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

[PJL500]

It's a bold move; this is probably possible because most iPhone users stick with the included earbuds; or the included earbuds, traditionally a (sad) afterthought by Apple, will be BT (unlikely?) in future; it also assumes that the majority of headphone purchases in the immediate future will be bluetooth (maybe likely).... and the millions of wired-headphone users won't mind having to dongle up. It looks like, for many, 2017 is gearing up to be The Year of the Dongle.

 

[lars666]

It's a bold move.

Tim & Co. want to strike a "Steve", persuading themselves that this move is living his DNA like axing the floppy drive, the DVD drive etc. – not understanding that the other things already had logical better alternatives by that time while the headphone jack does not.

 

[nikosl7]

Remind me again, what is the benefit of this mess? The potential extra speaker? Is apple serious at all?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I really doubt most people can really tell the difference between digital connection and 3.8 mm headphone jack for music or something so that won't be a selling point unless Apple can sell it as a huge leap in quality.

People can't tell the difference because our ears ONLY hear analog. This is not about analog (3.5mm) vs. digital (lightning) such that the latter is automatically better because it's digital. Our ears can NOT hear digital. So what happens here is the digital music file just moves a little bit further down the pipe (into one of these dongles) where it is converted to analog there (maybe 3 inches away from where it used to be converted to analog inside iPhones before the "7"). That short distance doesn't offer any classic "maintain an all-digital signal for as far as you can" benefit.

On a hardware basis, for us to hear a difference, it will be about the DAC and amplifier quality inside the dongle. If that's better than the one Apple chooses inside the iPhone, some ears might be able to hear a slight difference in audio quality. But that would mean 2 things:

• it will almost certainly come at a price premium. The cheap dongles are probably not going to have high quality DACs & Amps. And since this is almost a single use adapter, are people going to be quick to pay up $79, $149, $349 for such an adapter vs. the $12.95 or $19.95 Chinese knockoffs that will quickly hit stores. Will the masses even be audio savvy enough to think about why the adapter that is priced 5X or 10X more is actually better than the one they can pickup at Revco or CVS like a flash drive for maybe $12. If people buy the cheap adapters, I don't expect any ears to hear any better quality.
• The faithful would be put in a tough position of having to rationalize Apple's decision here (always genius of course) while admitting the tech Apple still has INSIDE the phone is inferior to third party (same) tech built into these dongles. In short, this would be admitting Apple's iPhone DAC < (say) Samsungs DAC (in a Samsung-made adapter). That's going to be some fun spin to watch as it's slung. I can already imagine arguments being made that the one in the iPhone is a better DAC but the audio via the Samsung adapter is better because Apple has it flowing through Lightning. In other words, Apple is better and Apple is better... and Samsung is still crooked, copycats

The common confusion about this change is that this is going to yield BETTER sounding audio. That's not automatic. If all it takes for better sounding audio is connecting via Lightning or Bluetooth, both options are ALREADY available but neither seems to be winning the masses over. Why not (if they sound a lot better)? Some of the closet marketers here have already started arguing that we're all too stupid to embrace "the future" unless Apple forces us there by taking away ubiquity ("antiquated") so that we have to embrace proprietary. Cue Henry Ford "faster horses" quotes.

Another way for ears to hear better-sounding audio would be to update the AAC standard again so that we are actually getting higher quality music files. As I watch this rollout approach and as other rumors imply larger base storage, I'm increasingly thinking how Apple sells some acceptance of this change is through that combination. In other words, upgrade the quality of the music file itself and roll them out with this change. That will get people and the press talking about better sounding music, implying that switching to Lightning yielded this audio upgrade. But, of course, higher quality music files would sound better through 3.5mm too.

And the last way for our ears to hear better-sounding audio would be if- as some are speculating- Apple goes wireless here but rolls out a new wireless standard that overcomes the many issues with Bluetooth wireless "as is." Of course, that would be thoroughly proprietary and thus probably not connect with anything other than Apple hardware but if "the future" really is wireless and that "the future" is to be thrust upon us dummies this Fall (because we're too stupid to embrace it's superiority without forcing it upon us) a new wireless audio standard seems mandatory.

So saddle up boys and ride your "faster horses" on over to the Apple store this Fall to hear "the future." Don't bring the headphones that already & readily work with both your iDevices and Macs (and everything else you encounter). While there you can buy your new headphones that only work with iDevices and/or pay up for duplicate technology in a "tail" that will still have to exist inside the iPhone too so that it can be used as a phone.

 

[Cwolk]

They better make this adapter with a thicker cable and higher quality materials than the standard lightning cable. There is going to be a lot of bending at the ends of the cable, and if it acts as standard ones do im not going to be happy.

 

[nikosl7]

People can't tell the difference because our ears ONLY hear analog. This is not about analog (3.5mm) vs. digital (lightning) such that the latter is automatically better because it's digital. Our ears can NOT hear digital. So what happens here is the digital music file just moves a little bit further down the pipe (into one of these dongles) where it is converted to analog there (maybe 3 inches away from where it used to be converted to analog inside iPhones before the "7"). That short distance doesn't offer any classic "maintain an all-digital signal for as far as you can" benefit.

On a hardware basis, for us to hear a difference, it will be about the DAC and amplifier quality inside the dongle. If that's better than the one Apple chooses inside the iPhone, some ears might be able to hear a slight difference in audio quality. But that would mean 2 things:

• it will almost certainly come at a price premium. The cheap dongles are probably not going to have high quality DACs & Amps. And since this is almost a single use adapter, are people going to be quick to pay up $79, $149, $349 for such an adapter vs. the $12.95 or $19.95 Chinese knockoffs that will quickly hit stores. Will the masses even be audio savvy enough to think about why the adapter that is priced 5X or 10X more is actually better than the one they can pickup at Revco or CVS like a flash drive for maybe $12. If people buy the cheap adapters, I don't expect any ears to hear any better quality.
• The faithful would be put in a tough position of having to rationalize Apple's decision here (always genius of course) while admitting the tech Apple still has INSIDE the phone is inferior to third party (same) tech built into these dongles. In short, this would be admitting Apple's iPhone DAC < (say) Samsungs DAC (in a Samsung-made adapter). That's going to be some fun spin to watch as it's slung. I can already imagine arguments being made that the one in the iPhone is a better DAC but the audio via the Samsung adapter is better because Apple has it flowing through Lightning. In other words, Apple is better and Apple is better... and Samsung is still crooked, copycats

The common confusion about this change is that this is going to yield BETTER sounding audio. That's not automatic. If all it takes for better sounding audio is connecting via Lightning or Bluetooth, both options are ALREADY available but neither seems to be winning the masses over. Why not (if they sound a lot better)? Some of the closet marketers here have already started arguing that we're all too stupid to embrace "the future" unless Apple forces us there by taking away ubiquity ("antiquated") so that we have to embrace proprietary. Cue Henry Ford "faster horses" quotes.

Another way for ears to hear better-sounding audio would be to update the AAC standard again so that we are actually getting higher quality music files. As I watch this rollout approach and as other rumors imply larger base storage, I'm increasingly thinking how Apple sells some acceptance of this change is through that combination. In other words, upgrade the quality of the music file itself and roll them out with this change. That will get people and the press talking about better sounding music, implying that switching to Lightning yielded this audio upgrade. But, of course, higher quality music files would sound better through 3.5mm too.

And the last way for our ears to hear better-sounding audio would be if- as some are speculating- Apple goes wireless here but rolls out a new wireless standard that overcomes the many issues with Bluetooth wireless "as is." Of course, that would be thoroughly proprietary and thus probably not connect with anything other than Apple hardware but if "the future" really is wireless and that "the future" is to be thrust upon us dummies this Fall (because we're too stupid to embrace it's superiority without forcing it upon us) a new wireless audio standard seems mandatory.

So saddle up boys and ride your "faster horses" on over to the Apple store this Fall to hear "the future." Don't bring the headphones that already & readily work with both your iDevices and Macs (and everything else you encounter). While there you can buy your new headphones that only work with iDevices and/or pay up for duplicate technology in a "tail" that will still have to exist inside the iPhone too so that it can be used as a phone.

But there will be also an adapter from female lightning port to male 3.5mm. So you will be able to use you brand new lightning. headphones with your older devices. One adapter in your left pocket one in your right. There you go problem solved.

 

[Bubba Satori]

Mor adaptorz!!!

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Remind me again, what is the benefit of this mess? The potential extra speaker? Is apple serious at all?

Thinner. It's always about "thinner." Haven't you been following all of the countless threads griping about how thick & unwieldy the current iPhones are (or the prior generation... or their prior generation). MUST GET THINNER!!!

Then profit. Selling accessory dongles with proprietary connections at huge margins is very profitable.

If you are asking about consumer benefit... ummmm...
[doublepost=1464709889][/doublepost]

But there will be also an adapter from female lightning port to male 3.5mm. So you will be able to use you brand new lightning. headphones with your older devices. One adapter in your left pocket one in your right. There you go problem solved.

Good point. And since we have other pockets, we can buy another adapter to use them with our own Macs... and another adapter to use them with the USB3 jack coming soon to all Intel-based computing devices everywhere.

Or maybe we can get one super adapter with connections for all of those, but not count it- or their- thickness & weight- against the iPhone "thinner & lighter" claim, even if we are carrying it or them around with us to get full use out of our headphones.

Such a mess.

If there is ever a time for some "big reveal" from Apple that makes what looks like a witches brew into a delicious stew, this seems like it will have to be it.

 

[tkermit]

Could someone with sufficient Photoshop skills mock up the combination of iPhone with one of these hanging out of the bottom? I think the pictures are helping us imagine this incarnation of "the future" but a picture would really paint the picture for those that need to see one. A

My Photoshop skills, or rather Preview.app/Pixelmator skills really aren't sufficient for this, but since nobody else is giving it a go...:

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

tkermit, that's actually pretty good. It certainly illustrates the concept.

Ladies & gentlemen, presenting "the future". Let the applause and cheers commence... and sustain. Cue the "shut up and take my money" meme(s). Get 10-20 guys already in line waiting for their chance to buy first.

 

[jalo07]

Cheer about Apple's uncomfortable, terrible sound quality ear buds?

...or Apple won't include any headphones to boost their profit margin so they can hit their numbers, because a thousand dollar iPhone and billions in the bank isn't enough profit to meet the greed of Wall Street investors. Apple should buy everyone out and operate as a private company and get some focus. They are loosing it.

 

[Kajje]

A nice 2nd life for that Macbook Air ethernet adaptor injection mould.

 

[dwaltwhit]

maybe i'm doing it wrong but when I am charging my phone in my car, if I plug in the aux cord, I get weird cross talk feedback buzzing (technical terms I assure you). maybe this will solve the issue.

 

[JoeG4]

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?
.

Hey they did it with laptops and most people thought it was a great idea lol

Then again just because they do something stupid doesn't mean they won't change their minds. They introduced the MacBook Air with a single USB port originally lol

 

[l00pback]

I'd say the majority of customers do. Its a rarity thatI see people with wireless headphones, most people everywhere I go plug into their devices, be it a Laptop, Tablet or Phone (or even a desktop machine).

I want nothing to do with bluetooth headphones/bluetooth streaming. Its a nightmare in the car, disconnection, battery drain, pairing issues. Not to mention having to charge a pair of headphones. Left my lightning cable at home a couple of times and using the bluetooth audio streaming in the car is horrendous, hasn't changed since my last couple of attempts to use it (soundbars, Stereo Amps).

If people want wireless headphones, they're welcome to adopt them today, just like those of us who like 3.5mm headphones can continue using them

My experience has been quite positive. When I turn on my car, the phone automatically connects to the after-market Bluetooth receiver. I place my phone in the (aftermarket) dock for ease-of-use, and charging. It rarely drops out. When it does, I pull out the receiver, and plug it back in. No sweat.

As for headphones, the pair I use as work last a couple days on a charge. I plug them in when I leave in the evening. Really no problem there, unless I forget. If you insist on using wired headphones, the lightning port can carry a digital audio signal. Lightning port headphones will become more-and-more available between now and the iP7 launch later this year.

 

[arkmannj]

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

When I find BT headphones that can do the following I'll agree:
* Be price competitive with wired headphones
* Offer the same sound quality as wired headphones (both in the listening, and the microphone)
* That can last a week+ on a single charge.
* Offer batteries that don't need to constantly be recharged, or degrade to the point where I need to replace the battery every year.
* Don't have batteries that harm the environment zany more than wired headphones would
* Are as light and comfortable as wired headphones
* Doesn't drain a device's battery any faster than wired headphones
* Is only as susceptible to radio interference as wired headphones

If bluetooth is fine for you then great, but it's not the best for everyone, and every situation. My phone is playing music, or being talked in, and used 10+ hours a day. For My uses I have yet to find a compelling wireless headset that keeps up.

 

[0007776]

I'd rather carry around an older iPhone with a headphone jack. I will be sticking with an iPhone that has a headphone jack until it dies, then either moving to an android that still has a headphone jack or seeing if there is a new standard comnector that will work on everything without adapters.
[doublepost=1464714322][/doublepost]

Lightning port headphones will become more-and-more available between now and the iP7 launch later this year.

Can I use lightning headphones on my computer, or on an airplane to avoid having to pay extra for their headphones?

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I'd rather carry around an older iPhone with a headphone jack. I will be sticking with an iPhone that has a headphone jack until it dies, then either moving to an android that still has a headphone jack or seeing if there is a new standard comnector that will work on everything without adapters.

If any "new" jack has a chance, it will be USB3. That's what Intel is going to build into their platforms. It will thus already be there and be cheaper (probably much cheaper) than licensing Lightning. So "the future" that does not cling to 3.5mm will almost certainly be USB3... except on Apple hardware, but even there, only select Apple hardware as future Macs are likely to have USB3 and should work given that they'll be built atop the Intel chipsets. So really it will be iDevices with one unique jack and everything else with 1 or 2 other jacks. Be ready to buy and carry adapters.

Can I use lightning headphones on my computer,

The one you have now? No... unless you buy and carry an adapter.

The one you buy in the future? Maybe... if it's a Mac... and if Apple decides to allocate a space that could be used for an extra USB3/Thunderbolt port to be a lightning port mostly for headphone use.

an airplane to avoid having to pay extra for their headphones?

No. Lightning has already been out for a good while. What airplanes offer the addition of a Lightning port along with the more typical 3.5mm and maybe a standard USB port? For everybody else to embrace Lightning, it will cost them a lot of money in licensing to serve only a portion of the population. And by the time they could embrace it, the Lightning port itself will prove to be "too thick" for "thinner" and thus, introducing Lightning 2.

I'm barely joking here. Good example. I just went on a business trip. As is, I took one iDevice and a Macbook with one set of headphones terminating in 3.5mm. They got used with both Apple devices- no adapters necessary. While on the trip, clients needed me to plug in to their (mostly Windows-based machines). Of course, there was no Lightning on those, but there was 3.5mm. They may have had bluetooth capability but they would have needed to "call IT" to try to make the connection so it was easier and more efficient to just plug me in.

Both ways one of the NBA playoff games was on the TV screens on the planes. The ONLY options to jack in and hear the audio was 3.5mm. If this was already "the future" and I had brought along Lightning-terminated headphones, I'd be out of luck in many instances unless I brought along an adapter too. So only if I was very, VERY Apple-centric and pretty much never needed headphones attached to anything other than the iDevice could Lightning-terminated headphones work for me. Even between my iDevice and Mac, I'd need an adapter right now.

Is the above an usual scenario for ways people use headphones? No... maybe "not at all." Now go on my trip again with Lightning-terminated headphones. How much do you miss? Do we really want to carry adapters? Or do we really want to carry 2 sets of headphones?

 

[Mac 128]

My Photoshop skills, or rather Preview.app/Pixelmator skills really aren't sufficient for this, but since nobody else is giving it a go...:

View attachment 633720

Yes, because Apple will design a dongle as badly conceived as an unlicensed Chinese electronics manufacturer trying to scoop the market on rumored unreleased technology they can't even conceive of ... please ...

This is just FUD, plain and simple.
[doublepost=1464717394][/doublepost]

I'd rather carry around an older iPhone with a headphone jack. I will be sticking with an iPhone that has a headphone jack until it dies, then either moving to an android that still has a headphone jack or seeing if there is a new standard comnector that will work on everything without adapters.

Based on Intel's push for USB audio, I'd venture to say all flagship phones will drop the 3.5mm jack within a year of Apple doing it for similar reasons. USB-C is years away from being a ubiquitous audio standard, assuming it even happens, and during that transition there will be adapters required for all wired connections. In the end, Wireless is the new standard, not anything wired.

Can I use lightning headphones on my computer, or on an airplane to avoid having to pay extra for their headphones?

Of course you can. A simple adapter will accommodate that. But here's the reality ... you won't be buying a dedicated Lightning set of headphones. You will be buying a hybrid set, with a digital/analogue port to accommodate any cable you want to use with any device you want to use. You might even buy a wireless headset which will also have an optional wired port built-in to give you maximum flexibility. Moreover, I'll bet that there will be some cables with combined connectors, a Lightning connector for instance with a fold-away 3.5mm plug which will take care of most Apple customer's needs -- perfect for traveling. Apple would be smart to design something similar on the included Lightning earbuds to ensure backward compatibility with Apple devices a customer may already own.

I would also expect Apple to add Lightning jacks to all of their products by next year, including all new MacBooks. So if you buy a new MacBook and the latest flagship iPhone, you'll be able to use your new digital headphones on all of your Apple devices with the same connector, as well as on an Airplane or any other 3.5mm device with a built-in hybrid adapter, a separate adapter, or a dedicated cable.

 

[Carlanga]

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 only use my wireless BTs in the gym.

 

[Zwhaler]

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?

If I'm out and about and want to check a mix that just came in, I can stream the wave on Dropbox or use the AAC 320 from my email inbox.

 

[dampfnudel]

People cried when Apple removed the floppy drive, people wailed when they excluded the CD/DVD Drive in Macbook Pros , people lost their bowels when they didn't use mag safe on the new Macbook. There was no click wheel on the iPhone? Absurd!

Is it ok for us all to move forward without you?

I agree, but I think the timing of the headphone jack removal may be inconvenient given the rumors that the iPhone 7 will look almost identical to the 6/6s. A lot of people will question upgrading to a iPhone that not only looks very similar to their two-year-old iPhone 6, but now requires an awkward looking dongle to maintain compatibility with their expensive headphones. Eventually, everything will be fine, but it might have been an easier sell for Apple to hold off removing it until they have a sexy new design to go with the change.

 

[Mac 128]

I agree, but I think the timing of the headphone jack removal may be inconvenient given the rumors that the iPhone 7 will look almost identical to the 6/6s. A lot of people will question upgrading to a iPhone that not only looks very similar to their two-year-old iPhone 6, but now requires an awkward looking dongle to maintain compatibility with their expensive headphones. Eventually, everything will be fine, but it might have been an easier sell for Apple to hold off removing it until they have a sexy new design to go with the change.

I'm totally in agreement with this.

The ONLY way this works at all is if Apple and every other cell phone maker is in the position to remove the headphone jack in order to make improvements and add features to their flagship phones without making the phones larger (and like it or not that's what sells new phones despite the protests of some on this tech forum who would prefer larger phones with bigger batteries). If Apple makes the change without bringing any new features utilizing the reclaimed space, it will not go over well, and give the competition a huge leg up for at least a year. As it is, Apple stands to lose a calculated percentage of sales until the competition also drops the headphone jack on their flagship models, unless they can offer something pretty substantial to encourage sales. And they may well ... though I'm hard pressed to guess what that might be in essentially the exact same package as the 6s.

 

[0007776]

Of course you can. A simple adapter will accommodate that. But here's the reality ... you won't be buying a dedicated Lightning set of headphones. You will be buying a hybrid set, with a digital/analogue port to accommodate any cable you want to use with any device you want to use. You might even buy a wireless headset which will also have an optional wired port built-in to give you maximum flexibility. Moreover, I'll bet that there will be some cables with combined connectors, a Lightning connector for instance with a fold-away 3.5mm plug which will take care of most Apple customer's needs -- perfect for traveling. Apple would be smart to design something similar on the included Lightning earbuds to ensure backward compatibility with Apple devices a customer may already own.

All of those options sound quite bulky and probably more expensive than equivalent headphones with a 3.5mm jack, and no benefit. Unless apple and the rest of the world agree on one standard for headphones I'll be sticking with whatever manufacturers continue to make devices with 3.5mm jacks since they work great, and have the widest acceptance. And if that means moving away from Apple then that's what I'll have to do. I know it may be heresy to some around here, but Apple isn't entitled to my money, they need to give me a good reason to give it to them.

 

[Mac 128]

All of those options sound quite bulky and probably more expensive than equivalent headphones with a 3.5mm jack, and no benefit. Unless apple and the rest of the world agree on one standard for headphones I'll be sticking with whatever manufacturers continue to make devices with 3.5mm jacks since they work great, and have the widest acceptance. And if that means moving away from Apple then that's what I'll have to do. I know it may be heresy to some around here, but Apple isn't entitled to my money, they need to give me a good reason to give it to them.

In all likelihood you will be waiting ... forever. And you will be moving away from using any flagship phones as well. In order for this rumor to be even remotely possible, Apple won't be the only manufacturer dropping the headphone jack on their flagship devices.

You're guessing at what's possible without acknowledging the realities of how supply and demand, economies of scale work, and the technology that currently exists. You do realize that there are BT earbuds that contain DACs, amps, battery, radios, and antennas that fit entirely inside standard earbud housings? That same technology could easily fit inside a wired set of earbuds without any significant additional bulk whatsoever. As demand increases with more manufacturers moving away form 3.5mm jacks, the price will drop. Apple's entire I/O chip package, of which the DAV and amp are a small part cost less than $18. So there's not even a substantial price increase to absorb.

And while you personally don't see the benefit, there absolutely are benefits for which there are many, many threads on these forums debating them. No need to rehash them here, since you seem to have made up your mind in the absence of actual facts.