Apple Said to Be Removing Headphone Jack From Upcoming 2018 iPad Pro Models

[theluggage]

And yet Steve forced it by keeping Flash off of iOS making its users the “extreme minority” of non flash users. And the rest is history of course.

Thing is, there were a lot of very strong arguments for not having Flash on a mobile device: CPU-heavy, power-hungry, potential security hole, proprietary video/audio codecs (some of the "legacy" codecs couldn't be accelerated by mobile hardware) and some flash content had hard-coded UI features that just plain didn't work on a touchscreen ...and that was a couple of years later when Flash for Android appeared and processors had got a bit snappier - it would probably have run like frozen treacle on an early iPhone/iPT/iPad). Adobe dropped the Android version of Flash player after a year or two, and nothing of value was lost.

 

[LinusR]

No headphone jack? This foolishness is why I went back to android. Tim cook is doing too.much. In other words if you're editing video and/or make beats you're just screwed? Guess I'll be holding onto my iPad pro 12.9 for a while

Not screwed, just use the adapter... Or is that too much of a hassle?

 

[MacBH928]

Seriously? Steve removed the floppy drive and all legacy ports on the first iMac - all it had was a CD/DVD drive and a couple of USB ports. People were furious at first...and then low and behold the entire industry moved in the same direction. The MacBook Air removes the optical drive, and again many were screaming - in particular that Apple was chasing thinness over usability (sound familiar?)...and just as before, the industry has largely moved to removing the optical drive from laptops.

Take off your rose colored glasses. Tim Cook is far from perfect, but neither was Jobs. Apparently the reality distortion field he created lives on even after his death.

There was a reason to remove the CD drive from the Air, and Its true Jobs abandoned the floppy when CD-writers were not a thing (not sure how people shared files then between Macs), but the headphone jack has no reason to be taken down and surely the lightening connector is not the new standard in the world unlike USB-As. If it was replaced with USB-C maybe I can be more understanding.

In fact, my iphone and ipad are the only devices that use lightening connector for audio out.

 

[mdecorte]

Sigh....form over function.

I'm not a fan of bluetooth headphones at all. AirPods fall out of my ears. I've tried 3 or 4 bluetooth buds and they aren't reliable and I have to repair frequently. Plus I have to charge them with a finicky micro-usb plug.

There's a lot to be said for a wire. No charging. Always works. Lots of choices. Good sound. Cheap. Not great for the gym but otherwise pretty great.

I guess I could use a lightning headset but that won't work on my mac. If apple could come out with a small lightning to USB 2.0/3.0 adapter that would solve that problem. Apple won't of course.

so I'll stick with my mid-2015 mac, iPhone 6s, and iPad Pro for a long long time.

Used to love apple.....

 

[LinusR]

Thing is, there were a lot of very strong arguments for not having Flash on a mobile device: CPU-heavy, power-hungry, potential security hole, proprietary video/audio codecs (some of the "legacy" codecs couldn't be accelerated by mobile hardware) and some flash content had hard-coded UI features that just plain didn't work on a touchscreen ...and that was a couple of years later when Flash for Android appeared and processors had got a bit snappier - it would probably have run like frozen treacle on an early iPhone/iPT/iPad). Adobe dropped the Android version of Flash player after a year or two, and nothing of value was lost.

That's a pretty good summary, I'd say! But let's turn that argument around, shall we? There were plenty of good reasons for dropping the 3.5mm jack: more space for larger battery, more sensors (whatever MR-users aggressively ask for these days), removing one of the solely mechanical and hence tear-and-wear-prone components reduces number of failures, etc.. And of course there are pretty good alternatives.
I totally see why some people are unhappy about the removal of the headphone jack. But does that make it the wrong decision? The sales figures say otherwise, and, anecdotally, I have yet to read an MR-post of a former iPhone X user who returned it due to the lack of the headphone jack (honestly, if you see one please show me, I'm interested!).

 

[Roadstar]

Not screwed, just use the adapter... Or is that too much of a hassle?

Well it depends. If for example the audio interface you use to connect e.g. your guitar to the iPad was built with the assumption that monitoring is done via the internal headphone jack, there's no Lightning port left for the adapter once the audio interface is there. Monitoring the output with Bluetooth headphones doesn't work due to the latency.

 

[FFR]

Why don't you get a Bluetooth headset then? They'll work right now, even if the 3.5mm jack is still there for people whose workflows aren't possible with the Bluetooth audio latency.
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Oh come on. The scenario he listed is a 100% valid shortcoming with Bluetooth audio as witnessed by anyone who has ever tried to make music with Bluetooth headphones. A typo or a bad choice of words isn't going to change that.

An adapter will work won’t it?

 

[LinusR]

Well it depends. If for example the audio interface you use to connect e.g. your guitar to the iPad was built with the assumption that monitoring is done via the internal headphone jack, there's no Lightning port left for the adapter once the audio interface is there. Monitoring the output with Bluetooth headphones doesn't work due to the latency.

Thanks for the explanation, that's quite interesting! I'm lost though, could you explain that in detail please? (Or show a source that explains this in detail? I'm quite interested!)

 

[Roadstar]

An adapter will work won’t it?

May or may not work, check my post above.

 

[GoodWheaties]

Other interesting info is the dimensions mentioned. Who knows how accurate, but both shrinking in physical size a decent amount. And the 10.5 not only getting reduced but also going to 11”.

Even crazier would be the thinness at 6.1 and 6.4 mm. That’s iPod touch & iPad mini 4 territory.

I believe iPad Air 2, iPad Pro 9.7”, and iPad Pro 10.5” are all 6.1mm thick already. I actually wouldn’t mind having a couple ounces shaved off though.

 

[aevan]

I'm not arguing against that, I think you misunderstood.

No, actually, I was just adding to your point. Came of wrong, sorry.
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Except for the fact that you have to be at the perfect angle/distance every time for it to work. Same facial expression. It's junk. Limitations that were never a problem with touchid.

Of course not, it works from almost any distance or angle. Much more reliable than Touch ID which doesn’t work when your fingers are even slightly damp.

You should try Face ID before making false assumptions.

 

[radus]

I think it is a good idea to trash the earphone jack, I have never ever used it.

 

[FFR]

May or may not work, check my post above.

I did, if swipe can work with the adapter I’m sure other peripherals will too. And if they don’t.
People have an option not to buy. But if sales aren’t affected then it was a moot point to begin with.

 

[profets]

I believe iPad Air 2, iPad Pro 9.7”, and iPad Pro 10.5” are all 6.1mm thick already. I actually wouldn’t mind having a couple ounces shaved off though.

That’s true actually, my bad. I’ve gotten used to the heft of the 12.9 and every time I pick up my mini 4 or wife’s 9.7 Pro I’m always amazed by the thinness and lightness.

 

[fairuz]

Doesn't matter, shown ads, money made.



During his short lifespan, Steve seen a lot of that, made a lot of that, if Steve were alive, he would remove the headphone jack the moment A2DP came out (much earlier).

Bluetooth had A2DP since somewhere around 2006. Either the original iPhone or the 3G supported it. They had a reason to keep the jack.
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How can you possibly say that? At the time Steve was alive, removing the audio jack would have been a terrible idea

How is it any different now? Bluetooth headphones have been around since long before the iPhone. Bluetooth hasn't fixed its problems* that make it still suck today, and nobody switched to it until they were forced to use either BT or the Lightning dongle.

* Cost (really DAC in every set of speakers), having to change batteries, audio latency, complication with changing sources due to the world's most retarded pairing mechanism that they should've fixed long ago. If your new interface won't let people "pass the aux," that's a regression; it's so bad that wireless mice and keyboards deliberately DON'T use Bluetooth but rather a dongle antenna.

 

[Guda.FL]

Thus far, those who i know are buying all latest apple hardware are only on wireless devices such as solo3, new studios, airpods. Life and generations move.

Apple still sells 3-4 year old hardware if you want headphone jacks. As much of a critic i was, i hold no wired devices anymore and sinply due to attrition or purchasing new headphones etc.

I was also there when people were short of revolting when floppy drives were being phasd out.

 

[fairuz]

I don't care about the iPad Pro. It's a lame device anyway. Just leave the MBP's jack alone.

 

[Roadstar]

Thus far, those who i know are buying all latest apple hardware are only on wireless devices such as solo3, new studios, airpods. Life and generations move.

Apple still sells 3-4 year old hardware if you want headphone jacks. As much of a critic i was, i hold no wired devices anymore and sinply due to attrition or purchasing new headphones etc.

I was also there when people were short of revolting when floppy drives were being phasd out.

Floppy drives were phased out due to replacement technologies being superior in every way. However, going wireless audio only has a serious regression for anyone who needs real-time audio. For music creation we're not talking about a minor nuisance but a complete showstopper.

 

[Assgoblin]

This would be a terrible decision on Apple’s part.

Are you high?

 

[theluggage]

Based on that logic, I think the jack might just be history for the iPad, since the relatively small number of audio pros who use the iPad could use the Lightning adapter.

There are a shedload of audio/music Apps for Mac, plus loads of MIDI keyboards and other controllers that boast iPad compatibility, not all aimed at music "pros" (not least, Apple's own Garageband). I think you underestimate the size of that market (and the extent to which it is "pros only").

Referring to the 2016 MBP in the following quote, he said the jack is still there because it’s used by pros who need it for “studio monitors, amps and other pro audio gear that do not have wireless solutions”.

...not saying for a millisecond that the jack on the MBP isn't needed - especially for people doing music or audio - but that argument sounds a bit random: “studio monitors, amps and other pro audio gear" tend to bristle with balanced inputs using 1/4" jacks and XLR connectors, alongside 5-pin DIN MIDI connectors so the first step for most semi-serious Mac users who want to do audio will probably be to patronise the likes of Focusrite for an external Audio interface (and they all tend to have a 1/4" headphone jack with level controls and buttons to select sources etc.)

...the smaller the computer/tablet, the less likely it is that you'll want to lug around an audio interface. If you are using an iPad for audio you probably really care about portability.

 

[popltree2]

Steve is dead.

And Steve's likes and dislikes can and would've changed - especially if said change was forced by a competitor.

Exactly. Do we remember iOS 1 when the idea was that you’d never need to run an app on your phone so everything was web based?

 

[otternonsense]

I just don’t get it. U people understand that every company follows apples lead, there will not be any headphone jacks in a couple years, you have been warned.
Maybe a couple **** phone makers will keep the he

it must be the 60+ year olds that are upset,
They can’t explain why they want the headphone jack, they just want it dam it.

30+ year old here. We ARE explaining, you're just not listening. Or reading.

Pros: superior audio quality, universal interoperability, not having to charge yet another device.

Apple enabled and normalized their "courage" with their vast influence. It was and still is a very user hostile move that removes an interface, which albeit old, works perfectly well for its users. Google, and other companies, unfortunately, follow suit because Apple can get away with it.

People keep saying "But my wireless buds.." and thats just BS, because their wireless buds can just as well work alongside having a jack. Whatever happened to choice?
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I think it is a good idea to trash the earphone jack, I have never ever used it.

Let's just trash the camera too, because some people prefer using their DSLR. Impeccable logic.

 

[LeeW]

It's no real surprise that they remove the earphone socket, I am personally ok with it, have been using wireless headphones for years now, in fact, I would not want a trailing wire anymore.

 

[FFR]

Floppy drives were phased out due to replacement technologies being superior in every way. However, going wireless audio only has a serious regression for anyone who needs real-time audio. For music creation we're not talking about a minor nuisance but a complete showstopper.

Except the price.

And isn’t that what this thread is really about?

 

[newyorksole]

Sigh....form over function.

I'm not a fan of bluetooth headphones at all. AirPods fall out of my ears. I've tried 3 or 4 bluetooth buds and they aren't reliable and I have to repair frequently. Plus I have to charge them with a finicky micro-usb plug.

There's a lot to be said for a wire. No charging. Always works. Lots of choices. Good sound. Cheap. Not great for the gym but otherwise pretty great.

I guess I could use a lightning headset but that won't work on my mac. If apple could come out with a small lightning to USB 2.0/3.0 adapter that would solve that problem. Apple won't of course.

so I'll stick with my mid-2015 mac, iPhone 6s, and iPad Pro for a long long time.

Used to love apple.....

Lmao dude what are you talking about? If you want to use headphones with the iPad just use the lightning to 3.5mm adapter.....

You’re acting like that isn’t an option. Sometimes you just have to move forward. I think you and others just find things to be mad at. Is it really that big of a deal that they’re removing the headphone jack?

Apple wasn’t perfect when Steve was alive and they aren’t perfect now. The headphone jack thing is very insignificant.