Libratone Debuts Battery-Free Noise Cancelling Headphones With Lightning Connector Ahead of iPhone 7

[arkhanjel]

Was NOTHING gained from removing the Floppy Disc drive? Was NOTHING gained from removing the Mac's serial port? Was NOTHING gained by removing the DVD-R drive? Was NOTHING gained by removing FireWire ports? NOTHING?

Removing legacy ports forces the technological march forward. That's how standards are adopted. Of course, Macs could have accumulated all of these ports and drives over the years since there would have been people who have wanted to use them, but then new more advanced ports and formats would have never been widely adopted.

We'll see in a week, but I'm convinced that Apple will be pushing for wireless headphones. Future wearable products will rely on not having cables of any kind. Right now, that's the Apple Watch but in some distant future, Apple glasses might join in. In the more immediate future, having wireless AirPods in your ears with Always On Siri connected to all of your devices (not just one) is a major advancement from the standard we have today.

Yes, bluetooth headphones have been around forever, but when they become a priority, technology will push forward and it'll become the standard. Then, we'll look back and wonder why we ever put up with dangling cables from our ears.

People that can't see any benefits, won't ever see any benefits. They'll just be dragged along kicking and screaming the same way people that loved all those ports you mentioned were. Then later on they'll be one of the first to say Apple was right getting ride of the port just like in the past too.

 

[pickerin]

My concern is simple: how much life does the Lightning connector really have?
Lots of the concerns posted have been around "only having it on one device". That's true, just iOS devices have this port. However, Apple is putting USB-C on the new MacBooks. That port may show up on the new MacBook Pro. So how long before Apple just uses USB-C everywhere? In which case your $200 Lightning Port headphones are worthless, but your $200 USB-C headphones get all of the advantages and can be used everywhere...

 

[Sefstah]

You lost all your credibility when you start using words like "sheeple" and saying only brainwashed people will buy the new iPhone.

My point exactly!
[doublepost=1472748019][/doublepost]

Again, that's exactly what I talk about in my post. Forget reading comprehension, I've read a few of your other posts. You're not well in the head. I hope you feel better.

You sound bitter because you can't accept what I'm saying is true. Don't worry, you're other Macrumor friends are with you.

 

[caipirina08]

i remember reading the amazon reviews for one of the already existing lightning headphones ... and one flaw that was mentioned many times: The lighting jack does not stay as well put in the plug as the 3.5mm does ... and yes, having it poking out straight is pretty terrible ... we shall see

 

[Jimmy James]

I like headphones. I have a small collection.

What I don't want is another proprietary set that I can't use with my laptop as well.

 

[Mac 128]

I prefer Apple lighting cable so that I can have them replaced when they break, thanks to AppleCare+

I had no idea Apple Care + would replace damaged cables for free with no questions asked. Thanks.

Wouldn't it have made more sense for Apple to ship lightning headphones with the 6s and gradually phased out of the 3.5mm jack? When they took the optical drive out of Macs they introduced the Mac App Store and already had iTunes for digital downloads. There are very few lightning alternatives available today and the phone is being released this month.

No. Why would anyone spend a dime more than they would have otherwise if they don't have to. Lightning headphone specs have been out for over 21 months, yet even over the last year with this rumor boiling under the surface, customers and manufacturers have made no effort to explore alternatives. The direct parallel is the conversion to Digital TV broadcasting. Customers were warned for years that the conversion was coming. Digital TV broadcasts were widely available for years before the conversion. HDTVs were available years before the conversion. The conversion was even postponed several years. Yet despite all of that, millions of customers were left scrambling when the analogue signal went dark. The sale of digital conversion boxes and HDTVs didn't take off until after the analogue signals were turned off. And that's human nature. If Apple leaves the jack, people will just keep using what they're used to, and worse yet, will opt for the cheapest alternative when upgrading -- and until the demand is there (like HDTVs), the prices of digital headphones are not going to come down, creating a self perpetuating stagnation.

Is that a daisy chain connector in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?! Yea no, thats a horrible solution.

Putting a pass-through on a charging cable you already use, that literally takes up no additional space, or changes the design whatsoever, is horrible solution?

That's easy to say. Why don't you elaborate on why.
[doublepost=1472750831][/doublepost]

I like headphones. I have a small collection.

What I don't want is another proprietary set that I can't use with my laptop as well.

If you use a new Mac, my expectation is that all new Macs will have Lightning ports added after Apple drops the headphone jack. If you use a PC, then you're stuck. You're best bet in that case is buying a pair of Lightning headphones with an optional hybrid cable that has both Lightning and 3.5mm plugs built in.

 

[Sefstah]

I had no idea Apple Care + would replace damaged cables for free with no questions asked. Thanks.



No. Why would anyone spend a dime more than they would have otherwise if they don't have to. Lightning headphone specs have been out for over 21 months, yet even over the last year with this rumor boiling under the surface, customers and manufacturers have made no effort to explore alternatives. The direct parallel is the conversion to Digital TV broadcasting. Customers were warned for years that the conversion was coming. Digital TV broadcasts were widely available for years before the conversion. HDTVs were available years before the conversion. The conversion was even postponed several years. Yet despite all of that, millions of customers were left scrambling when the analogue signal went dark. The sale of digital conversion boxes and HDTVs didn't take off until after the analogue signals were turned off. And that's human nature. If Apple leaves the jack, people will just keep using what they're used to, and worse yet, will opt for the cheapest alternative when upgrading -- and until the demand is there (like HDTVs), the prices of digital headphones are not going to come down, creating a self perpetuating stagnation.



Putting a pass-through on a charging cable you already use, that literally takes up no additional space, or changes the design whatsoever, is horrible solution?

That's easy to say. Why don't you elaborate on why.
[doublepost=1472750831][/doublepost]

If you use a new Mac, my expectation is that all new Macs will have Lightning ports added after Apple drops the headphone jack. If you use a PC, then you're stuck. You're best bet in that case is buying a pair of Lightning headphones with an optional hybrid cable that has both Lightning and 3.5mm plugs built in.

Yay, the defender of everything Apple is here! We've all been waiting for your arrival!
First off, nobody want to pay for a useless pass through adapter. Besides paying for it, now you have to carry it with you. Sounds lame to me. This doesn't make ones life easier like innovative technology is supposed to. Like I said, NOTHING is gained by removing the headphone jack.

 

[44267547]

Correct.

The iphone 7 will either have wireless AirPods in the box, or no earphones at all.

The Airpods will likely be sold separately in the Apple Store. I just don't see Apple including the Airpods in the box, seems abnormal for Apple to do this. It would be a secondary option for the Customer, aside from the Lightning EarPods.

 

[oneMadRssn]

Was NOTHING gained from removing the Floppy Disc drive? Was NOTHING gained from removing the Mac's serial port? Was NOTHING gained by removing the DVD-R drive? Was NOTHING gained by removing FireWire ports? NOTHING?

Removing legacy ports forces the technological march forward. That's how standards are adopted. Of course, Macs could have accumulated all of these ports and drives over the years since there would have been people who have wanted to use them, but then new more advanced ports and formats would have never been widely adopted.

We'll see in a week, but I'm convinced that Apple will be pushing for wireless headphones. Future wearable products will rely on not having cables of any kind. Right now, that's the Apple Watch but in some distant future, Apple glasses might join in. In the more immediate future, having wireless AirPods in your ears with Always On Siri connected to all of your devices (not just one) is a major advancement from the standard we have today.

Yes, bluetooth headphones have been around forever, but when they become a priority, technology will push forward and it'll become the standard. Then, we'll look back and wonder why we ever put up with dangling cables from our ears.

I think the issue is that the 3.5mm audio jack is not a legacy port.

You listed many things Apple got rid of when they were indeed legacy ports or mediums. When the imac debuted without a floppy drive in 1998, floppy disks were already pretty useless, 1.44MB was laughably small storage by then; and it was replaced by a universal standard CD drive. The serial port was always hated, and people only used it to the extent they had no other choice, even so, USB was well on it's way to being adopted by most accessory makes by then; and USB was an semi-open standard. When the Macbook Air debuted without a DVD drive, Apple already had an established and full digital iTunes store for buying music and movies. FireWire never really took off to begin with, but in any case, USB3.0 was already more popular than FireWire ever was when Apple started getting rid of it.

The 3.5mm audio jack isn't like any of those things though. It's not out of date, it's widely adopted, it doesn't inherently lack any feature or function, it's easy to use, and there is no competing replacement standard that is even close to matching it's popularity. Lightning will likely never be a cross-platform standard, and Bluetooth requires far too many compromises. Most importantly, neither are even close to matching current sales of 3.5mm accessories.

Just because a standard has existed for a long time does not make it legacy. 3.5mm is still the best mobile audio port, there is no reason to replace it today.

 

[Mac 128]

Yay, the defender of everything Apple is here! We've all been waiting for your arrival!
First off, nobody want to pay for a useless pass through adapter. Besides paying for it, now you have to carry it with you. Sounds lame to me. This doesn't make ones life easier like innovative technology is supposed to. Like I said, NOTHING is gained by removing the headphone jack.

It's not an adapter. It's part of the charging cable included in the box. So no added bulk, no separate adapter, no added expense. It's a zero sum change that solves the problem you were complaining about.

 

[redscull]

If Apple does include lightning earbuds, one aspect that I am concerned about is I tend to break my lightning cable quite often - maybe I'm clumsy, or maybe careless. So, I'll be breaking quite a lot of earphones!

You are not clumsy or careless. The Lightning adapter is crappy. Every lightning adapter I've seen looks like your picture if it gets regular use. I've even taken the broken cords to the local Apple Store and had them replaced, no fee, no questions asked. That says to me that they know how non-durable they are.

 

[BMcCoy]

The Airpods will likely be sold separately in the Apple Store. I just don't see Apple including the Airpods in the box, seems abnormal for Apple to do this. It would be a secondary option for the Customer, aside from the Lightning EarPods.

There are no lightning earpods... Apple will show wireless listening as the next stage of headphone listening.

 

[iThingsGurl]

You are not clumsy or careless. The Lightning adapter is crappy. Every lightning adapter I've seen looks like your picture if it gets regular use. I've even taken the broken cords to the local Apple Store and had them replaced, no fee, no questions asked. That says to me that they know how non-durable they are.

Wow! Glad to know I'm not the only one who've had this experience. What if lightning EarPods behave the same way? That may act as a reason if Apple decides to include a lightning to 3.5mm adapter rather than lightning EarPods, after all.

 

[44267547]

There are no lightning earpods... Apple will show wireless listening as the next stage of headphone listening.

And Again, doubtful Apple will pair these in the box. Likely a separate purchase or if included, for a high premium.

 

[Zirel]

It shouldn't be using a proprietary connector though because you won't be able to use them with any non-iOS devices.

Sure, but I don't want to use connectors that use a plastic centerpiece that will break sooner os later, like microUSB or USB-C.

 

[tennisproha]

Can't wait until Bose releases battery-free active noise-canceling headphones.

they're the best at active noise-canceling ATM.

 

[iThingsGurl]

There are no lightning earpods... Apple will show wireless listening as the next stage of headphone listening.

And Again, doubtful Apple will pair these in the box. Likely a separate purchase or if included, for a high premium.

If they figure out a way to offer music quality that is both seamless and on par with wired headphones, unlike any other wireless headphones available in the market today, I wouldn't mind purchasing them separately for a premium.

 

[JackANSI]

They could use something like the smart connector on the iPad Pro, maybe the Apple logo.

Good idea and it *might* work. If I remember correctly the Apple logo on the current phone is metal.

The real usability challenge of it would be lining up that tiny logo with the charging area as well as eating the inefficiency of using such a small diameter coil. So the logo would, more than likely, have to end up being much larger than currently pictured in leaks. Safe to say it's not coming with this one right now.

I'm hoping that Apple sees that you can't tout "wireless everything is the future" without putting forth wireless charging as well. Do I think they are at that point? Not for at least another 12-14 months.

Apple should have had wireless charging on the iPhone 4 and on. They just aren't very forward thinking anymore.

 

[mattopotamus]

Would lightning headphones work on all current iPhones with lightning ports?

 

[Sefstah]

It's not an adapter. It's part of the charging cable included in the box. So no added bulk, no separate adapter, no added expense. It's a zero sum change that solves the problem you were complaining about.

You cant really believe this is true right? You're lying to yourself with all this nonsense. The point is still the same. Nothing gained by removing the headphone jack!

 

[Mac 128]

Would lightning headphones work on all current iPhones with lightning ports?

Presumably. That's the whole point of Lightning. There might be some features that don't work depending on whether Apple includes a Lightning 2 connector in the iPhone 7 or not, but I can't imagine it wouldn't work in some basic capacity in every Lightning port.

 

[JackANSI]

Would lightning headphones work on all current iPhones with lightning ports?

Presumably. That's the whole point of Lightning. There might be some features that don't work depending on whether Apple includes a Lightning 2 connector in the iPhone 7 or not, but I can't imagine it wouldn't work in some basic capacity in every Lightning port.

As long as the DAC is in the headphones, it should work with existing models...

If Apple were to change the way the lightning port works to include analog signaling (it doesn't currently), then you'd have to be careful when you read the compatibility list for the headphones.

I'd hope Apple wasn't dumb enough to change things without doing like Mac128 suggests (labeling it as "Lightning 2" or something)

 

[Carmenia83]

My cheap in-ear buds from Sennheiser already have some noice-cancellation because they seal your ears with the rubber tips (like they all do). Is a 140$ premium for ANC worth it? Doubt it.

Your earbuds have noise isolation. Active noise cancellation is completely different. Its great for people who listen in noisy environments like city streets, subways, planes, etc. I fly several times per week and ANC is a must if I want to hear the dialogue on the movie I'm watching on my iPad. Plus, I would rather be listening to my music at a lower volume instead of full blast to drown out the engine noise. My eardrums used to ache all the time when I landed. Can't be healthy.
[doublepost=1472759982][/doublepost]

Earbuds with ANC just seem sketchy to me, but I've read the ANC on Bose headphones is killer and I would definitely want to invest in those. Might give them a try next month.

Good point on versatility btw, almost forgot these are worthless for your MacBook (or is there an adapter?).

The QC20's ANC performance is phenomenal. I've flown about 200,000 miles with mine and they're great. The only downside is charging the battery pack every day or so. Hopefully they push out a lightning version like this. Or Apple knocks it out of the park with their EarPods.
[doublepost=1472761182][/doublepost]

So you can't use these headphones with your Macbook, on an airplane, with your friends phone or anywhere else?! No thanks, these belong in the trash with the old outdated iPhone 7.

Or, if they don't work for your situation, you can just not buy them. As somebody that hates charging noise cancelling earbuds every day, I've been waiting for these for two years since Apple launched their lightning headphone MFi program at WWDC 2014. For any other rare circumstances I come across, I'll use an adapter.

 

[Mac 128]

As long as the DAC is in the headphones, it should work with existing models...

If Apple were to change the way the lightning port works to include analog signaling (it doesn't currently), then you'd have to be careful when you read the compatibility list for the headphones.

I'd hope Apple wasn't dumb enough to change things without doing like Mac128 suggests (labeling it as "Lightning 2" or something)

I find it hard to imagine that they will implement analogue audio out of the Lightning jack at this point, even though it's possible. They could have saved themselves the headache and expense by offering analogue audio out for the 30-pin docks and adapters when they made the change.

If anything, I could see them updating the MFi specs to accommodate analogue input over Lightning accessories like headphones which are analogue by nature. It would also eliminate the need to convert an analogue signal into digital just to get it into the headphones, only to be converted back to analogue. A smart chip in the 3.5mm adapter would instruct the headphones to bypass the DAC and send the signal straight to the transducers.

 

[Sefstah]

Your earbuds have noise isolation. Active noise cancellation is completely different. Its great for people who listen in noisy environments like city streets, subways, planes, etc. I fly several times per week and ANC is a must if I want to hear the dialogue on the movie I'm watching on my iPad. Plus, I would rather be listening to my music at a lower volume instead of full blast to drown out the engine noise. My eardrums used to ache all the time when I landed. Can't be healthy.
[doublepost=1472759982][/doublepost]

The QC20's ANC performance is phenomenal. I've flown about 200,000 miles with mine and they're great. The only downside is charging the battery pack every day or so. Hopefully they push out a lightning version like this. Or Apple knocks it out of the park with their EarPods.
[doublepost=1472761182][/doublepost]

Or, if they don't work for your situation, you can just not buy them. As somebody that hates charging noise cancelling earbuds every day, I've been waiting for these for two years since Apple launched their lightning headphone MFi program at WWDC 2014. For any other rare circumstances I come across, I'll use an adapter.

Don't expect noise cancellation to work with an adapter. And draining your device faster is never a welcomed feature. Trash I tell you!