All iPads Bye bye headphone jacks?

[macduke]

Behold, the mighty headphone jack. One of the oldest ports on modern devices, it has stood the test of time. Or at least it did—until now?

I just took my iPad Air 2 out of its case for the first time since I bought it about a week ago. I've never really taken a good look at the design, so I set aside some time to admire the craftsmanship. I ran my fingers along the chamfered edge, noting the newly recessed volume buttons and distinct lack of a mute/rotation switch. Yes, that switch—that switch which probably met its demise due to Apple's obsession with ever-thinner devices. The sacrificial switch, as it were, which shows that Apple is not afraid to reduce their product at the expense of functionality. I carefully placed it beside the iPad Mini 2 on my desk and it's incredible how this new Air even makes the Mini look a little on the chunky side.

I continued on with the inspection of my shiny new slab. As I rounded the corner of the device I noticed something was off. The headphone jack, or rather, the size of the headphone jack in relation to the device itself. Upon further inspection I realized the iPad itself cannot get much thinner without necessitating a new kind of headphone jack, or by eliminating it and using Bluetooth headphones. I suppose an alternative is the alleged Lightning port audio stuff that Apple has been working on. But we also have to remember that this is eventually going to be a problem for other manufacturers as well. The headphone port is probably the longest lasting port of all time and in a couple of years it might be time to finally say goodbye.

Just remember not to freak out when this inevitably happens.

 

[daijholt]

Latest rumour suggest Apple are infusing Beats headphones with Bluetooth LE, which is precisely what we would need if the headphone jack goes bye bye.

Coincidence?

 

[Chundles]

Lightning headphones have already been patented and are part of the MFI program. We'll see them soon.

 

[tarasis]

I've been waiting years for anyone to replace the existing small headphone jack with something smaller. It amazes me somewhat that it hasn't happened yet.

 

[saltd]

I'd be pretty disappointed if they didn't keep some sort of wired connection in place. A lot of people with high end headphones would also feel the same way.

So yeah, Apple will likely get rid of the headphone jack.

 

[Hammie]

Or Micro-USB headphones if they want to keep a separate port from the lightning port.

 

[Newtons Apple]

I agree we are moving away from wired headphones. BT works great and once you cut the cord . . . . . .

I hope the hell that Apple does not make it's devices any thinner. Tired of hearing about people bending their phone and tablets.

Apple needs to get over the thin crap!

 

[Saturn1217]

If Apple gets rid of the standard headphone jack they will have to seriously improve the hardware in some other way to keep me as a customer. A $10 pair of ear buds is currently sufficient for me to enjoy my ipad audio. I'm not paying for fancy bluetooth headphones that might not work correctly with my other devices (not all iOS). I would have to imagine that most general consumers would notice the lack of such a standard port. And there are no indications that headphone usage is decreasing in the way that dvd use was decreasing when Apple removed the optical drive from macs.

It would be a HUGE mistake IMHO to make the iPad any thinner.

 

[JoEw]

I feel a lightening adapter will pop up soon, I fully expect the headphone jack to leave eventually, I have a feeling apple might include lightening headphones as well to transition users correctly for those are are confused.

 

[urkel]

Replace an accepted standard with something overpriced and over complicated to do the exact same thing? Im pretty sure the Jony Ive video is already in production.

(BTW, I'm not against the idea of Apple Beats headphones. I just don't think that they'll be FREE Apple Beats Headphones.)

 

[mercuryjones]

Personally, I'm looking forward to the next iDevice with either a wired Lightning headphone included or even Beats bluetooth wireless headphones.
At this point, anything wired is becoming outdated. And, I'm sure that Apple will come out with a Lightning adapter for a wired headset, if you want it.

 

[Apple fanboy]

If or when it goes, I'm sure there will be plenty of lightning to standard headphone jack adaptors on the market.

 

[sviato]

If Apple is facing this problem, then other companies will too. I think if a few big companies made a push for newer technology and ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack then consumers may start to shift to it. Otherwise, people will be just pissed that a bunch of their accessories won't work anymore and it'll be different than the change to the lightning port since the headphone jack is universal.

I don't think the lightning port is a good idea for headphones either. Personally, I listen to music while charging my phone fairly often and don't want to see this go.

 

[Night Spring]

I agree wired headsets are on their way out. The Apple Watch is further incentive to drop wired headphones, considering how awkward it will be to have a wire running from wrist to head. So definitely, Bluetooth in, wired out.

 

[Pat too]

Well, there's always the 2.5mm jack (as seen on some old Pocket PCs) if Apple and consumers aren't quite ready for Lightning connector headphones.

 

[MrXiro]

If Apple gets rid of the standard headphone jack they will have to seriously improve the hardware in some other way to keep me as a customer. A $10 pair of ear buds is currently sufficient for me to enjoy my ipad audio. I'm not paying for fancy bluetooth headphones that might not work correctly with my other devices (not all iOS). I would have to imagine that most general consumers would notice the lack of such a standard port. And there are no indications that headphone usage is decreasing in the way that dvd use was decreasing when Apple removed the optical drive from macs.

It would be a HUGE mistake IMHO to make the iPad any thinner.

They'd probably sell you a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter... maybe give one away with each iOS device for the first gen of the headphone jack less model.

Come to think of it I don't think I ever use headphones with my iPad. I airplay to the nearest stereo usually and if I'm on the road I'm using my headphones (75% of the time using a BT headphone)

 

[zhenya]

Any adapter will necessarily have a DAC contained in it, which means it's not going to be cheap or compact. (Something like the 30-pin adapter) I already use the Lightning connection with an external DAC for most of headphone listening, but it will be interesting to see how Apple makes this acceptable for the mass-market.

 

[Serban]

the only reason that the headphone jack to be remove is for the device get thinner
But look at our ipad air 2 because of the 6.1mm profile if you press from behind just a little the screen pops out, so with a thinner design...

 

[Billy95Tech]

I really hope Apple won't remove the 3.5mm headphone jack because when i buy a ipad in the future because i always have my headphones plugged in the 3.5mm headphone jack to listen to videos/music on my tablets all the time.

 

[boast]

Fiio would have a more sales on thunderbolt to 3.5mm portable headphone amps. Would suck having more things to carry around, but maybe they can include an external battery in there too.

 

[Mivo]

How thin is desirable, though? I feel that the Air 2 is as thin as I'm comfortable with. Thinner, and I'd worry about the device getting bent more.

I have several high-end headphones, and I'd not super happy if I couldn't use them or needed yet another adapter. Slightly unrelated, I'd love a second Lightning port.

 

[sanke1]

We would have regressed in to pre 2007 days where every manufacturer and their dog had a proprietary head phone connector.

That would truly suck. I dont want them to make iPad any more thinner and sacrifice my expensive earphones and battery life.

If earphones socket is removed and we are left with lightning port only, how will you simultaneously use earphones and charge your iPad?

Makes me want to go on a roadrage and perform few road kills.

 

[Night Spring]

If earphones socket is removed and we are left with lightning port only, how will you simultaneously use earphones and charge your iPad?

Bluetooth.

 

[ron7624]

I've not owned a bluetooth music only headphone or earbuds for my idevices . I do have every level of cell phone ear bud and even a multi thousand dollar hearing aid that connects to my iPhone via Bluetooth.
What an expensive joke. Imo, they are useless

 

[Night Spring]

I've not owned a bluetooth music only headphone or earbuds for my idevices . I do have every level of cell phone ear bud and even a multi thousand dollar hearing aid that connects to my iPhone via Bluetooth.
What an expensive joke. Imo, they are useless

Yes, I've tried several that were useless, but I just got a Bluetooth headset from Bose that works very well.