iPhone 7's Secondary Speaker Holes May Be Purely Cosmetic

[coolfactor]

I think everyone already said what I was going to say.

It would be silly if Apple tried to pull this stunt I think dual speakers on a device the size of a phone still make a difference. They add "colour" to the sound that otherwise would not be there.

 

[rmbpuser]

Next year we get non functioning camera on the right.

 

[SgtPepper12]

I don't really understand the reactions in this thread or the even the discussion at all. Why exactly should holes in a case imply that there must be a speaker underneath? Like, what's the argument exactly there? There is a second bunch of holes in the current gen iPhone as well and there is no speaker underneath, still nobody complains.

Besides, having stereo speakers in a phone is pretty ridiculous. Acoustically it would be very suboptimal. It would probably be a better idea to just enlarge the existing speaker to get a better frequency response and volume.

 

[DevNull0]

Makes no sense. If you don't have additional speaker them put nothing there. Rumors

Apple took the optical drive out of their mac mini and left only empty space in its place. Now some 5 years later, the current model mac mini still has the same design and still only empty space where the optical drive used to be.

 

[Altis]

I'm not arguing this. my only point was that ornamental holes have a long precedent in iPhone designs. And BTW, the iPhone 5/5S/5SE has the headphone jack on the bottom, not the top... along with "fake" ornamental holes.

Sure, but they had the headphone port.

I don't care if there are fake speaker holes, but I do care if Apple axes the useful headphone jack and replaces it with a space filler.

 

[Four oF NINE]

Nothing new here.
Even cars have dual exhaust exits but only one with an actual exhaust pipe...

Age of the looks fellas...

It depends on the car.
Cadillac ATS V uses true dual exhaust

So does Cadillac CTS V and Corvette

So does Dodge Charger Hellcat

 

[Jakexb]

Everyone is forgetting that the 4 and 4s had two grilles, one fore speaker and one for microphone.

 

[cmichaelb]

Apple took the optical drive out of their mac mini and left only empty space in its place. Now some 5 years later, the current model mac mini still has the same design and still only empty space where the optical drive used to be.

Didn't they also remove the second SATA port so you can't even use that space for a second HDD or SSD?

 

[talkybear]

So it appears that Apple is saving all the magic for the iPhone 8, but isn't that it will create significant supply problem for Apple as well? Everyone is waiting for the 8 to upgrade and most won't get it after months of waiting...

 

[cmichaelb]

Sure, but they had the headphone port.

I don't care if there are fake speaker holes, but I do care if Apple axes the useful headphone jack and replaces it with a space filler.

I have a feeling the will the space will be utilized for something, just what I have no idea.

IF all these rumors are true, but this close as we've all seen, get more and more accurate.

 

[AndyDiamond]

I was hoping for quadraphonic speakers.

And I can't believe it doesn't come with a slot to put my fishing rod!

I'M GOING TO SKIP THIS PESKY REVISION and wait for iPhone 37!!!!!

 

[Cole Slaw]

Replacing the headphone jack with fake speaker holes...
Tim, Jony, get your coats.
Time to leave.

 

[utsava]

How does removing a universal headphone jack make anyone's work or life easier?

People aren't hating on Apple for failing to introduce a second speaker; they're hating on Apple for making the iPhone less functional for no goddamn reason!

I advise taking a look at my earlier post: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-purely-cosmetic.1987693/page-6#post-23232016

 

[apolloa]

So let me get this straight, they COULD be removing the headphone socket for quite literally no reason what so ever other then to make an even thinner iphone, oh and increase profits.... And they COULD replace it with some fake speaker holes...

All on a device costing several hundred pounds of dollars etc, in fact nearly costing a thousand in top spec form.

Why would anyone accept this? Are Apple really this desperate for money or arrogant or even stupid?

 

[utsava]

I'm not really arguing this either. My only point was that it doesn't seem like anyone has an issue with the ornamental holes. Just that one of the main explanations about losing the headphone jack was to gain a second speaker. Now if the second speaker is really just a "fake" with dummy holes, it makes the missing headphone jack seem that much worse.

Please look at my earlier post for some potential changes they could make with the headphone jack removed.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-purely-cosmetic.1987693/page-6#post-23232016

 

[DevNull0]

Didn't they also remove the second SATA port so you can't even use that space for a second HDD or SSD?

Yep, 2014 took away the dual disk build to order and they physically removed the connector to add your own.

I actually bought a 2012 server model in the refurb store right after the 2014's came out. I could sell it for more today on eBay than I paid for it directly from Apple 2 years ago. If that isn't a message that Apple's doing something wrong, I don't know what is.

 

[utsava]

I have a feeling the will the space will be utilized for something, just what I have no idea.

IF all these rumors are true, but this close as we've all seen, get more and more accurate.

I'd suggest for more battery: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-purely-cosmetic.1987693/page-6#post-23232016

 

[Appleaker]

This was obvious if you knew anything about the size of iPhones speakers.

But it could be used for speaker or microphone enhancement.

 

[bmwjeff]

weight reduction!

 

[chrizzz09]

Yeah I mean the 4, 4s, 5, 5s, iPad mini, mini 2, Air, Air 2 all of them have dual "speaker grills" but only one side is a real speaker while the other one is a microphone....

Can't believe how much drama the people here make...this was really obvious. Dual speakers in such a position don't even make sense sound wise...you would not gain anything.

But it's always nice to see some die-hards going full on rant-mode because of this, but at the same time forgetting that this design was on all the other iPhone and iPad models...

 

[cmichaelb]

Yep, 2014 took away the dual disk build to order and they physically removed the connector to add your own.

I actually bought a 2012 server model in the refurb store right after the 2014's came out. I could sell it for more today on eBay than I paid for it directly from Apple 2 years ago. If that isn't a message that Apple's doing something wrong, I don't know what is.

No kidding, I'm still using a 2012 model that I added a second drive to myself, plus the non soldered RAM that I was able to max out.

I just don't get them sometimes.
[doublepost=1471024051][/doublepost]

I'd suggest for more battery: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-purely-cosmetic.1987693/page-6#post-23232016

Good link.

 

[DevNull0]

Please look at my earlier post for some potential changes they could make with the headphone jack removed.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-purely-cosmetic.1987693/page-6#post-23232016

That is some very wild speculation (no criticism intended, this is a rumor forum after all), that Apple could give a very tiny increase to the battery size.

I would love a larger battery, but the difference is far too insignificant to compensate for the lost functionality. *if* that's even what Apple would do.

And let's not forget the Note 7 still has a larger screen than the iPhone 6s+ in a smaller and lighter package than the iPhone and still manages to have a larger battery. And a headphone jack. And it's waterproof.

 

[44267547]

Here is how I look at this..

Obviously this a rumor at this point. But if Apple does in fact delete the 3.5 Jack and replace the Jack with a second speaker, and it turns out the second speaker is nothing more than a speaker grill with an embedded microphone, it's not going to look good for Apple, mainly being what would the justification be for deleting the 3.5 Jack and not offer something substantial in place, Other than the Phone being thinner or for a larger battery in place? Add this to the equation of the already upset customers with the Jack being deleted.

That's not to say Apple does not have something in store we are not aware of or which has not been rumored/leaked.

Apple might need extra security at the September Key Note.

 

[sulpfiction]

This may sound like sarcasm but it's not: is there actually any benefit to having two speakers that close together?

Absolutely. It will sound better. Everyone is getting caught up with separation and stereo. Of course it's not about that with phones. But having 2 speakers will make listening experience twice as good as it is now. The iPad pro with 4 speakers sounds so much better then the iPad with 2. I will be pissed if the new grill holes are only for aesthetics. Wake up Apple!

 

[FoxHoundADAM]

Please enlighten us and Apple to how you would overcome the limits of technology and physics...

By making the phone slightly thicker or tapering the design to allow the lens to be flush. Would also allow more space for a large battery or other technology improvements, like extra speakers or a headphone jack for example.