Apple Unveils iPhone 7 With Water Resistance, A10 Fusion, New 'Jet Black' Color, Updated Cameras, No Headphone Jack, and More

[Michael Scrip]

That's not true. The price of HDTVs have steadily declined over the years while advanced technologies have been added. Phone companies are taking advantage of consumers. There is nothing ground breaking in iPhone 7 than non-geek users can't do without. Apple will keep introducing new meaningless and useless technologies because they have consumers addicted to buying the latest Apple phone as if it was the newest revised edition of the Bible.

You're talking about products... I was talking about services. Sorry for the confusion.

The price of Netflix has gone from $8 a month to $10 a month. Hulu is more expensive too. And you're probably paying more for home internet service than you did 10 years ago as well.

Services don't usually get cheaper over time.

So why would you expect cellular service to get cheaper?

 

[ActionableMango]

But USB-C is going to be the standard for all new phones going forward, aside from the iPhones and USB-C can handle all of these things and more as well, so why not move to USB-C and eliminate proprietary connections?

That's a good point, especially with Apple putting USB-C on its laptops already. I could see Apple saving that for the 10th anniversary iPhone in 2018.

 

[CiccioAtSea]

The adapter is massive and will no doubt not fit in your pocket unless sticking out the top. This is a backward move despite all the hype and fan boy clapping

I can't see any problem here... it will stick out of the pocket.. does it really matter for someone using wired earphones? the cable would run from the pocket up to the head anyway...

 

[Michael Scrip]

I can't see any problem here... it will stick out of the pocket.. does it really matter for someone using wired earphones? the cable would run from the pocket up to the head anyway...

Exactly.

The current Apple earbuds have total length of 45"... and I'm assuming that's a standard cable length for headphones.

With the adapter... that length would be 48"

I'm not seeing the issue.

 

[johngordon]

Apple can and will make money by licensing the Lightning adapter. It's not a free technology. You need to pay Apple for each device you sell that uses it.

Sure - we can ignore the sarcasm and cynicism of the post I replied to if you like.

That they will make money selling the things isn't really in dispute. What is in dispute is whether or not the sole reason they did it was to make money, or whether or not the move could be considered a bit of a gamble.

For all anyone knows, the new iPhones will bomb because people want a standard headphone jack. In that sense, dropping tech is a bit of gamble.

 

[Qbnkelt]

It will be interesting to read about all the people who will pick the jet black phones, use them naked, and then complain about scratches.

 

[AsherN]

That's not actually true. 3.5mm headphone jack is analogue, so it has to covert the digital recording into analogue which means quality loss in the sound. Lighting is fully digital. So it will be better quality.

Fully digital until the DAC in the headphones, then an analog electrical signal to drive the speakers. All they are doing is moving the DAC. And lower cost Lightning headphones will have a crappy DAC.

 

[Larry-K]

And the stereo speaker. And a larger battery.
With an adapter, Lightning can do everything a 3- or 4-conductor analog jack can do. In addition to this, it can power headphone circuitry for features such as noise cancellation, custom DACs, audio shaping, and anything else anyone dreams up in the future. It also supports lossless digital audio. It supports multi-channel surround sound, up to 5.1 channels.

If you don't want any of that, fine. If you think those are rare use cases, I agree. If you think it's a bad trade-off, okay. But to say it's not superior technology? It clearly is.

Great, sounds like I can hang a dongle the size of an iPhone off of my iPhone, and, at added expense, do a bunch of things that are arguably best left to the internals of my iPhone.

 

[yesjam]

This is the trend I've seen. Anyone who knows anything about audio is saying that removing the headphone jack was a stupid mistake.

Those who are defending Apple's decision tend not to know very much about audio.

Furthermore, Apple has not released a single marketing material lauding any advantage whatsoever to removing the jack other than the now-infamous "courage" BS.

Lastly, Apple has included an adapter in the iPhone 7 package, signalling it knows that its decision requires compromise (and for Apple such a compromise speaks volumes.)

 

[dampfnudel]

I'm on Verizon and still have 2 year contracts since I'm grandfathered into their old plans. So I'll be getting mine on contract

You're definitely the exception these days. It will probably be your last and you'll be doing the full price or installments when you upgrade to the 8s in two years.

 

[flat five]

I can hang a dongle the size of an iPhone off of my iPhone, and, at added expense

are you trying to exaggerate in order to make some sort of point?
or, do you really think the adapter is 'the size of an iPhone' and that $9 is an expense worth griping about?

 

[dampfnudel]

The jet black looks awful - looks like a plasticy 3GS. I guess I'm in the minority, but I'll be getting the silver or gold, if for no other reason I can never find my current black phone when I'm looking for it at home.

I absolutely hate any glossy black handheld device. I won't be getting this color next year (unless Apple decides to drop it with next year's iPhone 8, then it won't matter).

 

[einmusiker]

There have never been subsidised phones, the cost was built into your monthly plan charge!

Meanwhile, monthly plans are now outrageously more expensive and there are no more subsidies. What are our values? We are teaching kids that greed is good.

 

[dampfnudel]

Meanwhile, monthly plans are now outrageously more expensive and there are no more subsidies. What are our values? We are teaching kids that greed is good.

Only some people are teaching their kids that greed is good in the belief that in the future they will be in the position to benefit themselves. I think they're taking a big gamble there with a very fluid and volatile society emerging.

 

[flat five]

This is the trend I've seen. Anyone who knows anything about audio is saying that removing the headphone jack was a stupid mistake.

Those who are defending Apple's decision tend not to know very much about audio.

heh, well, 'anyone who knows anything about audio' is going to be sol within the next two or so years because 3.5 is going to disappear from most or all higher end smartphones & devices.

headphones will get smarter.. they'll need connections such as lighting/usb-c/wireless to do their thing.. mini-phone won't work.. it's outdated technology and this will become more apparent to all/most of the complainers in the near future.

 

[Harry110]

Thoughts on whether or not the second lens will make it to "non-Plus" models of iPhones in the next year or two? Whether the 7s (if they make one) or 8 or 9, etc? Or do you think it might be a matter of space? Not enough real-estate to fit both cameras?

 

[gentleman00]

You're talking about products... I was talking about services. Sorry for the confusion.

The price of Netflix has gone from $8 a month to $10 a month. Hulu is more expensive too. And you're probably paying more for home internet service than you did 10 years ago as well.

Services don't usually get cheaper over time.

So why would you expect cellular service to get cheaper?

In the high tech industry, a data plan is both a service and a product. In either instance, you are consuming data. Well, not literally. But in response to your initial post, services, in whatever shape or form, are the product of combined labor and technology. In most cases, technology becomes cheaper as more people use it. So unless phone companies are investing more in infrastructure or new technologies, I don't see any reaosn why the price of "service" as you refer to it should increase.

 

[AsherN]

I suspect they will move the DAC out of the phone to the lightning connector. This raises the question about the quality of the DAC that we are going to see in that connector.

Can't. Still need a DAC for the slab to function as a phone.

 

[citysnaps]

Courage? I still remember Phil running off the stage like a frightened little girl (no offense to frightened little girls, everywhere) after the announcement of emasculating the Mac Mini, a couple of years back.

Courage shouldn't even be in this discussion.

Is Apple going to field a team of "iSeals" who, when they encounter a foe, shout out, "Fear us! For we have vanquished the 3.5mm headphone Jack, and we shall lay waste to all who oppose us!".

It's just marketing seeing if they can pry another $150 out of your pocket.

Make that "antiquated, yet still offering better sound quality than it's replacement, headphone jack".

Seems you have a very limited understanding of what the word courage means, and instead of discussing that intelligently with respect to today's announcement along with the risk Apple is taking regarding their decision, you resort to silliness.

 

[USAJerry]

So how am I supposed to charge my iPhone and listen to music at the same time on if I'm listening via non-bluetooth or non-AirPods head/earphones?

At least they could have given us wireless charging. I guess we'll get that next year and Apple will market it as being innovative.

I guess to some as long as the hype machine Jony Ive can use big words, people will still buy whatever Tim Cook is selling.

 

[Michael Scrip]

For all anyone knows, the new iPhones will bomb because people want a standard headphone jack. In that sense, dropping tech is a bit of gamble.

How many people? Most of them? All of them?

Surely Apple did some research in relation to this.

I can think of four types of people:

1. Those who never plug anything into the 3.5mm headphone jack
2. Those who always use the included headphones
3. Those who use Bluetooth headphones and/or Bluetooth in the car
4. Those who rely on the 3.5mm headphone jack

I would imagine that #1, #2 and #3 combined are the majority of iPhone users. Just a gut feeling I have.

And for those who are #4... they still have the option of using a 3" extension cable (dongle, included) with their 3rd-party headphones.

I'm thinking Apple weighed the pros/cons on this matter. And they decided the jack could go.

 

[ActionableMango]

Great, sounds like I can hang a dongle the size of an iPhone off of my iPhone

If you are picturing an iPhone-sized dongle coming off of your iPhone and then attached to analog headphones, then you don't understand what's happening.

 

[Glideslope]

I have a feeling Jet Black is going to be the best selling iPhone color of all time.

Can't wait for my Jet Black 7+

I agree. Going to need a high quality Clear Case however. Going to be mandatory.

 

[Michael Scrip]

In the high tech industry, a data plan is both a service and a product. In either instance, you are consuming data. Well, not literally. But in response to your initial post, services, in whatever shape or form, are the product of combined labor and technology. In most cases, technology becomes cheaper as more people use it. So unless phone companies are investing more in infrastructure or new technologies, I don't see any reaosn why the price of "service" as you refer to it should increase.

Carriers spend BILLIONS a quarter on infrastructure. One year in particular... AT&T spent $21 Billion.

That's why they typically don't offer lower prices for their customers.

 

[flat five]

So how am I supposed to charge my iPhone and listen to music at the same time on if I'm listening via non-bluetooth or non-AirPods head/earphones?

if you buy a 7 and want to charge & aux tether at the same time, it's looking like you'll need something like this: