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Barclays Predicts 2018 iPhones Won't Come Bundled With Lightning to Headphone Jack Adapter
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Except what I just provided was evidence that they could fit the jack in the phone. Obviously they spend R&D money, but that doesn't mean they spend it wisely.
Why buy something you don’t need? Most of the 215+ million iPhones Apple sells every year don’t have a headphone jack. Apple maybe ships somewhere around 175 million adapters.
Most people don’t use the adapter. So there’s maybe 125 million headphone adapters going into a drawer or the garbage, every year. What a waste.
If only 50 million people need the adapter, why should the other 125 million pay for something useless (to them)? Because that’s what’s happening. Everyone is paying for that “free” adapter, whether they need/want it or not.
It makes more sense for the people who want one to fork over the $9. If everyone used it, sure include it and everyone will be happy. But really it’s a waste of money and resources to include it in every box, when most don’t use, need or want it.
(Assuming for the moment the analyst’s guess is correct.)
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Keep in mind to fit the headphone jack if you watched the video he had to get rid of the taptic engine because there wasn't enough space.
Right, because he had to work within the constraints of the existing layout. Apple can move **** around willy nilly, they could have made it fit.
Everyone is going to pay for that "free" adapter even when there is no "free" adapter. The price isn't going to change regardless if it's there or not. What about all the lightning earbuds that people don't use? Isn't that wasteful too?
I see how you're thinking about the environment, but perhaps Apple should try harder on not creating so many non-upgradable devices. Many good Apple devices/accessories become outdated because either we want to upgrade to the latest OR Apple passively forces us to upgrade. These require a completely separate purchase, which encourages people to keep/throw their electronics.
So you're saying that it's wasteful for Apple to package the adapter if an arbitrary amount of people don't use it, even though of the high likelihood that Apple will charge the same price for the unit. But it's also OK for Apple to continue their practices to encourage frequent upgrading of their hardware/accessories, which have an indirect impact on the environment as well as gaining more profit for their shareholders and alleged world domination.
Both choices are poison
1) re eliminating Lightning headphones: if you want to make a case for that, there is an argument to be made. Apple has always provided headphones (and power adapters) but maybe they are just a waste at this point? Maybe stop including them in every box, but sell them for $4-5 to whomever wants one. I would say give them out free, but human nature is people like free stuff, so aEveryone is going to pay for that "free" adapter even when there is no "free" adapter. The price isn't going to change regardless if it's there or not. What about all the lightning earbuds that people don't use? Isn't that wasteful too?
I see how you're thinking about the environment, but perhaps Apple should try harder on not creating so many non-upgradable devices. Many good Apple devices/accessories become outdated because either we want to upgrade to the latest OR Apple passively forces us to upgrade. These require a completely separate purchase, which encourages people to keep/throw their electronics.
So you're saying that it's wasteful for Apple to package the adapter if an arbitrary amount of people don't use it, even though of the high likelihood that Apple will charge the same price for the unit. But it's also OK for Apple to continue their practices to encourage frequent upgrading of their hardware/accessories, which have an indirect impact on the environment as well as gaining more profit for their shareholders and alleged world domination.
Both choices are poison
But since there’s no 3.5mm jack, my guess is that Apple thinks there are enough users who want to use headphones, and would be disappointed with not being able to use any headphones they already have, that it’s a customer satisfaction problem if none are included.
2) The smaller and more integrated devices get, the less upgradeable they are. Apple Watch isn’t upgradeable, nor is the iPhone or iPad. But 4-5 year old devices are still in use, plenty of iPhone 4S from 2011 are still in use, even older phones. But at a certain point older devices don’t have enough horsepower to run well, though batteries can be replaced as they begin to perform poorly, to give them new life.
3) Apple’s computers have a longer life cycle than many other manufacturers. Memory upgrades are probably the most life-prolonging upgrade for laptops, but the LPDDR3 Apple and other manufacturers use must be soldered, it doesn’t exist in a socketed form. New generations of CPUs often require new supporting chipsets, so CPU upgrades are not usually possible. (Also for reasons of space and reliability, they use BGA packaging that is soldered.)
4) I don’t necessarily think Apple encourages frequent upgrading, except for maybe the iPhone upgrade plan. But that is customer driven, Apple is just giving (some) people what they want. Of course the shareholders want profit but I’m not sure about that world domination thing
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Apple provided a headphone jack until the iPhone 7, of course they could have continued putting one in for another 10 years if that were a priority. They chose not to, for a variety of reasons. It’s been discussed endlessly.
Apple is selling 215 million iPhones a year, so it’s apparent that many people don’t care about the loss of the headphone jack. Apple tends to target the 90% of users, knowing that not everyone will be satisfied. They’re well aware they can’t please everyone, and it’s hard to say they ever tried.
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It’s hilarious how people love to slam Apple for this. They’re including perfectly usable wired headphones in the box...
It will have been 2 years since they ditched the headphone jack. You’ve had fair warning.
Are the portable Bluetooth receivers that can accept a 3.5mm headphone jack any good? I use high-end in-ears for studio work and while traveling. These types of in-ears won't be bluetooth or lightning enabled anytime soon, if ever. Just curious.
I love my Bluetooth headphones however not having an adapter is cheap, they even no longer have the headphones case!
They HAVE TO include Bluetooth headphones or their very own mantra of Bluetooth wireless is better is VOID. You can’t claim to be the future then use wires and an adapter!
They HAVE TO include Bluetooth headphones or their very own mantra of Bluetooth wireless is better is VOID. You can’t claim to be the future then use wires and an adapter!
Or no longer buy iPhones.
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Most people who prefer wired headphones, especially when traveling, use devices with the 3.5 phone jack. That's another way of saying they don't buy iPhones anymore. This is a reasonable move by Apple, as the folks that still buy iPhones post 6S don't care about wired headphones, at least for use with their phones. That's why you hear so many on this forum piping up "Good riddance, I never used the dongle anyway."
Bluetooth headphones all the way! They are so good now. If I run out of power I can use my earpods while they charge!
Define 'perfectly useable'. They are not perfect for my use, which is why I would not use them.
Can you explain why wired headphones are a "legacy" device? The majority of all devices being manufactured which provide audio have a headphone socket.
This goes across Apple laptops/tablets, the majority of Android phones sold, amplifiers/stereo systems, games consoles, probably all windows laptops, Chromebooks etc etc etc.
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So I take it that Apple don't provide headphone sockets on any of their tablets and laptops.
I don't think Apple would remove the adapter. If ever, the lightning earpods would go first. Despite the seemingly "cost cutting" Apple did (by not including the plastic case for the earpods), at least they still maintain the same number of main accessories after the first iPhones, mainly a USB cable, AC adapter, and earbuds.
Look at Google Pixel 2. They charged premium price, yet don't even bother to include a USB-C earbud. Many Android phones don't include earbuds anymore, and some are even skipping the AC adapter. Some OEMs that ditched the headphone jack don't even bother giving you an adapter (ie. HTC).
Look at Google Pixel 2. They charged premium price, yet don't even bother to include a USB-C earbud. Many Android phones don't include earbuds anymore, and some are even skipping the AC adapter. Some OEMs that ditched the headphone jack don't even bother giving you an adapter (ie. HTC).
I think “legacy” is the wrong term here. Rather, it’s more that Apple has a very specific experience in mind for the user (iPhone, Apple Watch, Airpods, AirPower) and their design decisions is geared towards enabling this setup (as well as steering users towards it through the removal of the headphone jack).
To all those saying to adopt AirPods... I may be in the minority here (though I'm hardly alone), but Apple's AirPods quite simply won't fit in my ears. At best they barely "hang" in there for a few seconds before they slip out. And don't even try chewing or yawning, or sneezing, or using them in the gym because that's causes the pods to fall out or get ejected right away. AirPods quite simply are not an option for me. I wish Apple would acknowledge that not all ears out there are one size fits all.
So for me it's either full on headphones, (not very practical in many every day life situations), or get in-ear pods with earhooks. The latter Apple frustratingly don't make. So it's on to other brands yet again. Sometimes I wonder why I still bother with Apple, their current product line has more holes than Swiss cheese.
So for me it's either full on headphones, (not very practical in many every day life situations), or get in-ear pods with earhooks. The latter Apple frustratingly don't make. So it's on to other brands yet again. Sometimes I wonder why I still bother with Apple, their current product line has more holes than Swiss cheese.
This is one of the reasons why Apple's revenue continue to increase. As they take away standard features, you end up having to buy adapters and other accessories. Take a look at the current Macbook too.