iPhone without 3.5mm jack will be separate iPhone Air. Thoughts?

[danistyping]

I'm thinking this will be a separate model called iPhone Air. They would be dumb to eliminate the jack across all of their products. But they see the future and will start phasing it in. If iPhone Air does well, the jack will be removed from all phones in the coming years.

Also I don't think it will be called iPhone 7. I think we get 3 models:

iPhone
iPhone Plus (or pro)
iPhone Air

 

[Vicrooloo]

So... iPhone 7C Air?

 

[jasie02]

In that case, Apple will need to come up with 6 models, 7, 7-air, 7+, 7+air, 7c, 7c-air.
Not happening, design are expensive, and carry multiple material parts, and finish products are even more expensive.
There will be 3 models most, mark my word.

 

[iZac]

My original assumption last year was Apple would market the new 4" phone as an 'air' model. Maybe the cpu runs slower and the lack of a 3.5 jack makes it less 'versatile' (and cheaper), leaving the larger models as the 'pro' version. They already add extra features to the 5.5" version with software and hardware perks.

The barrage of subsequent rumours put that personal theory to bed for me, but I still quite like the thought of a smaller, super thin 'fashion' phone which appeals to the skinny jeans crowd.

 

[Jsameds]

For the last time, removing the headphone jack isn't about thinness. You can support a headphone jack at 5.1mm, iPhone 6S is 7.1mm

Removing the jack is about reducing the overall size, not just the z-axis.

 

[catean]

For the last time, removing the headphone jack isn't about thinness. You can support a headphone jack at 5.1mm, iPhone 6S is 7.1mm

Removing the jack is about reducing the overall size, not just the z-axis.

Exactly, like making the bottom bezel smaller.

 

[oldmacs]

My desperate wish would be that the new 4 inch phone would become the iPhone 'Classic' - it wouldn't necessarily get thinner every time, it would instead get a bigger battery, it would maintain the 4 inch screen, it would also maintain the headphone jack.

 

[danistyping]

For the last time, removing the headphone jack isn't about thinness. You can support a headphone jack at 5.1mm, iPhone 6S is 7.1mm

Removing the jack is about reducing the overall size, not just the z-axis.

Right, I get it, but you're missing my point. Look at the iPad Air. Is it really much thinner than its predecessor? iPad mini is thin too...but it's not called air. Why is the MacBook Air thicker than the new MacBook? See where this goes?

Air is a marketing term they use and I believe it will be used to introduce a modern, sleek and home button-free phone called iPhone Air.
[doublepost=1452180628][/doublepost]

In that case, Apple will need to come up with 6 models, 7, 7-air, 7+, 7+air, 7c, 7c-air.
Not happening, design are expensive, and carry multiple material parts, and finish products are even more expensive.
There will be 3 models most, mark my word.

I disagree and believe it will be simpler than what you claim. No numbers after phone names anymore. 3 models:

iPhone - standard/avg sized screen

iPhone Plus or Pro - larger screen

iPhone Air - screen is either same as regular iPhone or smaller. No 3.5 jack, no home button and possibly no wake button or volume rockers. Much less bezel, thinner and super sexy. Wireless/Bluetooth everything...may even exclude lighting port in exchange for wireless charging. Anyone bothered by this stuff would just get one of the other models.

 

[Nipommu]

Not enough to market as another product. 99% sure iphone 7 will be thinner than 6s and I don't see apple pushing a thinner version of this due to lack of jack. At this point it is diminishing return if they choose to go this route any thinner worse battery and prone to bending. If the size stays the same then deleting the jack is not marketable. I think most people won't even care/notice as long as apple supplies the earphones like they always do.

 

[danistyping]

Not enough to market as another product. 99% sure iphone 7 will be thinner than 6s and I don't see apple pushing a thinner version of this due to lack of jack. At this point it is diminishing return if they choose to go this route any thinner worse battery and prone to bending. If the size stays the same then deleting the jack is not marketable. I think most people won't even care/notice as long as apple supplies the earphones like they always do.

You're thinking like a consumer instead of an apple exec. Why would they make the new MacBook, which has almost no physical connectability and is absurdly thin?

 

[Nipommu]

Not enough to market as another product. 99% sure iphone 7 will be thinner than 6s and I don't see apple pushing a thinner version of this due to lack of jack. At this point it is diminishing return if they choose to go this route any thinner worse battery and prone to bending. If the size stays the same then deleting the jack is not marketable. I think most people won't even care/notice as long as apple supplies the earphones like they always do.
[doublepost=1452182555][/doublepost]sorry accidentally reposted
[doublepost=1452183027][/doublepost]I am a consumer and this is how I see it. There could be a iphone air just like there were ipad mini, iphone plus, etc etc, but as a consumer's point of view i believe most people won't notice enough to make decisions solely on lack of jack alone. I could see apple adding more 'features' to the no jack/thinner air phone (have no idea what those could be) but without added benefits I think as a business venture to market another phone as 'air' is, i believe not worth distinguishing for apple. I'm just a consumer with no business background but for me, in order for the air to be desirable there needs to be more things along with it because if not, i'll just buy the 'regular' next flagship iphone.

 

[jasie02]

I disagree and believe it will be simpler than what you claim. No numbers after phone names anymore. 3 models:

iPhone - standard/avg sized screen

iPhone Plus or Pro - larger screen

iPhone Air - screen is either same as regular iPhone or smaller. No 3.5 jack, no home button and possibly no wake button or volume rockers. Much less bezel, thinner and super sexy. Wireless/Bluetooth everything...may even exclude lighting port in exchange for wireless charging. Anyone bothered by this stuff would just get one of the other models.

Why no 7+ thinner without 3.5mm jack?
It make no sense to me when Apple spend more effort design plus version of phone, since it has more feature than regular, and it is extreme popular in Apple latest market growth, China.

 

[bcave098]

iPhone Air - screen is either same as regular iPhone or smaller. No 3.5 jack, no home button and possibly no wake button or volume rockers. Much less bezel, thinner and super sexy. Wireless/Bluetooth everything...may even exclude lighting port in exchange for wireless charging. Anyone bothered by this stuff would just get one of the other models.

I couldn't see no home or sleep/wake button, as those are needed for when the software fails (hard reset, recovery mode)

 

[danistyping]

Maybe I'm not crazy...

https://www.macrumors.com/2016/02/29/iphone-7-plus-dual-cameras-iphone-pro/

 

[AustinIllini]

This seems awfully fragmented for Apple. iOS barely takes advantage of the current phone lineup as is.