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Could Apple ditch the 3.5mm stereo jack?

K

Kingmoak

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 9, 2014
16
0
I have been thinking for a while Apple will remove the 3.5mm stereo jack.
With the removal of the 30pin the thickness of the iPhone is dependent on stereo jack, The iPhone 6/6s could be the last phone we see with a stereo jack. Apple could make a lightning headphones and a lightning to 3.5mm adapters. Buying Beats could give them another brand to support lightning headphones/earphones. Now with news of Apple adding hd audio to Lightning (https://www.macrumors.com/2014/05/13/hd-audio-ios-8-new-in-ear-headphones-lightning/) they could offer higher quality audio as well.

This is all dependent on Apple releasing the Lightning spec to the public for general use much like MiniDisplayPort, this also leads to my theory of Lightning replacing USB-c as an IO connector. I wrote about that in theverge http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/28/5...ded-lightning-connector-and-a-great-jerk-move

Thoughts?
 
This is the standard. I really do not think or at least hope they do not ditch it. Proprietary earbuds and the like will be terrible. Think about it. Do you really want to be pigeonholed into buying earbuds or headphones that APPLE wants you to buy? I do not.

In this case, I would stick to my bluetooth wireless and just hope battery life isn't terrible.
 
Terrible idea. I don't want to have to pick from 5 pairs of overpriced proprietary earbuds.

Also, Apple doesn't need to get rid of the jack to make the iPhone thinner--it is thin enough. I don't understand the obsession with thin devices--it was great at first to reduce bulk and weight but past a certain point a super thin smartphone becomes too difficult to hold comfortably.
 
iPhaithful said:
The 3.5mm jack is far too universal to do away with.
Click to expand...

Let's hope so, but there is a 2.5mm one, but I wouldn't want to have to use an adapter to plug in my headphones.

My wife used to have a Samsung phone that had a weird headphone jack that she had to buy a specific set of headphones to work. That sucked.

I wouldn't want to have to carry one of these around, but most of the time I use my bluetooth headphones anyway.

oc-053_pho_bia.jpg
 
I agree the Camera should dictate the thickness, but the 3.5mm jack takes up more space than the camera. space that could be added to battery or whatever.
3.5mm is the standard because it took over from 1/4 inch phone connector, which was the standard too for about 100 years. There is another standard that is already in the iPhone and its Bluetooth, granted not as high quality and battery life are issues.

Replacing 3.5mm is dependent on Apple releasing the lightning spec open for any headphone maker or phone maker to use in order to make it a standard. As well as having the lightning connector take over USB-c.
 
I would like to hope Apple learned their lesson with the original iPhone and the forced proprietaryism (Not a word I know) of the headphone jack. It is far to much of a standard and would be really disadvantageous to a device that still is highly touted at a media player.
 
Personally I have NEVER, ONCE used the audio port. I wouldn't miss it. I also haven't used the cd slot on my Mac mini in over 3 years. Hah! I know usually its nice to have more options than not, but eh. I don't use them.
 
Squid7085 said:
I would like to hope Apple learned their lesson with the original iPhone and the forced proprietaryism (Not a word I know) of the headphone jack. It is far to much of a standard and would be really disadvantageous to a device that still is highly touted at a media player.
Click to expand...


What lesson from the original iPhone? Did they have something other than the 3.5mm headphone jack?

:confused:
 
You honestly think just by opening up Lightning Apple will be able to supplant USB, whether it be USB C or any other variation? Let's see, how did that go for them with FireWire? How's it going for them with Thunderbolt?

Oh, and if you were to ask someone to name a connector that's still around today and has been around longer than USB, one of the first ones that would come to mind is the 3.5mm headphone jack. When Apple brought out the 3G, they actually touted the fact that it worked with more headphones as a feature.

----------
TheAppleFairy said:
What lesson from the original iPhone? Did they have something other than the 3.5mm headphone jack?

:confused:
Click to expand...

The jack was 3.5mm, but it was recessed and the opening around the jack was so narrow that most headphones would not fit. Aside from Apple's, there were only a handful of headphones on the market that could fit inside.
 
Kingmoak said:
I have been thinking for a while Apple will remove the 3.5mm stereo jack.
With the removal of the 30pin the thickness of the iPhone is dependent on stereo jack, The iPhone 6/6s could be the last phone we see with a stereo jack. Apple could make a lightning headphones and a lightning to 3.5mm adapters. Buying Beats could give them another brand to support lightning headphones/earphones. Now with news of Apple adding hd audio to Lightning (https://www.macrumors.com/2014/05/13/hd-audio-ios-8-new-in-ear-headphones-lightning/) they could offer higher quality audio as well.

This is all dependent on Apple releasing the Lightning spec to the public for general use much like MiniDisplayPort, this also leads to my theory of Lightning replacing USB-c as an IO connector. I wrote about that in theverge http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/28/5...ded-lightning-connector-and-a-great-jerk-move

Thoughts?
Click to expand...


I too have been wondering about this for a long time.

For apple to successfully ditch it, however, they would have to create an alternative that is just as simple as a 3,5 mm jack - not an easy task. Your idea with the lightening adapter is an interesting one although I do not know if it will work nicely.
 
Kingmoak said:
...The iPhone 6/6s could be the last phone we see with a stereo jack. Apple could make a lightning headphones and a lightning to 3.5mm adapters...
Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Lightning is a digital jack and not analog out. This would mean that any headphones would require an external D/A converter (while one is built into the iDevice) that requires power (*batteries), extra space and extra (huge) costs. Any Lightning to 3.5mm would also require an external D/A converter.

This would make Apple's earbuds 4x as expensive and require a large/heavy "box" (for the A/D) to be built into the cord.

There is no chance of this happening.

*EDIT: Lightning could supply the power for the A/D circuits as it does in the 30 pin adaptor.
 
Last edited:
im sorry to say but 3.5 jack will see the last 2 years in Apple products now with them working for new in ear headphone with lightning connector for HD audio
 
I think they could ditch the headphone jack in favor of custom lighting headphones; I wouldnt think it a good idea to do so. I want a thin phone just as much as the next guy, but a 5.5" iPhone that is less thick than a headphone jack? The fragility of the phone would be way up.
 
556fmjoe said:
Yeah but so was VGA, HDMI, SATA, etc.

It would be a dumb idea, but completely consistent with Apple's obsession with proprietary-ness.
Click to expand...

I agree. The proprietary nature of charging or data connectors is irrelevant to a point but the most basic of functions any music player offers is a choice of earphones. I'm sure some fanboy will chime in about how excellent Apple's earphones are but I, like loads of people, don't value such a closed and biased opinion and no standard earphone connector would mean I'd have to look at other smartphones instead after my iPhone 5 is out of contract.
 
Once bluetooth headphones come way down on price, the headphone jack will go the way of the dodo bird.
I hope apple starts packing bluetooth hps instead of their earbuds
 
In theory, this idea sounds plausible. In reality, far too many people use the 3.5mm jack for Apple to remove it.

Personally, I would hate it because I often listen to music through headphones while I charge my phone. No way I would give that up, never mind having to buy either an adapter or more expensive headphones.
 
Kingmoak said:
I agree the Camera should dictate the thickness, but the 3.5mm jack takes up more space than the camera. space that could be added to battery or whatever.
3.5mm is the standard because it took over from 1/4 inch phone connector, which was the standard too for about 100 years. There is another standard that is already in the iPhone and its Bluetooth, granted not as high quality and battery life are issues.

Replacing 3.5mm is dependent on Apple releasing the lightning spec open for any headphone maker or phone maker to use in order to make it a standard. As well as having the lightning connector take over USB-c.
Click to expand...

move away from 3.5mm and Apple will move away form being the defacto portable music player manufacturer.
3.5mm is too standard to move away from.

i would hate to carry adapters with my headphones/IEM. I think Apple learnt this lesson when they introduced the buttonless ipod shuffle that needed remote adapters to put third party headphones in

sure Apple can make proprietary headphones, but their headphones relatively suck.

Serban said:
im sorry to say but 3.5 jack will see the last 2 years in Apple products now with them working for new in ear headphone with lightning connector for HD audio
Click to expand...

'HD audio' is a gimmick. HD audio that needs a lightning connector headphones is an expensive gimmick
 
Newtons Apple said:
If they stop making the phone even thinner the 3.5mm jack is just fine.

We do not need the phone any thinner, too easy to bend now!:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

It's not out and you are saying it's too thin. Go test one out at the store when it comes out before making that argument.
 
God I hope not. That would be a horrible idea. It's plenty thin now and doesn't need to get any thinner. I hate the dongle thing you have to use for the lifeproof case to use most aux cords. I sure wouldn't want to carry around another adapter or lose he ability to use any headphones I like.
 
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