone. Apple isn't stalling a feature because it needs 0.000001 cubic meters of space.

get it now? stop assuming things.

i've seriously had enough you trying to be right about something. i'll no longer read anymore replies from you.
 
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5 of them, huh? Love to know where you think they'd go, without making the design significantly larger.

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Keep in mind you can't put anything under the keyboard.

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That said, if Apple put a Lightning connector on the MacBook along with the 3.5mm jack (assuming they could find a place to put it without compromising the size of their design), that would signal a big change to the developer community, as well as the competition, with little gain. And I'm not sure what it could be used for currently. Are there any Lightning devices that would function correctly under OS X with a Lightning to USB adapter? And it would only take the spotlight off the intentional move to USB-C, if they did. Let's say they created drivers for their Lightning HDMI, VGA & SD card dongles, etc. Then customers and Developers would be tempted to use them rather than develop new tools for USB-C.

I certainly don't think I intended to suggest Apple had no choice in the matter. To the contrary, I think it was an intentional choice to only change one standard at a time, and in light of the rumor, I think it was a serious consideration in the rMB's development, which they may have decided to forgo in the production models as the timing wasn't right. Personally, I don't see any move to Lightning audio in any other products until the iPhone goes there first and creates an immediate installed base of customers who have to adapt to the change on their most popular and profitable platform. My guess is Apple doesn't want Lightning perceived as a desktop connector, ahead of USB-C. Therefore, they will position it for headphones when they are ready to launch Lightning audio, which will also support optional data connections after users are safely developing for USB-C. The last Macs to get Lightning therefore will be the iMacs and Pro models until after all have switched over to USB-C and Lightning audio is sufficiently widespread.


Let's see what the future holds, Mac128, but I feel over the last few years Ive's mantra has been form over function at all costs without giving the average customers really much benefit, therefore I have a slight pessimistic attitude towards this particular change. I really find Ive's track record becoming increasingly less impressive. I don't want to beat a dead horse or wonder of into a different topic but how thin for example has a desktop computer to be - sacrificing cooling for the usage of more powerful and adaptable hardware?


less parts, more durable.

I had a Sony Z3 with an uncovered 3.5 Audio Jack before my iP6s+. I took it several times under water to take pictures with Zero Issues.

Apart from its widespread universal usage the beauty of the Audio Jack is its relative robustness. You have a lot of contact area (especially compared to let's say something like a Lightning Connector if it ever carried an analog signal), it's rotatable, etc..
 
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Let's see what the future holds, Mac128, but I feel over the last few years Ive's mantra has been form over function at all costs without giving the average customers really much benefit, therefore I have a slight pessimistic attitude towards this particular change. I really find Ive's track record becoming increasingly less impressive. I don't want to beat a dead horse or wonder of into a different topic but how thin for example has a desktop computer to be - sacrificing cooling for the usage of more powerful and adaptable hardware?




I had a Sony Z3 with an uncovered 3.5 Audio Jack before my iP6s+. I took it several times under water to take pictures with Zero Issues.

Apart from its widespread universal usage the beauty of the Audio Jack is its relative robustness. You have a lot of contact area (especially compared to let's say something like a Lightning Connector if it ever carried an analog signal), it's rotatable, etc..

I agree. The IPad Air 2 suffers from horrible screen and chassis vibrations due to being hardly any thinner than the Air. Did that half millimeter REALLY make the device better or more portable? Of course not. But, until these things are like a sheet of paper Apple won't be happy. It's getting stupid now.

Let's face it, this desired change is another cash grab since now all of the sheep will be rebuying headphones and the like. Whatever.
 
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There are existing phones that have a headphone jack and are thinner than the current iPhone models.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00U...colid=GZ493AFHPY97&coliid=I2223BMDU0SRSB&vs=1

For starters that's the same size as the iPhone 6 Plus -- meaning, they are able to make it thinner because they are spreading out the internals over a much larger area. In fact, I'd say to the extent Apple feels they need to take the headphone jack out of the 4.7" screen to go thinner (putting something else in the space of the 3.5mm Jack), they likely wouldn't need to remove it from the 5.5" screen. So maybe Apple will include it on the 5.5", but not the 4.7" and 4". That would force any hardcore 3.5mm Jack users to pay the flagship premium. On the other hand, it would also put off moving to a new standard across all of their devices. Of course, it wouldn't be much different than what they are doing with the MacBook line now.

Then again, that VIVO X5 isn't an iPhone. There's no Taptic Engine in there, there's no force touch, there's no Touch ID. On the other hand, the X5 also includes dual sims, and a micro SD card slot. But how does battery life compare, and performance, etc.? So without a lot more scrutiny, I'm not sure it's as easy as saying -- 'hey this cheap cell phone maker can do it, so why can't Apple'?
 
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They don't only want to remove the headphone jack for thinness. It's for space reasons. They want to put a 2nd speaker there.
 
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They don't only want to remove the headphone jack for thinness. It's for space reasons. They want to put a 2nd speaker there.
Using that space for a second speaker would be the biggest slap in the face. Remove the standard port that allows you to connect to every great way to hear audio and add a second awful phone speaker. Crappy mono or crappy stereo... It's still crappy.

I had an HTC M8 for awhile. It had best in class stereo front-facing speakers. And they sounded... Well, still crappy.
 
I'll always give credit to the iphone 3g for blowing the competition out of the water; better features, better OS, better everything. But now, Apple is literally 3-4 years behind all other competitors on the most basic things, while they focus on things that honestly are just not useful or necessary whatsoever - like removing the headphone jack. I mean, it took until iOS 9 for a proper power saving mode - is this a joke? Brand loyalty is silly to me, but I guess some people buy things just because they're Apple. I just buy whatever offers the most/is the best product. I switched to an LG years ago when I realized it offered wireless charging, IR remote, power saving mode, a 3100mah battery, nfc, programmable led, and so much more. It'll literally take Apple until 2020 to reach 2015 level features. But if they ever decide to become competitive and innovative again, I'd gladly jump back onboard.
 
For starters that's the same size as the iPhone 6 Plus -- meaning, they are able to make it thinner because they are spreading out the internals over a much larger area. In fact, I'd say to the extent Apple feels they need to take the headphone jack out of the 4.7" screen to go thinner (putting something else in the space of the 3.5mm Jack), they likely wouldn't need to remove it from the 5.5" screen. So maybe Apple will include it on the 5.5", but not the 4.7" and 4". That would force any hardcore 3.5mm Jack users to pay the flagship premium. On the other hand, it would also put off moving to a new standard across all of their devices. Of course, it wouldn't be much different than what they are doing with the MacBook line now.

Then again, that VIVO X5 isn't an iPhone. There's no Taptic Engine in there, there's no force touch, there's no Touch ID. On the other hand, the X5 also includes dual sims, and a micro SD card slot. But how does battery life compare, and performance, etc.? So without a lot more scrutiny, I'm not sure it's as easy as saying -- 'hey this cheap cell phone maker can do it, so why can't Apple'?
Now you are just making excuses for them. Truth is there are other phones that are as thin or thinner than the current iphone that still have the headphone jack.
I'm not sure it's as easy as saying -- 'hey this cheap cell phone maker can do it, so why can't Apple'?
But it is that easy! This is Apple after all. If some cheap phone maker can do it why can't Apple? It is exactly that.

Then don't say they need to the space to add an extra speaker. There are numerous phones like the Motorola X Pure Nexus 6P that has 5.7 inch screen and dual front facing speakers AND headphone jacks.
Then there is the smaller and THINNER OnePlus x (5 inch screen) that has a headphone jack.
Then WHY does the iphone have to be thinner? My iphone 6s plus is plenty thin enough thank you.

The only reason to get rid of the headphone jack and go with the lightning port is purely monetary. Apple holds the patent on the lightning port technology and would benefit enormously if every iphone 7 buyer also bought a new headphones from Apple. Just think how much money per iphone 7 buyer Apple stands to make. So so the iphone 7 is $700 and people are buying Beats lightning headphones or Beats bluetooth headphones along with there new thinner iphone 7. Apple stands to make a killing sell additional sales along with the iphone 7.
 
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I'll always give credit to the iphone 3g for blowing the competition out of the water; better features, better OS, better everything. But now, Apple is literally 3-4 years behind all other competitors on the most basic things, while they focus on things that honestly are just not useful or necessary whatsoever - like removing the headphone jack. I mean, it took until iOS 9 for a proper power saving mode - is this a joke? Brand loyalty is silly to me, but I guess some people buy things just because they're Apple. I just buy whatever offers the most/is the best product. I switched to an LG years ago when I realized it offered wireless charging, IR remote, power saving mode, a 3100mah battery, nfc, programmable led, and so much more. It'll literally take Apple until 2020 to reach 2015 level features. But if they ever decide to become competitive and innovative again, I'd gladly jump back onboard.
Good for you. It also took Android until Marshmallow to finally offer better permission settings, and I still don't see the equivalent of Continuity and Handoff.

So in the end, what passes for "best" is going to differ from user to user. I am quite content to wait for Apple to offer their own take on features like wireless charging if they ever get down to it, while continuing to enjoy the best of what the Apple ecosystem has to offer, flaws and all.
 
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The 3.5mm headphone jack access on the new Apple Battery Pack is NOT compatible with all headphones, including Apple's own Beats headphones. Looks like the rumors that Apple will be removing the 3.5mm Jack are getting some reinforcement. Much easier to design one of these without 3.5mm jack access, much less to accommodate every model of headphone plug. Also, much easier to move that Jack anywhere else on this case, moving it out of the iPhone, but integrating it into the battery case. No dongles, potentially better audio, protection for the phone (many die hard 3.5mm traditionalists use cases already), and extra battery life, for wired headphone users. Problem solved.
 
The 3.5mm headphone jack access on the new Apple Battery Pack is NOT compatible with all headphones, including Apple's own Beats headphones. Looks like the rumors that Apple will be removing the 3.5mm Jack are getting some reinforcement. Much easier to design one of these without 3.5mm jack access, much less to accommodate every model of headphone plug. Also, much easier to move that Jack anywhere else on this case, moving it out of the iPhone, but integrating it into the battery case. No dongles, potentially better audio, protection for the phone (many die hard 3.5mm traditionalists use cases already), and extra battery life, for wired headphone users. Problem solved.

I'd rather Apple thugs came to my house and stomped on all my headphones than use that ugly new case.

Also, notice that the first review clearly mentions the recessed headphone jack and possibly having to use an adaptor as a negative.

You could argue that Apple didn't need to put a headphone jack hole on the battery case at all if that's their plan forward. Far less chance people will need to charge via the Lightning port while listening via that same port when you have a battery case.

Funny thing about this thread is that I'm staunchly against losing the jack, yet I'm probably the only one here that owns Lightning headphones. I'm pretty sure I'm one of 5 people in the world.

They DO sound better because they have better components. That said, they require charging, powering on before use, and only have 8 hours battery life... A lot of fussiness for something that is still wired! I have the Sony 1adac... Specifically because they still work as passive headphones... So that I can use them in my better devices, that have good components built INTO them.
 
I'm probably the only one here that owns Lightning headphones. I'm pretty sure I'm one of 5 people in the world.

They DO sound better because they have better components. That said, they require charging, powering on before use, and only have 8 hours battery life... A lot of fussiness for something that is still wired! I have the Sony 1adac... Specifically because they still work as passive headphones... So that I can use them in my better devices, that have good components built INTO them.

Funny thing is Apple usually brings to the table a whole new set of rules. I'd expect Apple's Lightning headphones to be powered by the phone, and auto when you plug them in. Just like the Apple battery pack does something no other battery pack can, because Apple hadn't allowed them to integrate with the OS at the same level.

Interesting that yours require charging ... that opens up a whole new thing I hadn't thought about, which is, have a batty in the headphones that supplements the iPhone, that is, draw down the headphone battery before using the iPhone battery to extend the life of both. Then, as long as the iPhone is charged, the headphones will work whether charged or not.
 
Why choose Lightning over USB-C? USB-C can do anything Lightning can and more, and is just as small- and an open standard. It's not like Apple won't use USB-C; the new MacBook has USB-C (although I'll never get over how it has only ONE stinkin' USB-C as the only port. They really should have had at least two so you could charge it while using any external devices). I hate that half of the Lightning cables I've bought don't actually work in my iPhones much of the time because of authentication bugs.
 
Funny thing is Apple usually brings to the table a whole new set of rules. I'd expect Apple's Lightning headphones to be powered by the phone, and auto when you plug them in. Just like the Apple battery pack does something no other battery pack can, because Apple hadn't allowed them to integrate with the OS at the same level.

Interesting that yours require charging ... that opens up a whole new thing I hadn't thought about, which is, have a batty in the headphones that supplements the iPhone, that is, draw down the headphone battery before using the iPhone battery to extend the life of both. Then, as long as the iPhone is charged, the headphones will work whether charged or not.

Cool in theory, but the batteries in headphones are more like the capacity of a smart watch. If you don't want the weight in your hand, you certainly don't want it pressing on your head.

As far as I know, there are currently only 2 models of Lightning headphones. The Phillips Fidelio and Sony MDR-1ADAC. The Fidelios take their power from the iPhone, but they also have a lightning-only connector, making them a $300 investment in giant headphones that only work with Apple mobile devices. Even with rumors like this one, it is scary to trust that the Lightning will always work after every update (see Apple's own Camera adaptor). It is also scary to trust that we aren't 1 or 2 generations away from USB-C.

The Sony ones work like ordinary (great) headphones when powered off and plugged into a 3.5 jack. They also come with interchangeable Lightning and USB cables to work powered with any device. My guess is that they are just too universal to take their power from the device itself. For someone like me, I need cans that can go from my phone to my computer's high resolution sound card, to my cinema camera, to my field audio mixer.

As far as I know, both of these Lightning headphones are already discontinued, while the 3.5mm-only versions remain each company's flagship headphone.
 
These $800 Lightning Headphones Make Your iPhone's 3.5mm Jack Redundant

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"If you don’t like using the 3.5mm headphone jack on your iPhone but demand high-end audio, you’re a rare beast. But a rare beast whose dreams have come true, in the shape of Audeze’s new headphones, which combine audiophile luxury with an integrated Lightning connector.

The Audeze EL-8 Titanium headphones are claimed to be the world’s first with a fully integrated Lightning cable. That cable also contains a digital signal processor, digital-to-analog converter, and an amplifier, which suck music from your iPhone or iPad and pipe it straight into your ears. There, the headphones use a 100mm planar magnetic driver to create their output.

The headphones do feature an in-line microphone and remote control that’s Siri compatible, but that seems unlikely to be why you’d buy these closed-back cans. More likely, you’ll be buying them for sound quality, which is said to deliver “a lifelike listening experience with an extended frequency response that opens up a new breadth of sound.”

At $800 they’re not cheap, though actually they are at the lower end of the Audeze pricing spectrum."
 
For the non-Lightningized among us.
Yeah I was reading the Verge I think and they said that the lightning cable adds $100 to the cost of the headphones. Not sure how accurate. How much power can the lightning port provide?
 
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Behold, the future of good audio.

These are my Sony MDR 1adac headphones. Because the DAC is inside them they have to come with all of these cables to use in different devices.

They also come with a 3.5mm cable that works in all devices.

They sound best through the 3.5mm jack when plugged into my high-end computer sound card.

They sound great through the built in DAC, which requires recharging, plugged into the iPhone... But they also sound great with the 3.5mm and the iPhone. It's two different sound signatures. I'd say the passive 3.5mm connection using the iPhone's DAC sounds more correct and neutral. The Lightning connection with Sony's DAC/amplifier sounds more fun and bass-y. Separation and width is also better through the iPhone DAC.

I still prefer the Sony DAC, but only because it has more warmth and punch, but as I work with audio, I can hear that the iPhone is more true to the source. I'm sure others would prefer the other way.

It's funny, I found these headphones because of this thread... So it was worth all the arguments. Mostly because these things sound great in any device I throw at it... Though the cables are insane and I'm not convinced I couldn't find a similar sound if I didn't audition more models of passive cans.

The worst thing is that now that I have these, I'm really missing the 6 month period that I had an Android phone. The FLAC players were great on Android, as was having all my music on a microSD. I left because the DAC wasn't good enough. Now that the DAC is outside the phone, I don't have that issue.
 
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