Early iPhone 7 Case Has No Headphone Jack and Stereo Speaker Cutouts

[lagwagon]

Yeah seems pointless for that reason alone. I wonder how I'll attach my 500$ headphones to this. Do I always have to carry a ****ing dongle in my pocket now?

A second speaker is likely just something to fill the space created by removing the jack and not the reason behind such a big move.

Or keep it attached to your headphones and not "carry it always", you'll have to pocket it of you the headphones on something else though. It's also possible your headphones that cost $500 will sound better than they ever have when connected to the Lightning (via adapter) vs 3.5mm on the phone. Which, if you're spending $500 on headphones you at least care a bit about audio quality and would be a gain.

 

[hachre]

Or keep it attached to your headphones and not "carry it always", you'll have to pocket it of you the headphones on something else though.

Yeah, I'd have to pocket it cause I swap between my laptop and my phone.

 

[ReneR]

Have you used bluetooth headphones? Or bluetooth speakers or stereo airplay?

It's time to ditch the decades old headphone jack. Apple is the only company that will push the industry forward.

You must have missed parts of the thread where I explained it, even linked to my soon 6 year old post where I explain how to tweak Mac OS X bitrate to make it sound less crappy:

http://rene.rebe.de/2010-05-08/tip-of-the-week-fixup-mac-os-x-a2dp-bitrate/

How is removing a perfectly fine universal standard port in favor of some proprietary connector that does not work with the rest of the world devices (think your TV, PS4, airplane, ... hundred other good examples), may not allow charging while listening, or bluetooth headsets that are just another gadget waiting to be charged "moving the industry forward" ???

Some people really accept everything in Apple's reality distortion field, ...

 

[Burger Thing]

A second speaker is likely just something to fill the space created by removing the jack and not the reason behind such a big move.

Or keep it attached to your headphones and not "carry it always", you'll have to pocket it of you the headphones on something else though. It's also possible your headphones that cost $500 will sound better than they ever have when connected to the Lightning (via adapter) vs 3.5mm on the phone. Which, if you're spending $500 on headphones you at least care a bit about audio quality and would be a gain.

I am sure you know, that it won't be a simple Adapter. It has to be a Dongle with a Digital-Analog-Converter inside. So you will have a DAC inside your phone to drive the Dual Speakers, which is bypassed. Signals pass via the Lightning Port to a second DAC which then have to convert the digital signals into something your ears can make sense off: an analog signal. Surprise: the 3.5 mm Audio Jack provides exactly that.

Sounds not really convenient to me. Especially since we have the option of external DAC already on today's iPhone. So in aboves example with the 500$ headphones: he could connect it via the Lightning Port with his present phone if he desired.

Not exactly directed at you but reading through the threads about the iPhone 7 I have the feeling that many posters knowledge about the removal of the port is:

3.5mm Audio Jack -> Analog -> bad vs. Lightning -> Digital -> good

That the digital signal has to be converted somewhere down the line to an analog one in order to be heard, seems to be 'forgotten'.

 

[lagwagon]

Just a thought to a possible legitimate reason why the jack could be removed.

Apple has been working on wireless charging technology that works through metal (aluminum) stated in some rumours.

Apple doing wireless charging has also been rumoured to hit as soon as the 7s in 2017.

It's currently rumoured for the 7 to move the antennas off the very back of the phone this year.

Having the antenna bands not as spread out (meaning two more solid or thicker bands instead of each too and bottom split into two, basically being 4 bands and spread out more) could have cause interference with the audio coming from the jack.

Having this new wireless charging through metal perhaps could also have caused interference with the audio coming from the jack.

Seeing as Apple doesn't redesign after only one year and they basically use the same chassis for two years. They would have to remove the jack (and move the antennas) in the 7 to accommodate the planned wireless charging planned for the 7s.

TL : DR
Since they use the same design and chassis for two years, the overall design from the beginning has to be done to fit their plans of the second year. So it's possible if wireless charging rumours for 2017 are true and it did in fact create interference. Some changes (nixed 3.5m jack and moved antennas) are seen earlier in the 7 because they are part of the overall design that were mandatory for the 7s.

Some could argue it's a stretch, but it all kinda links a few rumours together IMO. Definitely could be 100% wrong. But it's possible.
[doublepost=1457600892][/doublepost]

I am sure you know, that it won't be a simple Adapter. It has to be a Dongle with a Digital-Analog-Converter inside. So you will have a DAC inside your phone to drive the Dual Speakers, which is bypassed. Signals pass via the Lightning Port to a second DAC which then have to convert the digital signals into something your ears can make sense off: an analog signal. Surprise: the 3.5 mm Audio Jack provides exactly that.

Sounds not really convenient to me. Especially since we have the option of external DAC already on today's iPhone. So in aboves example with the 500$ headphones: he could connect it via the Lightning Port with his present phone if he desired.

Not exactly directed at you but reading through the threads about the iPhone 7 I have the feeling that many posters knowledge about the removal of the port is:

3.5mm Audio Jack -> Analog -> bad vs. Lightning -> Digital -> good

That the digital signal has to be converted somewhere down the line to an analog one in order to be heard, seems to be 'forgotten'.

I'm aware that a DAC needs to be included in the adapter. Doesn't need to be much larger if at all than the volume/mic controls in the current stock EarPods though. Some headphones already have their own DAC/AMP built into the cables like that or right into the cans (ear cups)

 

[Dammit Cubs]

No headphone jack doesn't bother me because I use a portable DAC and AMP anyways.

 

[lagwagon]

Some people really accept everything in Apple's reality distortion field

Or they're simply not putting the cart before the horse. (IE not getting upset before being informed)

 

[Col4bin]

4 years ?
Current iPhone design is from late 2014...

4 years, yes. Assuming: A.) Apple maintains the current iPhone release strategy, and B.) If rumors are true that the current iPhone build and general aesthetics will remain largely unchanged on the iPhone 7 series (including 3.5 mm headphone jack removal).

1. 2014 iPhone 6
2. 2015 iPhone 6S
3. 2016 iPhone 7
4. 2017 iPhone 7S
[doublepost=1457603529][/doublepost]

well... my iphone4s is coming to the end of its life, and between the idea that the 3.5mm plug needs removed and the current exchange rates screwing pricing, I wonder what android can offer me.

If you're going to do it, go all in on the Nexus flagship this Fall.
[doublepost=1457603974][/doublepost]

Totally agree with you. Way to early to see any type of prototype cases. Usually you don't see these until about mid-late August before the September announcement.

We hear these same arguments as yours every single year, and every single year these early leaks come true. Welcome to Mac Rumors.

 

[The Game 161]

As long as they improve certain areas like wireless charging, water proof maybe. Adding improvements with 3D Touch will help.

Bluetooth earbuds is hardly an issue. If it means less bizels then it's worth it for me.

 

[shaunp]

Have you used bluetooth headphones? Or bluetooth speakers or stereo airplay?

It's time to ditch the decades old headphone jack. Apple is the only company that will push the industry forward.

Why? Bluetooth headphones require charging, cabled ones do not. I have bluetooth headphones sat in a drawer unused because of the need to recharge them. My Shure SE535's go everywhere with me as they have a nice cable that fits my iPhone, iPad and my laptop.

I appreciate that you like Bluetooth and yes Apple should support this. It shouldn't however remove choices where there is no good reason to do so. This isn't progressive, it's arrogant and pisses customers off. If this is removed from future iPhones I wouldn't bother buying another one.

Apples designers need a reality check. They might be selling loads, but that will stop if they keep pissing off the user base
[doublepost=1457608076][/doublepost]

You're right, but the pain during the transition for a lot of people will still be real.

No he's not right. It's a dumb idea.

 

[beanbaguk]

How is it that Audeze Sine headphones that have swappable cables (one cable for using with 3.5mm and one cable for using with Lightning that the user can swap out) sound dramatically better while using the Lightning cable vs when using the 3.5mm cable?

Lightning in the end will sound superior.

It's not like people will have to lug around some massive adapter to use their 3.5mm sets. Does extending the cable 2-3 inches with the adapter really inconvenience people that much? Just leave it permanently connected as if the cable was always that extra 2-3 inches longer, and remove when needed in another device. So hard!

Also, why have 2 ports on a phone that both output audio? Removing redundancy is pretty important when every mm is quite valuable.

You're talking about a high-end $499 set of headphones. As I've iterated many times, audio quality is determined by the quality of the DAC and from the brief research I've done on the Audeze Sine headphones, they are using a high quality DAC pushing up the price of the headphones by $50. Costs that you and I as consumers will have to absorb.

On top of this, I'm not quite sure how you have this cable as it won't ship until April so how do you know it's better?

Ultimately, adapters will exist but unnecessary costs will be passed onto the consumers. It's just not needed and the only entity that will gain significantly will be Apple.

Consumers will be forced to carry multiple adapters for each device type. I for example use my headphones with my Windows work laptop, my MacBook Pro at home and my iPhone. I also use it with my iPad and when I'm flying long-haul, on the plane. Same headphones. Now needing two adapters. It's total stupidity.
[doublepost=1457608900][/doublepost]

1 adapter=drawer full

Damn. Do people always talk in these apocalyptic exaggerations?

Hardly an exaggeration. I have Ethernet adapters, lightning cables, 30pin to lightning adapters, and now as others have said if I stick with Apple, I'll need a lightning to 3.5mm adapter.

 

[ValO]

Just give us a thinner iPhone 6, without the lines, camera sticking out, less bezel, shrink down the chins a little.
A faster soc, better cams, higher res display and same or better battery life.
And I' ll be happy.

 

[PlainviewX]

Or maybe they are just there for bedside mode, which is how I use my phone at night. Or maybe they are not both speakers.

Stereo speakers on the same side of the phone so you could put it on your nightstand where it's directed at only one ear?

 

[iShater]

If the rumors are true, there will be wired headphones in the box with the iPhone, which won't require charging.

Interesting, as I haven't heard about that. So how will I charge the phone on the train using a powerbrick and watch my favorite shows?

 

[mantan]

As long as they improve certain areas like wireless charging, water proof maybe. Adding improvements with 3D Touch will help.

When we hear wireless charging, what's the general consensus on what that would be? Is it like a 'charging pad' that Sausung current uses? Where the pad is charged into the wall and you place the phone on it? I've seen those and they seem like a baby step in the right direction...mostly because the wireless mat charges much slower than plugging it in. And since the mat is usually plugged into the wall less than a foot away, the convenience factor is minimal. (I guess it would be easier to charge multiple devices.

It seems like for Wireless charging to be done right...and really break the battery constraints of smartphones, there has to be a more 'long distance' option available. Is that what Apple is pushing for in 2017? That seems like it would be more of a 'game changer' than an Apple charging mat.
[doublepost=1457616426][/doublepost]

Interesting, as I haven't heard about that. So how will I charge the phone on the train using a powerbrick and watch my favorite shows?

That is one of the common questions. You'd probably have to buy a set of bluetooth headphones so you can charge your phone while you power it up.

 

[Big_Ant_TV_Media_LLC]

Where is the jack for headphones?

they trying too get rid of it PAY ATTENTION

 

[BuffaloTF]

I'm not sold on no headphone jack, based on these photos. The 5S had 2 "speaker" grills on the bottom and cases were cutout similar to match. One was the microphone, next to the jack, the other was the actual speaker. The 6/6s models were different in that regard with a single dot for the mic and 5 dots for the speaker, so each had individual cutouts in the cases.

 

[doelcm82]

Interesting, as I haven't heard about that. So how will I charge the phone on the train using a powerbrick and watch my favorite shows?

Good question. The included headphones might include a passthrough port. Or Apple might sell the passthrough port as a separate adapter for people who want to charge the iPhone on trains using a powerbrick while watching your favorite shows.

 

[spacemnspiff]

I cant see the design of the iPhone 7 staying the same, every iPhone number (i.e. the 4,5,6 and so on) has had a different design.

iPhone 4 & 5 are the same design but with slightly different form factor, that's 4 generations of iPhone.

 

[rp2011]

iPhone 4 & 5 are the same design but with slightly different form factor, that's 4 generations of iPhone.

What? I think you mean completely different in every way.

 

[shaunp]

As long as they improve certain areas like wireless charging, water proof maybe. Adding improvements with 3D Touch will help.

Bluetooth earbuds is hardly an issue. If it means less bizels then it's worth it for me.

Wireless charging as it is today is useless as you have to put the phone on a mat to charge it. You might as well plug the cable in if you are going to do that.

 

[Ghost31]

Hardly an exaggeration. I have Ethernet adapters, lightning cables, 30pin to lightning adapters, and now as others have said if I stick with Apple, I'll need a lightning to 3.5mm adapter.

Just wondering? What do you have all those adapters for? As someone that hasn't needed a single adapter, I'm curious

 

[marty1980]

When video went through the analog to digital transition it was S-Video (which was around for a while) and DVI+Optical and eventually settled on HDMI as a standard as things improved and got the industry thinking of a better solution. Blending both video and audio into one cable. Simple, easy, insanely higher quality is what we got in the end.

This is a problem with your line of thinking on the issue. Analog to S-Video to DVI-Optical to HDMI, etc... This is an industry standard that changed over time. Most devices during transition had both the previous standard connector and the new connector. Every TV, no matter the manufacturer, would use the current standard and maybe offer one or two ports of the older standard for customer appreciation.

The thing that's majorly different here is that Lightning is not a standard. It's completely Apple proprietary. If Apple wants to change how we listen to audio, they need to start at the industry level and work on a new or updated standard. This is THE REASON why standards exist in the first place... so that all of our technologies can work together.

It seems every other major PC/tablet/phone maker out there is using USB of some form. Because it's a standard. It would make a LOT more sense for Apple to ditch Lightning and use USB. Sure, there may be some downsides to this, but there wouldn't be if Apple would help to build the standard so that it fits their needs as well as others in the industry and doesn't cause inconveniences or frustrations for the end-users. Or heck, work on making Lightning THE standard so that this isn't a problem.

In 2016, removing the 3.5mm jack is a problem because there is no standard to replace it.

 

[wdfly]

So, there's room for stereo speakers instead of a 3.5mm audio pin. I love it.

i wonder who the board will appoint as CEO to bring back the 3.5mm pin for the 7s.

i believe removing the headphone jack will be a huge mistake. i have many times gone to the local park to walk only to have forgotten my bluetooth headset and have to pull my spare set of headphones out of the glove box. i don't want another lightning adapter for headphones.

keep the jack!

 

[Max(IT)]

I have a feeling Apple will just deem supplying Lightning EarPods as adequate enough and sell the adapter. Which I agree would be wrong. They should include one to help mitigate making such a big move.

They may also not give the "real" reason for its demise right away if their plans include something in 2017 or later to "complete" the process of why it was removed as to not show their hand of future plans.

Lightning EarPods would be enough for me, but surely not for people who invested in high end 3,4mm headsets...
An adapter should be included.
AT this time I can't see a reason to get rid of the 3,5mm jack, but I'm positive Apple's engineers aren't completely idiots, so if this rumor is true, they should have a good motivation.