QquegChristian
macrumors 6502a
companies don't invest money towards the past, they invest money towards the future.
Thats the same thing as if your grandparents still wanted to use CDs in a brand new car rather then use their smartphone. the fact is that although the automobile industry had a more subtle approach in getting rid of the CD player (very slowly), they'll soon get rid of the AUX as well.
Apple is just doing it abruptly because it can. I'm sure damn well American automobile companies wouldn't dare make a bold move as to get abruptly get rid of the CD player early and shoot themselves in the foot. Nor would the Japanese companies want to do it early and give other competition (especially in the US) a chance to catch up.
Nearly all consumer industries could care less (unless their catered to, like senior apparel and technology for senior citizens) about the aging generations.
Companies that offer products like Apple and Toyota aren't going to base their mainline products on 'older generation'. It will always be geared for the future and younger generation.
But i do agree its a bit ballsy to get rid of the 3.5 jack like this and head for a more subtle approach like what the auto industry did with the CD player.
But apple does like to set the standard. They gave us the smartphone, so theres that.
Currently, cars give options and all consumers win. I bought a 2016 Honda Fit last month. It has Bluetooth, direct USB link, Aux, and a CD Player. I used Bluetooth and Aux on a recent road trip with friends. Bluetooth for my phone, Aux for my friend, because the Bluetooth pairing process on this deck is so annoying that I didn't want to keep having to do it each time we switched.
The direct USB connection through Lightning in the car is absolute garbage. It instantly starts playing an album from iTunes no matter what (and an album I don't even have on my phone) and won't play any sound from my SiriusXM or podcast apps. I had to go buy a car lighter USB port so I could charge my phone NOT in the car's built-in USB that makes this digital connection.
I wouldn't be surprised if plugging in Lightning cabled Beats automatically launches Apple Music in the future, even if you use Spotify. The USB-C audio schematics a few pages back state that kind of thing as the biggest advantage.
No matter what Apple does, it can do it with or without losing the old (but not out of date) standard.