Well, they did include it with the iPhone 7 (obviously realizing there would be too much pain if they left it out). So they may just be hedging their bets and trying not to alienate too many potential buyers. Generally, I disagree with the (very popular) sentiment that Apple is just trying to stiff customers on adapters. I think it's about simplicity and their minimal aesthetic. They decide on the simplest configuration, then let users tailor that by providing adapters. I don't like it, personally, but it's been very consistent for many years.
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Apple Surveying MacBook Pro Users About Headphone Jack and Other Ports
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Well, they did include it with the iPhone 7 (obviously realizing there would be too much pain if they left it out). So they may just be hedging their bets and trying not to alienate too many potential buyers. Generally, I disagree with the (very popular) sentiment that Apple is just trying to stiff customers on adapters. I think it's about simplicity and their minimal aesthetic. They decide on the simplest configuration, then let users tailor that by providing adapters. I don't like it, personally, but it's been very consistent for many years.
oh..ok. you're talking about different headphones then.
the beats studio wireless weren't included in that promo (at least i don't think they were)
I suspect that the next version of the iPhone will ship without a lightning adapter and probably without lightning headphones. They're trying to move everyone over to wireless headphones on the iPhone, and people will carry those headphones from device to device, so no need to include headphones in the box anymore.
For wired headphones, perhaps there will be some manufacturers making "premium" lightning headphones, but I suspect that the majority headphone manufacturers will lean towards USB-C for "Pro" users if USB-C really does take of universally on laptops. That seems to me where people will want high quality wired headphones for Mac and PC. Then again, I suppose there is the iPad Pro, Pro market for people wanting to edit audio on their iPads...
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At first I was gonna say of course!! But then i realized, all my music is streamed either via airplay, or to a bluetooth speaker. Only thing the headphone jack is good for is pr0n. Even then, an external USB DAC isn't too expensive, I have a Fiio model that I've only used a handful of times in the past few years. I could see why people would be upset, but I honestly don't use the headphone jack all that much. With the new airpods coming out, headphone jacks could be a thing of the past, like the PHONO input on home stereos.
Well there's certainly no way to debate the issue with you.
This makes sense on a "Pro" computer because a pro will just use a USB audio interface anyways. Same with the SD Card reader. Everyone knows a real pro will have his favorite USB SD Card reader dingus.
And since pros will normally use a hub because they need more than four USB peripherals it makes no sense to include four USB ports. All they need is one port to connect to a Pro USB hub.
Many pros use specialized mice so it makes little sense to include the trackpad. Get rid of it so the MacBook Pro can be even thinner. Pros like thin, it helps them be more creative.
Finally, since pros all work in dark studios with lots of electrical outlets, a battery in a laptop is rather superfluous. Lose the battery and breakthrough thinness becomes possible. Let pros unleash their amazing inner creative!
And since pros will normally use a hub because they need more than four USB peripherals it makes no sense to include four USB ports. All they need is one port to connect to a Pro USB hub.
Many pros use specialized mice so it makes little sense to include the trackpad. Get rid of it so the MacBook Pro can be even thinner. Pros like thin, it helps them be more creative.
Finally, since pros all work in dark studios with lots of electrical outlets, a battery in a laptop is rather superfluous. Lose the battery and breakthrough thinness becomes possible. Let pros unleash their amazing inner creative!
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Though I do use the headphone jack every day, I honestly think Apple is right to kick it out the door. It really is garbage. The quality is dodgy, it's too long and thin, and thus prone to breakage, and is glaringly single-purpose. And as far as everyone bringing up that annoying "pro" argument; if you're a music professional (which I am, btw), you don't use the headphone jack for anything "pro"—you have an audio interface for that. So, strictly speaking, professional work is unaffected. I use the headphone jack for convenience, because I'm away from my interface, and predominantly when I'm not working on music. If they include an adapter in the box, I'm totally fine.
Also, every "pro"-grade pair of headphones I've owned has had a detachable cable, which means that all the major companies will no doubt provide lightning versions of their proprietary cables very soon. Yes, the proprietary cables are a total pain in the a**, but that's got nothing to do with Apple.
Also, every "pro"-grade pair of headphones I've owned has had a detachable cable, which means that all the major companies will no doubt provide lightning versions of their proprietary cables very soon. Yes, the proprietary cables are a total pain in the a**, but that's got nothing to do with Apple.
The Whine Lines seem especially active today.
For the "Apple doesn't care what we think" crowd...if they didn't care why are they asking you now? (Pro Tip: it's the opposite of don't care). Respond "yes" if that's what you want. Maybe you'll prevail.
The Wire Retainers are fighting a losing battle re the audio jack. Surely you must see that. Bluetooth headphones continue to outsell wired; this is just a recognition of that. Resistance is indeed futile. Samsung and LG and HTC are next in short order. Give the technology a chance. No one misses the floppy, big SCSI ports, phone keyboards or more recently CD / DVDs--the last time some of these very same techno-conservatives railed against the dying of the light and promised to never darken Apple's door again. Yet here they are, apparently unscarred for all their torment.
The industry, of which Apple is only a part, is moving on.
For the "Apple doesn't care what we think" crowd...if they didn't care why are they asking you now? (Pro Tip: it's the opposite of don't care). Respond "yes" if that's what you want. Maybe you'll prevail.
The Wire Retainers are fighting a losing battle re the audio jack. Surely you must see that. Bluetooth headphones continue to outsell wired; this is just a recognition of that. Resistance is indeed futile. Samsung and LG and HTC are next in short order. Give the technology a chance. No one misses the floppy, big SCSI ports, phone keyboards or more recently CD / DVDs--the last time some of these very same techno-conservatives railed against the dying of the light and promised to never darken Apple's door again. Yet here they are, apparently unscarred for all their torment.
The industry, of which Apple is only a part, is moving on.
That's not true, the revenue from Bluetooth headphone sales recently overtook wired for the first time in the USA but wired headphones still outsell them by almost 5:1.
That's plain false. Wired headphones are sold (as part of a package) with every smartphone. They outsell BT headphones probably by two orders of magnitude at least.
Why would anyone miss a floppy disk? It isn't better than current tech at anything. You may as well use ADB connectors as an example.
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The only people I could even imaging who would claim DSLR days are numbered are 15 year old girls who knowledge of photography consists of only Instagram and snapchat.
Man, I feel for all you MBP users. Looks like APPLE is ANTI-HEADPHONE JACK. I just don't get it. What is their obsession with removing these things????
Why are they even asking? Just remove it and increase the battery life by 11 seconds.
Congratulations, you just came up with the idea for the 1998-2001 Wallstreet and Pismo Powerbook G3s. Swappable drives, batteries, and dual PC card slots for ports. I miss those things...
They need to fix the atrocious BT headset support on Macs. I cannot get audio headsets to work reliably.
My impression as well. This made me think that maybe next year's iPhone will be USB-C instead of lightning ? If they're really set on taking out the headphone jack of all their products. It would make more sense to replace the lightning port on the iPhone by USB-C since that one is already in their Macbook, potentially their new Macbook Pros and Airs, and in non-Apple devices. Maybe the headphone jack removal was the first step of a 2-step plan (and they didn't want to upset people even more by forcing them to replace in the same year all their lightning cables/connected stuff in addition to their audio equipment).
Financial as usual. Beats are the top selling Bluetooth headphones in the USA and Apple have just announced the AirPods which are bound to be be a big seller so they will profit from driving customers away from wired headphones.
You clearly share many characteristics with the person in your avatar
It's adorable that you think Apple's the only option out there. Please get real. Literally anything else at that point would be superior.
Since when does "pro" equal "music professional"? I'm using my MBP for business, so I guess that makes me a "pro" customer. What do I use the headphone jack for with my MBP? Primarily audio and video conferencing and collaboration, including when traveling. Do I now have to remember to bring yet *another* dongle for such a basic use case?
I see computers as a tool to be used by customers, not a vehicle for Apple to push some agenda of what ports they think we should be using in the future. Stop giving utility to your customers, and your customers will stop buying your products. It's that simple. I have used Macs for >10 years, and much prefer Mac OS over Windows, but between the apparent lack of support for the Mac product line, the continued trend to further lock down the hardware and make it non-upgradable, and now Macs that drop all ports that can be used in the present, I'm almost at the point of just dumping Macs altogether.
"Based on a leaked MacBook Pro shell, the upcoming MacBook Pro will include four USB-C ports and a headphone jack, with Apple doing away with all other ports on the machine. If the shell is an actual part, the machine will not include an SD card slot, HDMI port, USB-A port, or a MagSafe connection."
— MacRumors
Well, they didn't ask me.
If this is at all true I'll be voting with my purse and purchasing a new MacBook Pro . . . a proper pro—pre 2016—with all necessary ports including USB-A, Mag Safe and, yes, a real headphone jack.
Their fanboys will be the ones buying all the necessary dongles—not me.
Possibly more than a little truth in these accounts, and a sad state of affairs.
— MacRumors
Well, they didn't ask me.
If this is at all true I'll be voting with my purse and purchasing a new MacBook Pro . . . a proper pro—pre 2016—with all necessary ports including USB-A, Mag Safe and, yes, a real headphone jack.
Their fanboys will be the ones buying all the necessary dongles—not me.
Possibly more than a little truth in these accounts, and a sad state of affairs.