I'm also really looking forward to a complete tear down, including the audio adapter. I'm really curious as to how they are handling the analog.
I mean, when the Lightning to 30 pin adapter surfaced way, way back in the iPhone 5 days, it included it's own DAC to convert the digital signal from the Lightning port because Lightning was apparently unable to output an analog signal by itself at that time.
It's possible I suppose in theory that since then they have included an onboard DAC for the Lightning port to now somehow directly put out its own analog signal, thereby simplifying the whole 3.5mm adapter business. I'm just less than convinced that's what they will have done, there's probably more benefit to the DAC being separated from the iPhone (in Apples eyes) despite the inevitable cost.
Or have they crammed a teeny weeny little DAC into that 3.5mm adapter? Off the cuff I'm inclined to think that's probably what they're doing. If I remember rightly all of the Lightning headphones so far have their own DACs so who knows.
Of course I could be bleathering utter arse gravy. I've had less than an hours sleep, my nerve damage is acting up something rotten and I've literally had enough morphine (among other things) this morning to kill a cow. So me poor wee brain isn't at it's best and before someone else says it, is it ever at it's best![]()
No, Lightning could always output an analogue signal. It could from the beginning as it was designed that way, and I believe Apple said as much. But they didn't allow it -- they wanted Lightning to be an all digital connector.
And it's not a separate DAC of the Lightning port, but rather possible its own amp. The iPhone only needs one DAC. But just because Lightning now offers an analogue output, doesn't mean it won't offer a digital output as well. In fact I'm sure it will. However, if Apple really is offering analogue over Lightning, it's going to cause real confusion in the marketplace as a consumer won't know what they're actually getting with a "Lightning" equipped audio device.
But it does seem Apple has modified their MFi specs to the detriment of their previous licensee's products.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...“bricked”-set-of-lightning-earphones.1992848/
When I plugged my adapter into my SE, I got the message it was incompatible, until I updated to iOS 10. That shouldn't have been necessary if Apple was using their published Lightning audio device specs. So this seems to further confirm they changed them.
There's no problem putting a DAC and amp into the adapter and EarPods, as they put them inside the airpods along with a battery and BT radio and antennas. So that's not the problem. What may be a problem is the too-good-to-be-true price of $9 for a digital adapter. What seemed like a deal, may instead be one of the most expensive port converter dongle every made.
I really hope Apple hasn't done this ...