iPhone 7 Rumored to Ship With Standard 3.5mm EarPods and Lightning Adapter

[Mac 128]

At least they'll include the adapter, instead of forcing you to pay some ridiculous price for it separately. They probably realized that building an ADC into the crappy white earbuds will cost as much as just including an adapter, so they might as well go with a free adapter, despite how much they love charging extra for those.

Since the vast majority of headphones use 3.5mm jacks, and it will probably remain this way for a very long time, you're likely going to have to use that adapter all the time. It better be small and rugged.

As for the earbuds you get with Apple products, who cares? They suck in every respect, I don't think that adding an adapter to them will be your biggest issue. You'll probably have to use that adapter on whatever else headphones you want to use anyway.

Let's just hope it won't look like this:

So much FUD

 

[deany]

I just wonder how am going to listen to music through my headphones while charging my phone. I do that every night at bedtime.

wirelessly.....maybe.

 

[JAQ]

You're both wrong. If Apple includes an adapter it is an admission they made a mistake by removing it.

You really don't understand the average consumer at all, do you?

 

[calaverasgrande]

The difference is all mobile phone makers will likely be dropping the 3.5mm Jack too. So compatibility with 3.5mm just became meaningless on mobile devices, which is arguably the largest user base of 3.5mm adapter.

cough...

Source for this "fact"? What is it with you people spreading FUD?

There are a lot of other devices that use 1/8" jacks. Laptops, desktops DSLRs, semi-pro music gear and audio equipment. I also have not seen any other reports of manufacturers ditching the headphone jack. So that is FUD.

 

[jujufreeze]

The only possible justification for removing the 3.5mm jack (tbh non exists) is for Apple to include a *great* sounding pair of wireless earbuds with new bluetooth standard that almost sounds on par with mediocre wired earbuds. Lightning adapter w/ 3.5mm buds is just a sloppy cop-out Apple wouldn't stoop to.

 

[wigby]

Apple's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be manufactured without a 3.5mm headphone jack, leading to speculation about the accessories that will be included alongside the two devices.

Lightning-equipped EarPods and wireless EarPods are two rumors that have been bandied about, but a new report from Japanese site Mac Otakara suggests Apple may ship the iPhone 7 with standard 3.5mm headphones and a 3.5mm jack to Lightning adapter to allow them to connect to the new devices.

Mac Otakara's information comes from sources at Computex Taipei 2016 and the reliability of those sources cannot be confirmed. Shipping EarPods with a 3.5mm jack included seems like an unusual choice for Apple, even if an adapter is included in the box.Past rumors, including one from Mac Otakara itself, have suggested Apple will introduce a new EarPods design that connects to the iPhone via Lightning or Bluetooth, something that would better ease the transition away from the 3.5mm jack than an adapter. We've only heard a few rumors about the EarPods, though, so Apple's exact plans remain unclear.

Mac Otakara's report also reiterates claims 256GB of storage will be an option and suggests the iPhone 7 will feature speaker holes on both the right and left sides of the Lightning port, filling the space left by the headphone jack. Rather than introducing stereo sound, the site believes the two speakers will be "on a monaural system."

Rumors about the fate of the space left by the removal of the headphone jack have been mixed. Early rumors pointed towards two speakers for stereo sound, but later rumors and design schematics have cast some doubt on whether the iPhone 7 will feature dual speakers.

A lot of the information we're hearing about the iPhone 7 is mixed, making it difficult to narrow down the exact features we can expect to see, but the removal of the headphone jack is one of the most consistent rumors we've seen about the device. Other expected features include an iPhone 6s-style design with relocated antenna bands, faster LTE and Wi-Fi, a more water resistant casing, and dual cameras for the larger iPhone 7 Plus.

Article Link: iPhone 7 Rumored to Ship With Standard 3.5mm EarPods and Lightning Adapter

Not buying this rumor. Apple never takes away without at least trying to sell us on the idea that they are also giving something new. What would the consumer be getting here besides old technology and an adapter to make that old technology work the same as before. Unless they redesign the earpods for higher fidelity that only the lightning port can deliver, this will only look like a cheap trade-off.

This rumor is most likely put out by Apple so that they can look like the heroes when then actually release a bluetooth version or updated EarPods that actually sound, feel and look better than current model.

 

[spinedoc77]

I found that the Jaybird X2's were pretty poor and went back to using a cord with a 3.5mm jack

I think everyone's taste in sound is different and hard to quantify. Putting aside the horrendous ergonomics and design of the apple earbuds they seem to get decent reviews, although personally I think they sound just as weak and tinny as any other $5.00 earbud out there. I won't say the X2's were miles ahead of that sound, but they do sound better to my ears, but most importantly they are wireless and they also have MUCH better ergonomics. They stay in your ear no matter how hard you work out, sweatproof, more comfortable, etc. When you get down to something as small as an earbud you are already trading off sound quality for ergonomics, I'm not sure why someone would trade off sound quality for poor ergonomics.

Now if you are using a full size headphone then I can understand. But my headphone use is mainly during my workouts, or bike rides, or listening to audiobooks while going to sleep. In all 3 of these cases I need something small, that stays in my ear and is comfortable. I always have to smile when I see that one "dude" in the gym with the huge Beats headphones on, I don't want to be that guy.

 

[BeefCake 15]

I always have to smile when I see that one "dude" in the gym with the huge Beats headphones on, I don't want to be that guy.

Nothing wrong with that guy, what if that guy was wearing huge headphones but not beats

 

[Mac 128]

cough...


There are a lot of other devices that use 1/8" jacks. Laptops, desktops DSLRs, semi-pro music gear and audio equipment. I also have not seen any other reports of manufacturers ditching the headphone jack. So that is FUD.

OH sorry, I didn't realize you had to see it before it was a possibility.

Never mind Moto just released their new flagship phone without a headphone jack. Never mind Intel has been pushing USB-C audio in a recent marketing push. Never mind Apple would be committing suicide if they remove a universal consumer port, and replaced it with a proprietary port, when all of their competition has no reason to do so, while achieving parity with Apple on all other designs and features. Never mind the competition has no reason to drop their port first without knowing whether Apple is really going to do it, and risk taking the initial backlash Apple is going to get.

So ignoring all of that, should I put you down in the conspiracy theory colum that believes greedy Apple wants to bilk customers for dongle fees and profit from Lightning licenses to third parties while they push their own Beats headphones? Or do you have your own FUD?

 

[n3sh]

It is more likely that apple will release the new iPhone without any headphones. We will have to buy either the adapter or the new lightning headphones or bluetooth ones.

 

[spinedoc77]

Nothing wrong with that guy, what if that guy was wearing huge headphones but not beats

I don't mean to denigrate "that" guy, I just always find it funny when they can't workout well due to the huge cans on their ears. Don't get me wrong, they should be able to do whatever they want and it doesn't impact me, so I'm just saying it more in an amusing anecdotal way. And yeah, it doesn't have to be Beats, it just usually is.

 

[BeefCake 15]

I don't mean to denigrate "that" guy, I just always find it funny when they can't workout well due to the huge cans on their ears. Don't get me wrong, they should be able to do whatever they want and it doesn't impact me, so I'm just saying it more in an amusing anecdotal way. And yeah, it doesn't have to be Beats, it just usually is.

Lol, it's just the ear piece always falls off my ears while running and the cans are heavy enough to stay on. They also block out other noise well too.

 

[147798]

I just wonder how am going to listen to music through my headphones while charging my phone. I do that every night at bedtime.

Answer: $20-35 dongle.

 

[theluggage]

Do you really think Apple is going to inconvenience customers making them use an adapter that does nothing more than change the shape of the connector? You don't remember the original iPhone headphone jack controversy do you?

Clearly you don't remember Apple Display Connector => Mini DVI => Regular DVI => MiniDisplayPort, either

Anyway - you misunderstand. If Apple could program the Lightning connector to "morph" into an analog audio connector when an analog device was connected, that would allow them to ship a cheap, passive lightning-to-3.5mm adaptor rather than an expensive one with a DAC. That wouldn't preclude the sale of "digital" headphones that used the port in digital mode and featured premium-priced InsertBrandHere professional DACs for audiophiles with golden ears who imagine they can hear the effect of 1 metre of multi-strand cable on the sound.

 

[CFreymarc]

Yes, and you wouldn't last at any other position at Apple.

With your logic, no company would ever spend it's funds to push the industry forward, we would be stuck with the same exact products and features year after year. Great logic right there.

Let's not get to name calling. My time at Apple was well spent.

 

[Mac 128]

It is more likely that apple will release the new iPhone without any headphones. We will have to buy either the adapter or the new lightning headphones or bluetooth ones.

That's a possibility, but not likely as Apple will want to give customers an incentive to try Lightning, rather than go right out and buy a 3.5mm adapter, and keep using what they have. As hopeful as I am that Apple is going to revolution wireless audio, either with the BT 5 codec, or something new that they introduce (like low power AirPlay), the wireless solution is still going to be the most expensive of the two to include in the box. And realistically, the people who are going to consider wireless aren't really the ones Apple has to convince -- it's the customers who are tethered by wire to the phone either by cost, or quality -- and that's why Lightning headphones makes the most sense to include in the box.

Lol, it's just the ear piece always falls off my ears while running and the cans are heavy enough to stay on. They also block out other noise well too.

Not sure where you live, but at most gyms in LA, full-sized headphones account for at least 40% of the membership at any given time. And yes, isolation from the noisy gym atmosphere, their tedious music selections over the PA, and focus on their workouts are a key reason many wear them. I'm starting to see about half of those wireless now as well. But it's also a fashion trend, just like red workout shoes.

The rest are about 30% Apple earbuds, 20% BT earbuds and 10% all other wired earbuds. Wireless is growing daily, so it's no wonder Apple is rumored to get into this market with their own wireless earbuds. Beats has been steadily growing into that market segment, and I think will explode once the iPhone drops the 3.5mm jack. So Apple really has this covered from all angles.

 

[Souponastick270]

Bluetooth headphone aren't going to come in the box, it's a cost issue. Why give the masses something that cost say $3 dollars to make when they can give you 3.5mm headphones that cost 50cents to make.

 

[Mac 128]

Clearly you don't remember Apple Display Connector => Mini DVI => Regular DVI => MiniDisplayPort, either

Anyway - you misunderstand. If Apple could program the Lightning connector to "morph" into an analog audio connector when an analog device was connected, that would allow them to ship a cheap, passive lightning-to-3.5mm adaptor rather than an expensive one with a DAC. That wouldn't preclude the sale of "digital" headphones that used the port in digital mode and featured premium-priced InsertBrandHere professional DACs for audiophiles with golden ears who imagine they can hear the effect of 1 metre of multi-strand cable on the sound.

ADC/mini DVI/DVI/mini DP affected a much smaller minority of customers, especially in the past, compared to the 500 million iPhone customers out there.

But I don't misunderstand at all. "Audiophiles" constitute an even smaller pool of customers than does the Mac display pool. The average iPhone customer generally doesn't care. If Apple offers a "cheap" analogue passthrough, and forces the customer to buy an adapter, which one are most going to chose? That's right, most likely the cheap one that sounds as good as their old 3.5mm jack, and they're going to be upset they are forced to buy anything to get the same technology they had in their last iPhone for free. It would be a horrible marketing move on the scale of the original iPhone headphone adapter. And it does nothing toward creating the demand for digital headphones which is necessary to stimulate competition and innovation and ultimately drop the price of that technology to be more competitive with 3.5mm tech, and relieve the burden of expense on the customer. Moreover, as Apple is also a business, it does nothing to save Apple anything over their current iPhone as they would have to maintain the same quality DAC/DSP & Amp.

 

[Beerstalker]

Like the others have said, Apple didn't ship a 30 pin cable with a lightning to 30 pin adaptor when they made that change, they aren't going to do that here. They will come out with new lightning earpods if they drop the 3.5mm port. If they just shipped the same earpods they do now with an adaptor it would pretty much tell people the 3.5mm port is good enough, and they just dropped it for no real reason. They want to give you lightning earpods so you can tell all your friends how much better they sound (even if they don't).

As far as getting rid of the 3.5mm earpods they have on hand, they will still have the older iPhones that they are selling, the older iPads, iPods, etc. No reason they can't use those product lines to burn off the excess inventory until they get them all changed over to lightning as well. I'd love to see a new iPod shuffle that drops the 3.5mm jack and uses lightning for syncing, charging, and headphones.

As far as the adaptor goes, yes I believe they could to a very cheap analog version, but I'm not sure that they will bother. For those that still want a 3.5mm port they will have one for either $20 or $30 that will work for most people. Right now they make the lightning dock that contains a DAC and sell it for $50. That machined aluminium block is probably half the cost so I see no problem with being able to make a DAC adaptor for $20-30. Then there will likely be more aftermarket companies that come out with higher end stuff that costs $100+ for the "audiophile" crowd.

 

[BeefCake 15]

Not sure where you live, but at most gyms in LA, full-sized headphones account for at least 40% of the membership at any given time. And yes, isolation from the noisy gym atmosphere, their tedious music selections over the PA, and focus on their workouts are a key reason many wear them. I'm starting to see about half of those wireless now as well. But it's also a fashion trend, just like red workout shoes.

The rest are about 30% Apple earbuds, 20% BT earbuds and 10% all other wired earbuds. Wireless is growing daily, so it's no wonder Apple is rumored to get into this market with their own wireless earbuds. Beats has been steadily growing into that market segment, and I think will explode once the iPhone drops the 3.5mm jack. So Apple really has this covered from all angles.

Those are the ones I use, so far so good

 

[theluggage]

If Apple offers a "cheap" analogue passthrough, and forces the customer to buy an adapter, which one are most going to chose?

...but they're probably going to give the cheap passthrough adapter away.

Apple mainly wants to simplify the construction of the iPhone by dropping a hole in the case and eliminating a part that they often have to repair under warranty. Selling people Beats digital (r) headphones with Lightning (tm) is a bonus.

To avoid hacking users off too much, they need to offer a cheap - or preferably free - Lightning-to-3.5" analog adapter so people don't have to throw away all their stuff. If they can do it using an analog passthrough it is (a) cheaper, (b) as good as what you had before and (c) clearly (in marketing terms) inferior to "proper" digital headphones with reassuringly expensive branded DACs and direct Lightning connection.

If they include white earbuds with digital lightning connections then how are they going to convince gullible punters that Beats headphones have better digital lightning connections?

If they produce a cheap adapter with a DAC, less-gullible customers are going to realise that it effectively turns those half-decent cans you already have into digital headphones.

Bundling 3.5" earbuds with a passthrough adapter emphasises that the earbuds are "only analog" and you really need to buy digital earbuds for the digital experience.

Not that anybody is actually going to hear the difference...

(I'm only speculating that a passthru analog adapter is feasible).

 

[BenTrovato]

Source for this "fact"? What is it with you people spreading FUD?

What fact are you referring to?

 

[ericwn]

You really don't understand the average consumer at all, do you?

He/she seems to understand Apple very well.

 

[Mac 128]

As far as the adaptor goes, yes I believe they could to a very cheap analog version, but I'm not sure that they will bother. For those that still want a 3.5mm port they will have one for either $20 or $30 that will work for most people. Right now they make the lightning dock that contains a DAC and sell it for $50. That machined aluminium block is probably half the cost so I see no problem with being able to make a DAC adaptor for $20-30. Then there will likely be more aftermarket companies that come out with higher end stuff that costs $100+ for the "audiophile" crowd.

My bet is Apple will sell one for $20. They already sell a 30-pin to Lightning connector for $29 with a built-in DAC/ADC and full data and charging passthrough capabilities. A simple headphone adapter wouldn't be nearly that complex, or expensive. In fact, since Apple only pays less than $18 for all of the iPhones I/O chipsets, of which the DAC/DSP & Amp are a small part, I can see third party Chinese manufacturers producing average quality adapters for less than $10. And that's currently the going rate, not after the demand increases and volume sales begin.

 

[spinedoc77]

That's a possibility, but not likely as Apple will want to give customers an incentive to try Lightning, rather than go right out and buy a 3.5mm adapter, and keep using what they have. As hopeful as I am that Apple is going to revolution wireless audio, either with the BT 5 codec, or something new that they introduce (like low power AirPlay), the wireless solution is still going to be the most expensive of the two to include in the box. And realistically, the people who are going to consider wireless aren't really the ones Apple has to convince -- it's the customers who are tethered by wire to the phone either by cost, or quality -- and that's why Lightning headphones makes the most sense to include in the box.



Not sure where you live, but at most gyms in LA, full-sized headphones account for at least 40% of the membership at any given time. And yes, isolation from the noisy gym atmosphere, their tedious music selections over the PA, and focus on their workouts are a key reason many wear them. I'm starting to see about half of those wireless now as well. But it's also a fashion trend, just like red workout shoes.

The rest are about 30% Apple earbuds, 20% BT earbuds and 10% all other wired earbuds. Wireless is growing daily, so it's no wonder Apple is rumored to get into this market with their own wireless earbuds. Beats has been steadily growing into that market segment, and I think will explode once the iPhone drops the 3.5mm jack. So Apple really has this covered from all angles.

I'll have to try some of those full sized headphones, maybe they have changed functionally. I couldn't see doing any sort of serious physical activity with them because of the size, weight and just them getting in the way. But maybe they have functionally improved, it's been a year or 2 since I've used something like that. I do know that for my workout there is no way in hell they would have a chance, but my jaybirds stay in and don't miss a beat (no pun intended). A couple hours weight training, heavy bag, stretching, 20 mile ride on the bike, etc and I can't recall a time when they got in the way or fell out. IMO the noise isolation takes care of itself as well, either you have large headphones covering your entire ear, or you have a much smaller headphone inserted into the ear canal. I have to give the nod to the Comply eartips as well that the Jaybirds come with for comfort and noise isolation.