iPhone 7 No 3.5mm Headphone Jack Solution

[stanman64]

Supply Chain Rumors Reaffirm iPhone 7 Will Not Have Headphone Jack

Read this and had a thought. Hopefully this hasn't been covered before or is less unique of an idea than I think it is.

I, like many, believe it would be a bad move to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from the next iPhone. It's just such a drastic change and I do not think the world as a whole is ready.

The main argument, which I agree with, is that you would no longer be able to charge the phone and listen to music/take a call through the headphones at the same time, due to the headphones using the lightning port. Obviously this could be avoided by using bluetooth headphones, but not everyone owns/wants bluetooth headphones.

Sidebar: I have always thought wireless charging is such a gimmick. Set your phone down on this pad and it instantly begins to charge with no cords blah blah... but 99% of the time I am charging my phone, I am also using it at the same time. At my desk, on the couch, reading in bed... not using it while it's sitting on a pad on a table. However, I now think Apple could pull it off in one specific way.

Adapt the magnetic charging set up from the Apple Watch to the back of the next iPhone. Perhaps there could be a visible ring around the Apple logo on the back that looks similar to the back of the Apple Watch. This ring could be a contact point for a magnetic charge ring at the end of a charge & sync cable.

With this setup, you don't have "wireless charging" per se since there would be a magnetic connection, but you still get the convenience of not having to plug a cable into a port on the phone AND you can use your phone in any position while its charging. It would just snap on. Best of both wireless and wired worlds. Plus you get the safety features the MagSafe cables provide for Macs. I think having a little "hump" on the back of the phone with the cable coming out of it would be very comfortable and versatile to use the phone while it's charging too, or when sitting on a table, versus now with a cable sticking out of the bottom and in the way of your hands. This could also open up and entire new world of docks and stands. Picture a third-party "dock" you could buy that you could hardwire in your car and attach to your review mirror. You get in, pull out your iPhone, and snap it onto the magnetic charging dock. It's optimally positioned for GPS/handsfree use, AND it's charging without unsightly cables hanging everywhere.

And then the grand finale... You have a single-port iPhone that you can simultaneously charge and listen to music through your lightning port headphones.

I personally think this would be a great setup. Yes it would suck that now all my 3.5mm stuff won't work... but that happened when they switched to lightning from 30 pin and I (and the ecosystem) got over that relatively pretty quick. It would be moving the design of the iPhone in a new direction, while also not sacrificing too much familiarity and functionality.

What do you guys think?

 

[SoIsays]

Apple wants you to make more money so you can spend more money on them. Let's make it happen. Thanks.

 

[CNeufeld]

I used the wireless charging back on my Samsung S5, and wish that Apple would get with it and offer something similar. The only time I ever plugged my S5 in was in the car, simply because I didn't have a wireless pad suitable for that situation. Any other time, I'd just take my phone out of my pocket in the office and set it down on there. If I needed to use it, I'd pick it up, do what I had to do, and set it back down again. I never missed the fact that I couldn't charge while using the phone, to be honest. And with my iPhone 6s, I only charge it once a day anyway, so that wouldn't be a problem with it, either.

C

 

[Vicrooloo]

What if they just put in two lightning ports? Whoa.

 

[Jimmy James]

What if they just put in two lightning ports? Whoa.

This would work. But then, why change?

My concern is also charging while connected to a line out. I have more than one pair of good conventional headphones and I use a 3.5 line out in both of my cars.

Apple could make separate adapters for just a headphone line out and a separate one that also incorporated a second charging line. But this just becomes clunky for a lot of people.

 

[TheAppleFairy]

If the lightning port is the only physical port on the phone, I am sure Apple and 3rd party companies will sell a pass-thru adapter that will allow it to change and plug in headphones at the same time. (I rarely use 3.5mm headphones now so I don't care) Or they will have inductive charging on the phone and then use lightning for the headphones.

 

[RiddlaBronc]

It will go away eventually so Ive can make the phone thinner

 

[CTHarrryH]

Why does the phone have to get thinner? Somehow replacing function with thin size doesn't make sense with me.

 

[iMacedonian]

I'm not really keen on this idea, but it's Apple so people will start loving it after a while.

 

[TheBoxer]

It will go away eventually so Ive can make the phone thinner

I'm wondering where they are finding the research to backup making iPhones thinner. Where's the demand? Its like the +, its too big. Anything thinner than a 6s will be too thin. It's a phone, it should feel good in your hand. Talking into a credit card thin device will not be comfortable. And now they are getting rid of the headphone jack? hmmmm, I might finally give Android a try. Phones shouldn't be too big or too thin.

 

[lordofthereef]

Too many people use cases. These cases would now need cutouts, or be rendered useless in this way. I don't see how this would be better than a simple adapter cable for lightning and charging simultaneously.

I'd honestly rather the wireless charging deal. Everyone's usage patterns are different, but the idea behind wireless charging is it charges bits every time you set it down. I'm convinced that there are enough folks that use their phones here and there that wireless charging would benefit. It doesn't even end at a pad on a desk. Consider a dock in the car, and even chargers in coffee shops (which they tried to push, but honestly, it didn't have the leverage Apple has to bring this "everywhere").

Anyway, I guess I am saying magsafe (on the back) wouldn't really benefit me at all. I would never use it.

 

[appledefenceforce]

This would work. But then, why change?

My concern is also charging while connected to a line out. I have more than one pair of good conventional headphones and I use a 3.5 line out in both of my cars.

Apple could make separate adapters for just a headphone line out and a separate one that also incorporated a second charging line. But this just becomes clunky for a lot of people.

As hard as it is to believe for some people, perhaps Apple doesn't just change to force you to buy an adaptor

Perhaps they change to a) make the phone thinner, b) improve audio quality.

Perhaps they think it's time to get rid of an archaic technology.

Maybe, just maybe.

 

[BradWould]

I'm wondering where they are finding the research to backup making iPhones thinner. Where's the demand? Its like the +, its too big. Anything thinner than a 6s will be too thin. It's a phone, it should feel good in your hand. Talking into a credit card thin device will not be comfortable. And now they are getting rid of the headphone jack? hmmmm, I might finally give Android a try. Phones shouldn't be too big or too thin.

If Apple gets rid of the headphone jack Android will get rid of it 6 months later anyway.

 

[yaboyac29]

i can see some sort of adapter that will allow for charging the phone and using a 3.5mm.

i also think all the iPhone 7's will come with a bluetooth headphones.

something like this with a male connector on the other side.

 

[jasie02]

Why does the phone have to get thinner? Somehow replacing function with thin size doesn't make sense with me.

Phone does not have to get thinner, but Apple iPhone have to be thinner for each physical re-design.
If you don't believe me, get a gen1, 3g, 4, 5, 6 and measure the thickness, they are getting thinner, hence, this is requirement for Apple to themselves, "new physical redesign phone need to be thinner".

As much as us don't think it is needed, tradition will not change.

 

[Jimmy James]

As hard as it is to believe for some people, perhaps Apple doesn't just change to force you to buy an adaptor

Perhaps they change to a) make the phone thinner, b) improve audio quality.

Perhaps they think it's time to get rid of an archaic technology.

Maybe, just maybe.

I made no comment or implication about Apple's motives.

I commented on the practical drawbacks for me.

Some people just can't post online without construing everything to be oppositional.

 

[AlphaHumanus]

i can see some sort of adapter that will allow for charging the phone and using a 3.5mm.

i also think all the iPhone 7's will come with a bluetooth headphones.

something like this with a male connector on the other side.

This. Would be nice. If they are going to ditch the jack.

 

[stanman64]

Too many people use cases. These cases would now need cutouts, or be rendered useless in this way. I don't see how this would be better than a simple adapter cable for lightning and charging simultaneously.

I'd honestly rather the wireless charging deal. Everyone's usage patterns are different, but the idea behind wireless charging is it charges bits every time you set it down. I'm convinced that there are enough folks that use their phones here and there that wireless charging would benefit. It doesn't even end at a pad on a desk. Consider a dock in the car, and even chargers in coffee shops (which they tried to push, but honestly, it didn't have the leverage Apple has to bring this "everywhere").

Anyway, I guess I am saying magsafe (on the back) wouldn't really benefit me at all. I would never use it.

That is a good point. I rarely use a case on my 6S, so I guess I am biased. Even though I have 5 or 6 cases... I only put them on when I plan on getting intoxicated for obvious reasons

I like the thought of Apple having the power to finally make wireless charging ubiquitous. I agree that if any company could influence widespread implementation, it would be Apple given their hundreds of millions of devices.

The thought of wireless charging being built into tables at coffee shops, restaurants, etc. is a really exciting idea. Maybe even shopping carts with onboard batteries and a wireless charging surface in the basket so your phone charges in the cart while you shop? Jeez Whole Foods needs to hire me. That would be so cool.

Anyway, this makes me think of this article I saw today:

http://gizmodo.com/nycs-new-gigabit-wifi-hotspots-work-like-payphones-from-1750910911
[doublepost=1452064074][/doublepost]

This. Would be nice. If they are going to ditch the jack.

I agree. If it's included and not a necessary $20 purchase.
[doublepost=1452064251][/doublepost]

I'm wondering where they are finding the research to backup making iPhones thinner. Where's the demand? Its like the +, its too big. Anything thinner than a 6s will be too thin. It's a phone, it should feel good in your hand. Talking into a credit card thin device will not be comfortable. And now they are getting rid of the headphone jack? hmmmm, I might finally give Android a try. Phones shouldn't be too big or too thin.

I agree. The "thinning" needs to stop. Any thinner, and it will be hard to pick up off a table. And bending with become an even bigger issue I would assume.

TVs on the other hand...

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/lg-oled-hdr-dolby-vision-e6-g6-flagship-4k-uhd-tv/

 

[iZac]

I was intrigued by this thread and upon clicking, rather unconsciously stumbled upon my own solution. I'm sure this has been suggested by many others and this is by no means perfect but ...

Imagine this is actually a Bluetooth receiver with 20 hours playback.

Done.

 

[cableguy84]

The 3.5 mm jack is ancient, it needs to go

 

[Skika]

I was intrigued by this thread and upon clicking, rather unconsciously stumbled upon my own solution. I'm sure this has been suggested by many others and this is by no means perfect but ...

Imagine this is actually a Bluetooth receiver with 20 hours playback.

Done.

I think this is brilliant, and lighting instead of 3.5 for charging and audio.

 

[iZac]

I think this is brilliant, and lighting instead of 3.5 for charging and audio.

...You could even have it quick charge off the iPhone/iPad like the pencil.

Even though I take great exception to the inevitable issue of losing the cap, for 2016 Apple this fits perfectly as a functional solution with one glaring error

 

[ftaok]

What if the reason they remove the headphone jack is to make the 7 fully waterproof? Would that be a good enough reason to ditch the jack?

I say yes. There's a lot of tumors floating around about ditching the jack. There's lots of rumors about waterproof. What if they are the same rumor?

I posed this a while back and a few people noted that the headphone jack can easily be made waterproof. But that doesn't mean Apple would bother waterproofing the jack when the Lightning port is already waterproof (note - not 100% sure, but I recall reading this a while back)
[doublepost=1452097178][/doublepost]Regarding wireless charging. Can you really continue to use your phone when it's on a powermat or that Qi charger? Seems like the magnet would just fall off, right.

 

[1Zach1]

Regarding wireless charging. Can you really continue to use your phone when it's on a powermat or that Qi charger? Seems like the magnet would just fall off, right.

I would hope that if Apple went wireless charging in the iPhone, they used the technology they have patents for with 1m+ wireless charging.

 

[lordofthereef]

What if the reason they remove the headphone jack is to make the 7 fully waterproof? Would that be a good enough reason to ditch the jack?

If that translates in their warranty that they will no longer consider you OOW due to water damage, I will concede that it is a fair trade-off.
[doublepost=1452098880][/doublepost]

Regarding wireless charging. Can you really continue to use your phone when it's on a powermat or that Qi charger? Seems like the magnet would just fall off, right.

You can, but you'd have to use it flat (which I have seen some do). They also make Qi "docks" that are basically an angled thing you set your phone on. Easier to use your phone while on this sort of thing.

But then again it all depends on what you define as "use". Will you be typing an email? Almost certainly not. Can you switch songs, read emails, activate voice commands, etc? You bet.

As I mentioned above the wireless charging methodology isn't that you are "awlays charging". For people who blow through their batteries twice a day, wirless charging isn;t much of a benefit. For people who use their devices in "bursts", it's great because you just essentially set it on your desk, it charges, and you can pick it up at a moment's notice. This also saves the charging port/cable because you aren't potentially plugging it in multiple times a day.

The thing with this charging tech is that it's really thin. I mean PAPER thin. The only reason Apple hasn't implemented it IMO is due to licensing costs (should they use existing technology) that they don't see as a beneficial expenditure in terms of returns (how many people will suddently by new phones UST for wireless charging?).