iPhone 5 Headphone Jack Position

[undies1993]

I find the headphone jack at the top convenient enough, but as the phone is usually in my pocket when I'm using the headphones, it doesn't really matter.
My biggest design beef is with the camera lens location. It should be moved to the opposite edge, near the volume buttons. This would make photography more natural, and reduce the chances of the thumb straying into the pic.

How do you hold it to get your thumb in it?

 

[GoCubsGo]

I don't think I really care all that much. It seems odd to move it but whatever, so long as there is one I'm not picky.

 

[viewfly]

I prefer the top. Works better with my vertical leather flip case and the Morphie Juice Pack.

Plus its better for FaceTime talking if phone rests on table.

I put my phone in shirt pocket for iTunes listening.

But in the end it's not the end of the world. Sort of like the glass back. Not practical but looks nice.

 

[Parkin Pig]

How do you hold it to get your thumb in it?

Like so - it gives a firm grip on the phone while I use the volume button to take photographs. The position you see there is enough to have my thumb in the resulting photo.

I've highlighted where I would prefer the lens to be.

 

[Blakjack]

The chords always in the way when it's on the top. Simple as that.

 

[skidbubble]

Top please. Putting it on the bottom would make the bottom of the phone look too busy and cluttered with speaker grills, dock connector, screws and headphone jack all fighting each other for space on the bottom edge of the phone.

 

[undies1993]

Like so - it gives a firm grip on the phone while I use the volume button to take photographs. The position you see there is enough to have my thumb in the resulting photo.

I've highlighted where I would prefer the lens to be.

I see. Makes sense.

 

[bembol]

I actually like it in the Bottom, less to deal with when using it in the car.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Like so - it gives a firm grip on the phone while I use the volume button to take photographs. The position you see there is enough to have my thumb in the resulting photo.

I've highlighted where I would prefer the lens to be.

Yes! Totally agree.

 

[tigress666]

Bottom. Honestly at first I was confused by the idea of the bottom but when people pointed out some things it makes total sense.

For one I do have a tendency to try to put my phone in my pocket top down, this means I still can do so. It also means the home button is easier reached if I want to take my phone out and look at it (plus the orientation of the phone is such so that I can read it vs. having to turn it around after taking it out of my pocket).

Secondly, all cords will be coming from one end so if for some reason you want the headphones and you are charging it or connected for whatever reason you don't have to worry about a cord coming from each end.

Practicality wise it just makes a lot more sense even if because of convention (from walkmans and on) it seems the top should be where the headphone jack is.

Though in the end it's not a huge concern to me either way, it just makes more sense to be on the bottom but in the end I'm mostly indifferent.



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I find the headphone jack at the top convenient enough, but as the phone is usually in my pocket when I'm using the headphones, it doesn't really matter.
My biggest design beef is with the camera lens location. It should be moved to the opposite edge, near the volume buttons. This would make photography more natural, and reduce the chances of the thumb straying into the pic.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who has this issue. I've found the fix for now is to get used to using the volume button as shutter (I am so used to using the screen and I don't use the camera too much so I keep forgetting I can use the volume button now) cause the way I hold it that way makes it easier to keep my fingers out of the way.

But yeah, I'd prefer the lens to be in the middle top, honestly, or somewhere not on an edge where my finger might get in the way when I'm gripping it.

 

[Sedrick]

I put the phone in my pocket upside down with the screen facing out so I prefer the jack at the bottom.

Good way to shatter your screen first time you catch the corner of a desk (have done).

 

[irDigital0l]

Dont care so bottom is fine.

 

[wiivile]

I kind of want to bring this back up to discuss two things:

1) Doesn't having the headphone jack on the bottom cause the cord to get in the way of your wrists while using the phone more than it does when it's coming out from the top?

2) Doesn't having the headphone jack on the bottom make it harder to put the phone in your shirt pocket?

I'm still not sold on this design, and I'm kind of surprised that Apple never addressed this change, in the keynote or on the website or anything... usually they trumpet a change like this as being 'better' in some way..

 

[Dkorda]

Keep it on top. Hate the bottom.

 

[Nikos]

Bottom will be much better IMO.

 

[wiivile]

I have been holding my phone upside down and backwards all week to try to prepare myself for the iPhone 5, and I'm still not understanding the advantages of having the jack on the bottom... aside from putting phone in pants pocket.

 

[chrislaw]

My phone spends nearly all of its time on my desk when I'm listening to music at work through my earphones. It almost always spins so the jack is closest to me causing the phone to be upside down. Which means whenever I want to access my screen, I have to flip the phone over. Is this a big deal? No, but its a reason to me why it makes sense for it to be on the bottom. Also when you pull it out of your pocket it will be held the correct way to just look at the screen.

 

[wiivile]

If Apple TRULY wanted to be 'revolutionary', they could have used the extra phone height to put a jack at the top AND the bottom and satisfy everyone

 

[TC400]

I much prefer it on the top. (twss)

That's the only thing I don't like so far about the new iPhone 5 and I know I don't have it yet and it wasn't deal breaker I just like it on the top helps with the pocket and when I'm working out on the treadmill. All my iPods had it on the bottom and it got in way JUST BLEH! very annoying.

 

[silroc]

I Place phone in pocket bottom down when going for brisk walk or run

When someone calls me I am always fumbling to try and turn it back

So for me, I prefer jack on bottom

 

[lifeguard]

a few thoughts

1. With the jack on the bottom you will not be able to put the phone into a Dock and still have headphones plugged in. They had to think of this, which means there may be an interesting doc coming soon

2. Since they changed the actual docking mechanism from the 31 pin to the 8 pin one I am wondering if that means any doc we see will have the 8 pins AND a Stereo Jack connection sticking up.

Now a question,
Does anyone know WHY the jack was put on the bottom of the iTouch when it has always been on top of the iPhone? I don't know why so I am asking.

Apple strikes me as a company that does things for a specific reason and certainly not to piss of their fan base. Mine is ordered so I will give it a try.

 

[deannnnn]

I plug my car into the headphone jack and place the phone into a cup holder. This is going to be so awkward to do with the jack at the bottom.

 

[Jamesesesesess]

I want it on the bottom... RIGHT. Like with my old iPod Touch. I feel like my headphone plugin is going to get in my way now because I primarily use my left hand to use my iPhone.

 

[rockyroad55]

The jack on the bottom makes it easier to pit the iPhone in a pocket.

 

[kirky29]

I'll agree that having it on the bottom makes loads more sense for when you put it in your pocket, and that's obviously why Apple have made this decision buuuuuuut - example, on Twit TV I saw one of them do an iPhone app review, and they have the iPhone in the dock with a camera facing toward it, then they have the audio cable so we can all hear the apps.

So in certain situations its better on the top!

But like I said, I can see that it makes loads more sense having it on the bottom for your pocket