Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Should the 3.5 mm headphone jack be removed with the next iPhone?

  • Yes

  • No


Results are only viewable after voting.
They should not. Gotta start with the new connector then make people use both for audio and maybe with iphone 7S remove it as people will have enough time to adapt.
 
  • Like
Reactions: witnessthefunk
It depends upon how it's implemented. If Apple is willing to provide an adapter for existing headphones with the new iPhones free of additional charges that would go a long way toward acceptance.

I can see a lot of resistance if people are forced to pay for an adaptor (which likely will be sold out for months) to use their expensive headphones on a new iPhone.
 
It depends upon how it's implemented. If Apple is willing to provide an adapter for existing headphones with the new iPhones free of additional charges that would go a long way toward acceptance.

I can see a lot of resistance if people are forced to pay for an adaptor (which likely will be sold out for months) to use their expensive headphones on a new iPhone.
If the people who need one get it free, people who don't (need one) are going to feel swindled. Best give those a discount.

And better make them turn in their adapter to get the discount, having the thing end up in the trash is not vey environmental.
 
Last edited:
After endless discussions on the forum, I think it's time to create a poll ...

Endless discussions? I do not think it means what you think it means, to quote Inigo Montoya.

They should not. Gotta start with the new connector then make people use both for audio and maybe with iphone 7S remove it as people will have enough time to adapt.

They already have a specification for the headphones, and you can already buy headphones with the Lightning plug. I doubt many people would buy and use an adapter for their existing phones, since it would add an extra chunk in between the phone and headset, with no additional functionality (plus it would cost money). So people won't start using an adapter until the headphone plug is removed. IMHO.

Personally, as long as the headphones aren't more expensive or bulkier than existing headphones, I don't care much. I don't need a thinner iPhone, though... I would prefer the same size with a larger battery, if anything.

C
 
  • Like
Reactions: Moki808
It's a standard that does exactly what it needs to do. There is no reason to replace it. If Apple wants to use lightning as a new standard they should start shipping lighting headphones with a lightning connector with iPhones and iPods, and retain the headphone jack at least for a few generations. In addition to that they would need to license the lightning standard and find ways to create incentives for other manufacturers to use it, and then when lightning headphones are approaching the ubiquitousness of the current standard they can get rid of the headphone jack.

Personally I don't think Apple could pull off creating a new standard that doesn't seem to offer any noticeable improvement even if they tried. If we ever see a change in the standards for audio connections it will be when battery and wireless technology catch up enough that bluetooth or another wireless standard provide good competition.
 
It's a standard that does exactly what it needs to do. There is no reason to replace it. If Apple wants to use lightning as a new standard they should start shipping lighting headphones with a lightning connector with iPhones and iPods, and retain the headphone jack at least for a few generations. In addition to that they would need to license the lightning standard and find ways to create incentives for other manufacturers to use it, and then when lightning headphones are approaching the ubiquitousness of the current standard they can get rid of the headphone jack.

Personally I don't think Apple could pull off creating a new standard that doesn't seem to offer any noticeable improvement even if they tried. If we ever see a change in the standards for audio connections it will be when battery and wireless technology catch up enough that bluetooth or another wireless standard provide good competition.

Apple licensed the new standard back in 2014:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/14...ng-enabled-headphone-standard-in-wwdc-session.

You can buy headphones with the lightning connection already. But people aren't likely to change until Apple forces them to.

C
 
This isn't the first time this rumor has circulated. The speculation began as soon as the Lightning connector was announced. I just don't see it happening any time soon. I can't see a positive cost/benefit trade-off. The technology for replacing that 3.5mm jack is far more complex and costly than the tech it's replacing.

I can see Apple pitching the benefits of all-new digital or Bluetooth EarPods, but I can't see how they can persuade reviewers, pundits, and consumers that eliminating the analog headphone jack is a product improvement at this date and time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KJL3000
The way I feel about this is the way I felt about the Superdrive on the MacBook Pro. I bought a MBP in 2011 partly to make sure I still had the onboard drive (I needed to upgrade to a 15" quad core anyway), and I still use the drive to this day, though not THAT often. Often enough though that I'm glad it's still there.

I'll be very happy that I bought an "s" series this year if the 7 indeed loses the traditional headphone jack.

I absolutely hate dongles and adapters on any mobile/portable device. I also have absolutely NO desire to see iPhones get any thinner. Battery life can always be improved from current standards, and durability suffers on these big phones when they continue to get thinner.
 
I guess I will reserve judgment until it actually happens in order to see how it is implemented. If it were to increase sound quality and contributed in a positive way to the design of the phone, I can be swayed. But can the masses? I assume many if not the majority will be pissed off if they need to use an adapter, let alone buy one.

My main concern is simultaneous charging. I like to listen through my headphones at work while my phone is plugged in. I like to stream while charging on the drive home to (my car doesn't have Bluetooth). But most of all.............why thinner? How can Apple employ over 50,000 people and not one, ONE, of them get through to the powers at be that battery life is the number one most sought after feature improvement in the phone?
 
IDK.

Seems like shades of 2008-2009 to me. Already went through this with my 2009 HTC Touch Pro and a Mini-USB/3.5mm headphone adapter.

It wasn't pretty then and horribly inconvenient. Not really wishing to repeat the process, even if Apple has a better solution.

htc-touch-pro-sprint-15-vn.jpg

313uTE4pFpL.jpg
 
If the people who need one get it free, people who don't (need one) are going to feel swindled. Best give those a discount.

And better make them turn in their adapter to get the discount, having the thing end up in the trash is not vey environmental.

You'd only get the adaptor free if you bought a new iPhone with the new jack. I'm not sure people would feel swindled for not getting an adaptor for a device they don't own. I was thinking it would simply be included in the box with any new iPhone. All electronics end up recycled (hopefully) or in a landfill so I don't see the difference.
 
You'd only get the adaptor free if you bought a new iPhone with the new jack. I'm not sure people would feel swindled for not getting an adaptor for a device they don't own. I was thinking it would simply be included in the box with any new iPhone. All electronics end up recycled (hopefully) or in a landfill so I don't see the difference.
So if I buy a new iPhone without headphone jack, I get an adaptor that I don't need. The price is sort of hidden, because it's not optional. But I'll actually of course be paying for it. I just don't have a choice. Do you like having to pay for stuff you don't want?
 
I'm all for innovation, but if a quest for even more thinness is a driving factor, they are doing it for the wrong reasons.

I actually LIKE the thicker iPhones this year compared to last year. I went from a 6 to a 6s Plus, so the thickness I've gained is the most noticeable of any other model swap, and I love the feeling in the hand.

I like thicker necks on guitars too, so maybe I'm just old fashioned.
 
I fail to see what benefit there is to making iPhones thinner at this point. And to me it's even more of a negative if the headphone jack has to go. So much so that for once since the original iPhone, I might consider not upgrading if the next model loses the 3.5mm jack.

Even providing an adapter for free wouldn't justify such a decision. Great, now I have to plug this dongle in to use my headphones. How does that help the aesthetic of a thinner phone if I have to carry an extra dongle around now, and basically consider it an additional, more fragile part of my phone?

Keep the phone the same thickness, so the jack doesn't have to go, and work on increasing battery capacity. That would be a worthwhile advancement to me.

Ultimately though, this IS speculation, and not all rumors pan out. I have my doubts that Apple is seriously considering doing away with the jack, even if they are trying to make the phone thinner. the current iPod touch shows that you can still make a thinner device while keeping the jack.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ohio.emt
What's the point? Outside of thinness, would a lighting headphone port improve sound quality? A lightening to 3.5mm adapter just seems silly. Why not develop a nice set of wireless headphones that are battery efficient and have good sound? That seems like a much better use of R&D.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ohio.emt
What's the point? Outside of thinness, would a lighting headphone port improve sound quality? A lightening to 3.5mm adapter just seems silly. Why not develop a nice set of wireless headphones that are battery efficient and have good sound? That seems like a much better use of R&D.

The link I posted identifies some of the benefits in the Lightning audio port. Wasn't enough for me to get excited about it, that's for sure.

Wireless is nice, but I use wired because I don't like the weight of battery powered units, plus they're more expensive and one more thing to make sure is charged when I leave the house.

C
 
  • Like
Reactions: dontworry
I fail to see what benefit there is to making iPhones thinner at this point.
I don't. More options. If the phone is too thin for you, you can get a case. If it's too fat for me, what can I do? Get a case made from the same stuff as the Tardis, bigger on the inside than the outside?
And to me it's even more of a negative if the headphone jack has to go.
Not for me. If the jack stays I'll be stuck with a useless bit in my phone, that I still paid for, nothing I can do about it. If it goes away, you have options. You can get an adapter, fancy or cheap, sturdy or elegant. Or get a modern headphone.
So much so that for once since the original iPhone, I might consider not upgrading if the next model loses the 3.5mm jack.
Same here if they keep that thing in. I have been forced to support the Luddites for years already. When is it going to be my turn?
Even providing an adapter for free wouldn't justify such a decision. Great, now I have to plug this dongle in to use my headphones. How does that help the aesthetic of a thinner phone if I have to carry an extra dongle around now, and basically consider it an additional, more fragile part of my phone?
It will slightly bigger than the plug, just leave it attached to the plug.
Keep the phone the same thickness, so the jack doesn't have to go, and work on increasing battery capacity. That would be a worthwhile advancement to me.
Fine. But I'd rather have something more useful.
Ultimately though, this IS speculation, and not all rumors pan out. I have my doubts that Apple is seriously considering doing away with the jack, even if they are trying to make the phone thinner. the current iPod touch shows that you can still make a thinner device while keeping the jack.
Speculation, yes. It could easily not happen. I wouldn't be surprised if they made me suffer another year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Donoban
The link I posted identifies some of the benefits in the Lightning audio port. Wasn't enough for me to get excited about it, that's for sure.

Wireless is nice, but I use wired because I don't like the weight of battery powered units, plus they're more expensive and one more thing to make sure is charged when I leave the house.

C

Yeah it's nothing too exciting unless you're a total tech geek. Personally I wouldn't want to carry two sets of headphones for my iPhone and my old iPod Classic. I know it's probably time to upgrade, but it still works and holds all of my music!
 
  • Like
Reactions: ohio.emt
No, simple for me. If they are doing it because they want it thinner than no. If they are doing it for other design reasons or just being forward looking like the DVD in macbook and no flash in ipad then ok am all for it

Also why would they even have a lightning port. Shouldnt they just go wireless like the watch? Yeah I know if they do that it means no jony ive aluminum
 
So if I buy a new iPhone without headphone jack, I get an adaptor that I don't need. The price is sort of hidden, because it's not optional. But I'll actually of course be paying for it. I just don't have a choice. Do you like having to pay for stuff you don't want?


I'm working off assumptions here and one of those is that the cost of the iPhone would remain the same even with the adaptor included. Apple certainly wouldn't *lower* the price of the iPhone because they didn't include it.

If headphone makers run with the new standard and there are a ton of options in a few years then Apple could discontinue including it in a few years.

However, I wouldn't put it past Apple to not include an adaptor and then charge $39 and basically give everyone the middle finger.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ohio.emt
They should not. Gotta start with the new connector then make people use both for audio and maybe with iphone 7S remove it as people will have enough time to adapt.

Actually not a bad idea.

There's also no chance of Apple including adapters or anything of the like. We saw it with the lightning connection: It's their way or the highway.
 
  • Like
Reactions: na1577
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.