Apple Surveying MacBook Pro Users About Headphone Jack and Other Ports

[Mac Fly (film)]

Buy iPhone 7. Buy new MBP. Cannot used bundled headphones on both devices. Either the MBP gets Lighting for use a headphone port or I need to own two different styles of EarPods, if I want to, for example, use Apple's wired buds. This is the kind of detail that would drive Steve Jobs insane. If Apple really believes their ******** about courage they should go whole-hog and dump the old jack from all their computers going forward. If the connector is 150 years and you want it to go then kill it. My ideal world regarding wired connectors is a USBc-equivienlent the physical size of Lightning and every product produced from every company uses it. USBc as is is too big going forward as tech is shrinking too rapidly.

 

[DravenInc]

Headphone jack on MacBook Pro would be a definite loss...as is the removal of a standard USB port in favour of multiple USB-C ports. So, I can't connect my iPhone to my MacBook Pro with the cable that came with the phone without an extra adaptor?

 

[sudo1996]

Quick, everyone submit tons of "yes" responses!

 

[freepomme]

Hahaha. I'm have to answer yes because well. I just do.

 

[tubeexperience]

It must take a lot of "courage".

 

[pushingrobot]

I use the headphone jack on my MBP way less than my iPhone. The DAC isn't that great, when I don't care about sound quality I use bluetooth headphones, when I do care I use an external audio interface or AirPlay through my regular amp to speakers or decent headphones.

So I'm probably the exception, but I'd trade the audio jack for an extra USB/Thunderbolt port, especially on the MacBook 12". Or a SD (even MicroSD) slot on the next MBP. Then again, Apple would probably swap it for a Lightning port I'd use even less.

 

[chriscrowlee]

Well the next MacBooks will have no headphone jack.

Which is fine because it's designed to be used as a portable\travel computer. The pro needs to be port-heavy due to the different demographic who uses it.

Macbook and Macbook pro as they exist are two VERY different users... power user verses facebook\email user.

 

[stiligFox]

Apple, let me make it clear.

YES.

YES I DO USE MY HEADPHONE JACK ON MY MACBOOK PRO. AND I USE IT ON MY iPHONE.

I use my headphones literally everyday at school on both my MacBook Pro and my iPhone. I also use them on my hackintosh at home.

To be fair - at least with the Mac you can get USB DAC's fairly easily to add a 3.5mm port - I have one of these that I sometimes take with me - http://schiit.com/products/fulla

But I have this sinking feeling that the new MBP will use USB-C ports exclusively, and I'll need USB-C to USB-A adapter, to then adapt to 3.5mm.

Or you know, they could just leave the headphone jack in a laptop where the space isn't nearly as big of a concern as it is on a phone. Not even 10 years ago MacBook Pro's had SuperDrives and weighed a ton, and we where happy back then. We don't need a cracker thin laptop to be happy.

EDIT: I got one of these emails earlier and thought it a was a phishing scam I even googled it and what I found seemed to confirm my fears. I really wish I hadn't deleted it now...

 

[mtneer]

As a photographer I use the sd slot daily

Newer camera models have WiFi data transfer, so this maybe Apple's way of nudging photo professionals to upgrade their camera gear as well?

 

[LeadingHeat]

Don't you dare do it apple. I'm trying my hardest to stay an apple fan, but I don't know how much longer I can last if you keep requiring dongles for everything. The audio jack is still very much in use. ESPECIALLY in a laptop.

 

[rawlus]

Market disruption, I like it. It's ballsy. If everyone is listening to their iPhones plugged into a mini jack while also charging then the audio jack goes unused (save for a small segment of audio/video pros maybe)

 

[allOfSomething]

I'd be unhappy if they removed the headphone jack.

My biggest hope with the ports is that the computer will be chargeable via the USB-Cs on both sides. It's always annoying when the nearest plug to where you're sitting is on the opposite side.

 

[KylePowers]

Apple just wants to sell you a slab of aluminum

 

[s15119]

I have no problem at all removing the jack from my phone. From my Mac? No. No. No.

 

[chriscrowlee]

Apple, let me make it clear.

We don't need a cracker thin laptop to be happy.

THIS!

I agree 100%... the obsession for a laptop to be thin\light needs to STOP. The current model is reasonable, and for those who want to sacrifice more, the Macbook is more in their wheelhouse. Since desktops and laptops became interchangeable, people don't necessarily care about thinness as much as performance and features\ports. This should have become very clear with the online outcry of so many like me who got the Macbook when it came out and said a) no ports? seriously this is unusable and b) why do I have to suffer with a sluggish underpowered machine just so there are no fans?

 

[garirry]

You know, I don't see this happening in the near future... but they realise that this 3.5 mm connector is absolutely tiny compared to the body of a MBP? I see how a 3.5 mm jack can be fairly huge for an iPhone, but clearly this is a pro computer we're talking about...

 

[rp2011]

Get rid of the 3.5 jack across the board. Rip the bandaid off and move forward.
Playing it safe is how they ended up with the backwards iPhone 6
Series.
Keep it moving forward and never again have to play catch-up in the hardware department.

 

[emailnotebox]

They must be confusing innovation with irrelevancy. Cannot believe they need to survey this question to know the answer. Seems so lost in their own sphere...

 

[yesjam]

Two things.

1. If you're asked this question, please do everyone a favour and say you use the headphone jack. I don't care if you haven't worn a pair of headphones in 6 years. For the greater good, answer yes. : )

2. You're going to get screwed if you buy lightning headphones. There are no two ways about it. And it's frankly a disappointing move on Apple's part. Buy a pair of lightning headphones and you will not be able to use it for a single device other than an iPhone or iPad. While Apple is clear that "wireless is the future," the consumer is in a unique position to send the message that Apple must standardize its connectivity to USB-C on ALL DEVICES. And how do we do that? By boycotting lightning headphones.

 

[brand]

Well the next MacBooks will have no headphone jack.

That the MacBooks have not had a headphone jack since April 2015 so you are technically not wrong, just stating what already happened.

[EDIT]
It appears that I stand corrected on this. I forgot that MacBooks do have an audio port.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Don't you dare do it apple. I'm trying my hardest to stay an apple fan...

You've a lot to learn. Without Apple the tech world would be a steaming pile where Flash and resistive touch screens reign supreme. Single use ports days' are numbered.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Answered it several times via proxies. All in favor if getting rid of it. Have no use for it. Welcome to 2016.

Also, if Apple is asking this now, that means the new MacBook Pros are quite a ways off. They wouldn't be asking this if they're going into production right now with release coming in a month or two. You're talking 6 months away minimum.

 

[bommai]

Don't forget that the headphone port also doubles as a mini Toslink port that allows you to digitally send audio including Dolby Digital / DTS to your receiver. That is the preferred way since it bypasses the DAC in the MacBook.

 

[sransari]

Wondering who would answer "not sure" as to whether or not they use their headphone jack. Is it really that difficult of a question where one may be unsure as to whether or not they deliberately pack headphones, plug in said headphones into their laptop, and subsequently insert said headphones into their ears?

 

[tubeexperience]

That the MacBooks have not had a headphone jack since April 2015 so you are technically not wrong, just stating what already happened.

MacBooks do have headphone jacks.