JBL Announces Noise-Canceling Headphones Powered by USB-C

[MacRumors]

Audio device manufacturer JBL recently announced the Reflect Aware C headphones, which will give users noise-canceling abilities without the need of a separate battery pack, thanks to its USB-C connector (via The Verge). Using the new input, the headphones draw both power and audio from a USB-C port, like the one on Apple's 12-inch MacBook or the just-announced HTC 10 smartphone.

The Reflect Aware C headphones were built for activity-focused users, coming with sweatproof and ergonomic in-ear tips to keep them from falling out while running or working out. The selling feature of the device -- the ability to mute extraneous sound -- can be scrubbed through various noise-canceling levels to hear less or more outside sound. The toggle switch that controls this setting also houses a microphone for phone calls and music playback/volume control.

Although USB-C has yet to take off, even within the stable of Apple products, JBL's product is a telling step forward for companies looking to move past the standard 3.5mm headphone jack, which has been a steady topic of conversation since last year. On the smartphone side of things, the Reflect Aware C will be able to be used with devices like the new HTC 10 smartphone, which launches in May and houses a USB-C port as its main charging solution.

JBL is staying tight-lipped about availability and pricing on the new noise-canceling headphones, but some information can be gleaned from another product in its lineup. The similarly-titled Reflect Aware headphones, announced at CES, will pack all of the USB-C version of the product's features, but trade-off that output for an Apple ecosystem-friendly Lightning connector.

Get the most out of your exercises by filtering what gets in. The new JBL Reflect Aware(TM) sport earphones delivers both best in class noise cancelation and the ability to mix in sound from your environment for greater awareness of your surroundings when you want it, making it the most versatile sport headphone on the market.

Designed for sport with a unique reflective design, the JBL Reflect Aware(TM) earphones, feature legendary JBL sound and an ergonomic fit design that keeps the earpieces in place regardless of the intensity of your workout routine. Sweatproof and available in blue, black, red, teal, the JBL Reflect Aware(TM) earphones require no battery because they draw power and digital audio directly from the lightning connector on Apple devices.

The move could perhaps fill in a gap of noise-canceling headphones for this year's main-line iPhone release, as recent rumors predict that first-party, Lightning-connected and dynamic noise-canceling headphones will launch with the 2017 "iPhone 7s." This year's iPhone 7 would simply adopt Lightning-connected earpods without the inclusion of noise-canceling technology.

The Reflect Aware in-ear headphones will cost $159.95 and the first round of orders begin shipping on June 19 in Blue, Black, Teal, and Red. Although unconfirmed by JBL, the Reflect Aware C will most likely be priced at a similar point -- thanks to a laundry list of mirroring features -- but the release date could be shifted.

Article Link: JBL Announces Noise-Canceling Headphones Powered by USB-C

 

[2457282]

Interesting move. JBL is certainly ahead of the curve if Apple really does remove the 3.5 jack. The question for me is if Apple will stick to lightning on the iOS devices and USB-C on the OSX devices. It seems that at some point they should unify to one or the other. I mean, I would hate to buy two of these, one for each platform -- that makes no sense.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Interesting move. JBL is certainly ahead of the curve if Apple really does remove the 3.5 jack. The question for me is if Apple will stick to lightning on the iOS devices and USB-C on the OSX devices. It seems that at some point they should unify to one or the other. I mean, I would hate to buy two of these, one for each platform -- that makes no sense.

I'm really hoping they ditch Lightning for USB-C. Or, provide both somehow...or, worst case, back to using adapters again. I'm expecting something to come out of Beats in the meantime. I do believe that Apple would prefer to unify these, since there is now no real advantage to one or the other.

 

[iamgalt]

simplifying all products to a single connector type, I think, would be a good move; whether Apple ditches the 3.5mm jack or not. that way, we could use the same wire for charging all our products, transferring data/syncing devices, and not need a ton of adapters. I think USB-C would serve this function better.

 

[Mac 128]

Interesting move. JBL is certainly ahead of the curve if Apple really does remove the 3.5 jack. The question for me is if Apple will stick to lightning on the iOS devices and USB-C on the OSX devices. It seems that at some point they should unify to one or the other. I mean, I would hate to buy two of these, one for each platform -- that makes no sense.

It's fairly obvious that Apple will add a Lightning port to all of its other products initially. The switch to Lightning happened much too recently and customers now have a substantial investment in Lightning products that they will not be eager to replace again. Whereas there's almost no widespread USB-C product investment yet. Whether Apple eventually jumps to USB-C or not, there's no rush to do it. Macs will likely also see USB-C connectors added as well, and USB-C adapters will be available for Lightning so all bases will be covered regardless of the path a customer takes with their headphones.
[doublepost=1460471480][/doublepost]

simplifying all products to a single connector type, I think, would be a good move; whether Apple ditches the 3.5mm jack or not. that way, we could use the same wire for charging all our products, transferring data/syncing devices, and not need a ton of adapters. I think USB-C would serve this function better.

If Apple adds Lightning connectors to all of its products, Lightning could very well become the standard charging cable over USB-C. The only people adapting to USB-C for are those using competitors products. and there's not a current USB product I use now that doesn't require an adapter cable for whatever specific USB port variant it may have. So I don't really see the point if Apple can provide their own unified charging port.

 

[SSD-GUY]

MacBook MK II with 2 usb-c ports in lieu of the 3.5mm jack?

 

[Mac 128]

MacBook MK II with 2 usb-c ports in lieu of the 3.5mm jack?

No. Only if Apple drops Lightning on the iPhone. If Apple drops the 3.5mm Jack, and keeps Lightning, then the retina MB will get a Lightning port update to accomodate Lightning headphones. There's not room for more than one port on either side of that notebook, unless they redesign.

 

[b1wils1]

Why do headphones still have wires?

 

[Gudi]

Why do headphones still have wires?

To transmit signal and power.

 

[username:]

Goodbye headphone jack.

 

[6836838]

Why do headphones still have wires?

Because Hi-Fi.
[doublepost=1460477313][/doublepost]Great, those will be super in my music studio. Not.

 

[spaceballl]

This is really interesting. I wish Apple would just dump lightning and go USB-C on everything. As much as I want these, it would be weird to have headphones that I can plug into my computer, but not into my phone without an adapter. Bluetooth would be better.

 

[infiniteentropy]

Bluetooth on the iPhone and iPad for audio would be fine, though my Sennheiser Momentums will go unused if that happens. For HiFi, we enthusiasts will still have our DACs and amps hooked up on our desks, or can always use something like the Audioquest Dragonfly or any of the FiiO devices for those sorts of mobile hifi concerns. Would be sad to see it go, though.

 

[Zedcars]

They're earphones, not headphones.

 

[Jakexb]

On one had it seems crazy to switch from lightening so soon after launching so many products with it: apple pencil, apple tv remote, etc, etc.

But on the other hand, it seems like a much easier sell to say that headphones are usb-c, since that seems like it will be a future standard, will be usable on new macbooks, etc, etc.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

simplifying all products to a single connector type, I think, would be a good move; whether Apple ditches the 3.5mm jack or not. that way, we could use the same wire for charging all our products, transferring data/syncing devices, and not need a ton of adapters. I think USB-C would serve this function better.

It's a noble goal, but there's near-zero chance of any one connector/interface becoming the standard. Popular or even dominant, yes. But technologies can evolve quite rapidly, and standardized interfaces cannot - they tend to impede change, rather than enable it. Bandwidth has been one of the key drivers of interface change. "Fast" today is "slow" the day after tomorrow, and I don't see an end in sight.

Although USB-C is intended to be "future-proof," it's a 24-pin connector. Parts and fabrication costs will, of necessity, be higher for USB-C than for other interfaces, which immediately puts pressure on manufacturers to find a better, cheaper approach. There's already a distinction between full-featured USB-C cables, and what I'll call "USB 2.0-in-C's-clothing" cables. Look at the cable wiring chart at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_Type-C - it's orders of magnitude more complex than USB 2.0.

They've made a valiant effort to encompass existing protocols, including Thunderbolt 3, DisplayPort 1.3, PCIe, and Base-T Ethernet... but the future has yet to come. None of those interfaces are the be-all/end-all.

Regardless, these headphones need very little of what USB-C delivers. I'm pretty sure they'll be using the USB 2.0 type-C capabilities, and that will be true of many "USB-C" devices. Lightning is more than capable of delivering this performance, so Apple doesn't have a huge incentive to switch (on iOS devices).

 

[Mac 128]

On one had it seems crazy to switch from lightening so soon after launching so many products with it: apple pencil, apple tv remote, etc, etc.

But on the other hand, it seems like a much easier sell to say that headphones are usb-c, since that seems like it will be a future standard, will be usable on new macbooks, etc, etc.

Given that Apple seems to be including Lightning on every new product it releases as a means to charge its devices, my guess is they won't replace Lightning anytime soon. In fact, they seem to be positioning Lightning as a primary charging method. Given that, we might see Lightning around until at least wireless charging becomes the new Apple standard for devices.

In the meantime, even if USB-C gains wide adoption in the near future, it's going to take years for every device to be updated with those custom ports, which means adapters to use any new USB-C devices, including headphones. Given that reality, there's no reason for Apple to rush to eliminate Lightning and support a new standard when adapters are likely going to be a necessity for several years for most people anyway. So Apple will add Lightning ports to all of its devices, ports which can be used to charge the device with a "universal" charger. Then on products like the rMB, they can leave their USB-C port free, while the charge with Lightning.

Later, when wireless charging takes off, the Lightning port can be eliminated, and possibly replaced with USB-C, since most people won't be using it anyway. On Apple products the drive is toward AirPlay (which even the HTC phone supports now), AirDrop, wifi and Bluetooth. So the Lightning port becomes less of a necessity except for those who want to plug in hard wired headphones. And for the diehard wire-heads, they are likely going to be using adapters with their old 3.5mm headphones anyway, and will need an adapter for use with future USB-C only equipment in the future. Those who buy Lightning headphones without a swappable cord, will use a tiny Lightning to USB-C converter on the end, much like the existing Lightning to micro-USB converter you can buy from Apple now.

So really, no need for Apple to switch to USB-C now.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I currently have the Bose QuietComfort 20 headphones/earbuds. The noise cancellation is incredible - makes my subway commute so much better. The only downside with them is the small battery pack. If Bose releases a new version of these headphones without the battery pack, instead using a Lightning cable to draw power from the iPhone, I would buy them on the first day of availability.

 

[gaximus]

sweet now I can plug up the only useful port on my Macbook to listen to music

 

[Digital Skunk]

Why do headphones still have wires?

I was just about to ask the same question.

After using these Marley Liberate BTXLs I don't want another pair with wires. My next pair MAY be a set of BEATS but the Liberates are KILLING it right now. Don't want anything less on my ears . . . . especially not something with wires.

 

[bladerunner2000]

I'm really hoping they ditch Lightning for USB-C.

LOL! Keep dreaming. Apple doesn't respect it's consumers to actually conform to industry standards.

 

[macs4nw]

Interesting move. JBL is certainly ahead of the curve if Apple really does remove the 3.5 jack. The question for me is if Apple will stick to lightning on the iOS devices and USB-C on the OSX devices. It seems that at some point they should unify to one or the other. I mean, I would hate to buy two of these, one for each platform -- that makes no sense.

That's a question I would be very much interested in finding the answer to also. Given Apple's penchant for proprietary technology, I wouldn't be surprised if as you pondered, they kept Lightning for iOS devices, while transitioning the Mac line-up to USB-C mostly because, while USB-C is slightly larger than the Lightning connector while also being more versatile, those additional capabilities are simply beyond what's needed for iOS devices.

Under that scenario, once they eliminate as expected, the ⅛" headphone jacks from their iOS line-up, those devices would naturally ship with Lightning EarPods, and in that case we would be stuck with adapters to use higher grade headphones of the ⅛" or the USB-C variety with those iOS devices.

Either way it's good to see peripherals and accessories with USB-C connectivity slowly coming to market.

 

[Mac 128]

That's a question I would be very much interested in finding the answer to also. Given Apple's penchant for proprietary technology, I wouldn't be surprised if as you pondered, they kept Lightning for iOS devices, while transitioning the Mac line-up to USB-C mostly because, while USB-C is slightly larger than the Lightning connector while also being more versatile, those additional capabilities are simply beyond what's needed for iOS devices.

Under that scenario, once they eliminate as expected, the ⅛" headphone jacks from their iOS line-up, those devices would naturally ship with Lightning EarPods, and in that case we would be stuck with adapters to use higher grade headphones of the ⅛" or the USB-C variety with those iOS devices.

Either way it's good to see peripherals and accessories with USB-C connectivity slowly coming to market.

Apple will have both USB-C and Lightning on all Macs if they go down this route. It would remain to be seen whether they would eliminate the 3.5mm jack altogether. Surely on some larger Macs with enough room they would have all three.

 

[Gudi]

The 12" MacBook already showed us the way, no Lightning port on Macs and the Headphone Jack survives for now. Somewhere in the future there might be Micro USB-C 4.0 as the one port to rule them all, but it's also possible that wireless charging becomes the only option for iOS devices. Until we get there Lightning is the choice for mobile devices and peripherals and USB-C for laptops, desktops, monitors and storage.

 

[Iconoclysm]

LOL! Keep dreaming. Apple doesn't respect it's consumers to actually conform to industry standards.

This is wrong on so many levels. Almost as if you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about...and I'm pretty sure that's the truth.

For starters, Apple contributed more than any other member of the USB consortium to create USB-C, rumor has it that it was almost completely Apple's design. Thunderbolt, Minidisplayport, USB, HDMI, Bluetooth, WiFi, Firewire, etc are all standards that Apple supports. The only truly proprietary things they've done in recent years are 30-pin dock and lightning cables. Which were created because USB could not carry audio and video over the cable...and when MHL came along 10 years late to the party, it was half assed. I wouldn't expect you to know any of this, however.
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I currently have the Bose QuietComfort 20 headphones/earbuds. The noise cancellation is incredible - makes my subway commute so much better. The only downside with them is the small battery pack. If Bose releases a new version of these headphones without the battery pack, instead using a Lightning cable to draw power from the iPhone, I would buy them on the first day of availability.

I have the same ones, and I would do the same. I think I might wait to see what comes out of Beats, however. I'd at least like a version of the Powerbeats I use at the gym that charges with lightning over micro-USB...or better yet, USB-C
[doublepost=1460541666][/doublepost]

Apple will have both USB-C and Lightning on all Macs if they go down this route. It would remain to be seen whether they would eliminate the 3.5mm jack altogether. Surely on some larger Macs with enough room they would have all three.

Apple does not have Lightning on any Macs, and never will most likely.
[doublepost=1460541806][/doublepost]

That's a question I would be very much interested in finding the answer to also. Given Apple's penchant for proprietary technology, I wouldn't be surprised if as you pondered, they kept Lightning for iOS devices, while transitioning the Mac line-up to USB-C mostly because, while USB-C is slightly larger than the Lightning connector while also being more versatile, those additional capabilities are simply beyond what's needed for iOS devices.

Under that scenario, once they eliminate as expected, the ⅛" headphone jacks from their iOS line-up, those devices would naturally ship with Lightning EarPods, and in that case we would be stuck with adapters to use higher grade headphones of the ⅛" or the USB-C variety with those iOS devices.

Either way it's good to see peripherals and accessories with USB-C connectivity slowly coming to market.

Not trying to dispel a myth or anything but this penchant for proprietary tech doesn't extend much further than the very discussion we're having. Nobody wants to continue down this path of multiple cable types for different devices, and Apple has to see that the same charger for their new Macbook is the most sensible and convenient method to charge the accessories. As I've already pointed out, Apple is behind USB-C.