Lightning-to-Headphone Adapters Appear Ahead of iPhone 7 Launch

[Exile714]

I would buy a Lightning to 3.5mm MALE cable if that were an option. Good headphones often have a 3.5mm port rather than a permanently attached cable which can be a point of failure.

I would NOT buy a Lightning-only set of headphones ever because it's not a standard port and only Apple uses it (and only on their iDevices). Adapters and dongles are not really acceptable for me (even ones better-made than the plastic junk shown here), and as far as Bluetooth audio has come it still isn't good enough yet.

 

[cjbryce]

Cars/Studios/professional IEMs/other existing tech (headphones, earbuds) that are much higher quality than any mainstream wireless product (Beats and Bose wireless over the ear are a joke in the professional music business)

In other words we have invested in quality products and we want to continue to use them.

I use half-decent headphone/earbuds and would be a bit miffed if the 3.5mm jack is dropped but I have a genuine question re professional use:- does anyone use an iPod/iPhone as a professional monitor source? Although I understand a lot of music is produced for headphone/earbud listening (unfortunately, in my opinion) does anyone really use even uncompressed files on a relatively low-quality output device as a reference/monitor? If so, doesn't the mooted move to external higher quality DACs benefit them in the end?

 

[MrNikeFresh808]

Just look at it as an assessory for your headphones and not the phone, and you'll actually began to not dislike it.

 

[Howyalikdemapls]

THIS... looks a LOT worse than ANYTHING I could ever have imagined, even in my wildest dreams...

I sincerely hope this is not real..

This is made by some random third party manufacturer though. If Apple removes the headphone jack they'll probably give us either lightning earpods or Bluetooth earpods, and I'm sure they'll manufacturer a smaller and better adaptor than this.

 

[Loge]

Any dongle is going to contain at least a DAC and volume controls so it's almost certainly going to be big and ugly no matter who makes it.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

It's a done deal. It's all but confirmed by Apple themselves that there will be no headphone jack. Get used to it people. No-one is forcing you to buy the iPhone 7, right?

Very true. Unfortunately, it's a deal breaker for me unless Apple makes a micro-sized adapter. The 3rd party pictured above is a gag, right? Would love to see the SNL commercial with a person running with an iPhone 7 and one of these adapters.

 

[MrGuder]

Just what we need another adapter and that one is huge.

Hey how about "adapter by Apple" patent still out.

 

[Kognito]

I'd love to see them recreate those old 'black and white silhouette against a colourful background' iTunes ads with this dongle attached to an iPhone.

 

[Kabeyun]

Just have a fire extinguisher ready.

 

[drumcat]

I use half-decent headphone/earbuds and would be a bit miffed if the 3.5mm jack is dropped but I have a genuine question re professional use:- does anyone use an iPod/iPhone as a professional monitor source? Although I understand a lot of music is produced for headphone/earbud listening (unfortunately, in my opinion) does anyone really use even uncompressed files on a relatively low-quality output device as a reference/monitor? If so, doesn't the mooted move to external higher quality DACs benefit them in the end?

You have it; it's an important *target* for mastering. It's the same as the crap speakers you see as a choice in a good studio.

And in its defense, the 6S is excellent for its size.

 

[Shirasaki]

If Apple has ever ditched 3.5mm headphone jack, I will buy and use iPad Pro to listen to music, as long as iPad Pro has a headphone jack.
If no Apple device has headphone jack I will then not buying any of them at all.
Call me stubborn and old-school. Wire is still superior than wireless in most ways.

 

[WordsmithMR]

These are ridiculous. What a waste of money. All that was needed was a small adapter not this disgusting giant plug. Glad I'll be going wireless.

 

[x-evil-x]

IF companies are going to make pieces that big why not build a built in battery to charge the phone and make headphones sound better at the same time?
[doublepost=1464697734][/doublepost]

oh dear lord.. talk about a backwards step. Taking something that is embedded inside the phone, and making it a dongle flapping about attached to the phone.. how is that possibly progress?

No, the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that if Apple really are pushing for the end of the 3.5 jack, they'll be going with wireless as the (only) solution. Even knowing the short-term controversy over the sudden redundancy of wired headphones, they'll go for the long view, of completely wireless systems.

Do you not care about improved sound? Do you not care about possibly built in battery charging while better sound coming from improved dac? I don't see it as a step back honestly. But i also have some really good bluetooth earbuds (jaybird freedoms) so i don't care either way.

 

[dewski]

Who uses cords to listen to music, this is 2016. And wireless headphones are better then ever. I'm assuming they will announce no plug and people
Will gasp and then they will say included in the phone box is wireless ear buds and everyone will cheer. Apple is not stupid

I use earpods 8 hours a day at work listening to podcasts. And i have some high end studio headphones that i use listen to my band's demos and take notes for editing. I do believe that wireless is the future, but bluetooth is not close to the quality of wired headphones. I've tried all kinds of brands.

 

[Rocketman]

Maybe Apple will do all three for one generation to gauge end user satisfaction. 3.5mm, lightning, and Bluetooth audio.

 

[imola.zhp]

So now I'll have to carry two headphones, lightning for iPhone and 3.5mm for MacBook Pro. Won't be able to charge while listening to headphones. Not sure about all of this. Might be time to look for some wireless, which will also need to be charged and most likely will have its own charging cable.

 

[x-evil-x]

I use earpods 8 hours a day at work listening to podcasts. And i have some high end studio headphones that i use listen to my band's demos and take notes for editing. I do believe that wireless is the future, but bluetooth is not close to the quality of wired headphones. I've tried all kinds of brands.

Give the new jaybird freedoms a shot with the app they have to adjust eq on the earbuds themselves. best sounding little buds I've owned

 

[sulpfiction]

Let's be real...The days of wired headphones are coming to an end. 3.5mm jack is so dated. Taking it out of the iPhone is a great move. People who love their wired cans are just going to have to get an adapter or switch over to wireless. Not a big deal. There was a similar uproar when Apple got rid of the 30 pin. "ALL THE WASTED CABLES I HAVE". Looking back, that 30 pin cable was freakin terrible. And it will be the same with wired headphones. Once wireless headphones sound as good (and it's close right now), and even better then their wired cousins, we will wonder how we ever managed to be tethered to our phones with annoying headphone wires.

 

[krazifour]

I hope these adapters come with the 3M double sided sticky pads. So I can permanately affix it to my iPhone and make a better design choice than J. Ive.

 

[weckart]

Cars/Studios/professional IEMs/other existing tech (headphones, earbuds) that are much higher quality than any mainstream wireless product (Beats and Bose wireless over the ear are a joke in the professional music business)...

So are Apple iDevices if we want to nitpick.

 

[Mac21ND]

Removing the headphone jack only works if they package wireless earbuds with the phone.

Begin laughter now.

 

[MacSince1985]

No, the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that if Apple really are pushing for the end of the 3.5 jack, they'll be going with wireless as the (only) solution. Even knowing the short-term controversy over the sudden redundancy of wired headphones, they'll go for the long view, of completely wireless systems.

You're probably right on Apple's plans. But this is non an Apple product. This is a product to allow users to continue using their preferred 3.5mm headphones. Audio via the lightning port will continue for the foreseeable future and I see no reason not to tap into it.

The average iPhone user will end up with a slightly thinner phone and use the bundled wireless earbuds. Those who want higher quality audio will either buy new headphones or an adapter like this one.

 

[skinned66]

Can somebody explain to me why I would want such a bulky thing hanging off of my phone, or in my pocket and looking like I wasn't very happy to see somebody? Between my wallet my phone, keys and headphones I already carry enough **** in my front pockets.

 

[Böhme417]

I don't know why people keep using the defensive of "oh, they'll include lightning/bluetooth EarPods." Those Apple pieces of crap are not a reasonable replacement or substitute for a decent set of headphones. Every pair I've ever received with an iPod or iPhone has been relegated to the depths of the junk drawer.

As for my 2¢ about bluetooth headphones in general, they definitely have a long way to go to be a replacement for wired. As others have noted, maintaining a solid connection is still an issue for nearly every bluetooth device, and the quality of sound just isn't there. Again, as already noted, there's the added inconvenience of having to charge the flipping things.

And this absurd dongle brings me back the earlier 2000s when the 3.5 mm jack wasn't as ubiquitous on phones and we had to carry adaptors for USB and whatever proprietary ports were being used by LG and Samsung and every other phone manufacturer.

 

[H2SO4]

Who uses cords to listen to music, this is 2016. And wireless headphones are better then ever. I'm assuming they will announce no plug and people
Will gasp and then they will say included in the phone box is wireless ear buds and everyone will cheer. Apple is not stupid

Call me paranoid but I don’t like the idea of yet more radio energy right near my head. Yes, you’ll say it’s been tested as safe but 10-15 years from now they’ll be saying that the levels were in fact too high.