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Adapter needs to be included along with new headphones. Don't get cheap Apple.

Also, I just found out the new MacBook has one port in it and I think that's absolutely absurd. One port on the iPhone won't affect me much but I know there are people who charge and also listen to music with power bricks and such. I don't think it's absurd as the one port on the MacBook but it's still not something I would want. A protruding dongle in my pocket to accommodate 3.5mm headphones is asking for the port to break/fail.
 
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Too. Expensive.
Needs. Battery.
Adds. Bulk.
Un. Necessary.

It's unnecessary in the same way any convenience is. Eventually as price falls and performance increases these conveniences become necessities and "standard." Examples include the automatic ice maker, remote car key fobs, even bluetooth itself.

Personally I'm not a fan of BT audio because it sounds tinny compared to wired audio. But if it BT earbuds of the same quality as my Shure SE535s every surfaces and were the same price I'd be all over it. It would be a pleasure to be able to run w/o a headphone cord.

Of course there will always be a need for wired headphones/earbuds though regardless of quality unless the FAA approves BT devices for airplanes.
 
I'm all for embracing the future when it's time, I just don't think we're really there yet. When we lost the optical drive I had already replaced 95% of its use with the Internet and USB's. I don't really know many people who can say the same about the 3.5mm jack. But if there's one thing I'm sure of with Apple, it's that they don't care if we think it's time or not and I wouldn't count on them providing adapters in box to ease the transition.
Since this is so far just a rumor, it may not yet be time, and the iPhone 7 might have the same headphone jack as before.

However:
Every time Apple makes a change (such as making the optical drive an optional accessory), there is a group of people who think it is no big deal because they don't use the old technology that much anyway, and there is another group of people whose workflows depend desperately on keeping the old technology in place indefinitely.

Perhaps you were in the first group for the optical drive. But it doesn't follow that being in the second group for the 3.5mm jack means Apple is making a mistake.

Those who needed the optical drive to be permanently inside their mac (and included in the price whether other people needed it or not) rather than hanging off the side were just as sure that Apple was dead wrong as those who feel that an optional adapter to make their old headset work with an iPhone is a totally unworkable solution.
 
Great, but they could and should still have standardised. They should give us a USBC port with USBC to Lightning and/or USBC to headphone adaptor.
When Apple introduced Lightning, they said it would be their port for "many years" IIRC. Replacing after 3, even with an adapter, would have caused an uproar. I think they'll put it first into the iPad Pro, which could benefit most from the faster charging and expanded capabilities.
 
I like the idea of a wireless charging, water proof (or just very resistant) iPhone. If giving up the head phone jack is what it takes... Okay.
I'm on the T-mobile program, where I can upgrade new iPhones every year. I love my 6S+, but yeah, I'll be upgrading next year because why not? However, when it comes to music this thing has been my main source of audio. And like so many others in their 20's, I use Spotify (which I may be wrong but isn't it a lower bit rate already? Compared to ripping everything from cd's at high quality and then using iTunes to play them?)

Higher quality audio is nice, but I'm very curious (and this year I'll be in the market for a new car) if the difference in audio over bluetooth vs a line in on a car system will be so noticeable that it will bug me. Especially considering when I'm driving what I should be focused on is you know, the road.

I haven't upgraded to wireless earbuds yet, but I've been meaning to for the gym and for walking around. I am aware that the overall sound of blue isn't as strong, but I'm very curious to actually do a sound test between say AT M50X's and the Sony wireless headsets that a lot of Youtube reviewers love.

However... I also have an old (and dead because of the hard drive) 5th Gen iPod kicking around. If they really do get rid of jack and I find it annoying, this will just kick my butt into gear to mod the thing with a fresh battery and a 256gig SD card. That way when I want to listen to (high quality audio) of my favorite music I still have that option. Life is about trade offs it seems. I'll take slightly lower quality music on my wireless charging and water proof iPhone while still being just a click away from all the music basically EVER. And if I really care about the quality of the music, I'll just have the iPod. Comparing what we can do now with music to even ten years ago, it's staggering really. I just can't get upset about this.
 
Of course there will always be a need for wired headphones/earbuds though regardless of quality unless the FAA approves BT devices for airplanes.

I'm not sure why they haven't already. BT uses the same frequencies as in-flight Wi-Fi.
 
Should be noted Sony make lightning compatible headphones as well, they actually run off of the digital out and have a built in DAC & Headphone amp, they are SPECTACULAR, if only because they don't rely on the crappy headphone out on your phone or other mobile device (they are also compatible with computers and android based devices with micro USB)

I really don't see it being that hard to have a basic adaptor, and slowly headphones will come out that will be better off using the lighting port than the headphone jack anyway.
 
No, win/win is keeping the jack and the BT and the lightning port. That covers all current use cases and everyone is happy.

And for what it's worth, I did not see anyone walking around with cables on my recent flights. I guess there might have been one or two guys on the way to record the audio of their toilet visit on a BT headset, and I missed it because I didn't see any wires. But I'm guessing most of them just left their headphones at their seat.

As a fairly frequent flier, what is your estimate for how quickly all airlines will provide lightning sockets for their in-flight entertainment systems?

In flight entertainment systems are going out of style just like the 3.5mm port. They are being replaced with: wireless (wifi streaming to your phone and tablet).

Since everyone carries a touch screen entertainment device with them there is no reason to put one in the back of seats. Look for all in-flight entertainment to switch over to streaming only.

As a bonus: they won't have to support Lightning at all: because your "screen" will.
 
I'm sure whenever this finally happens, the headphones that are included with the iPhone would have the Lightning connector, and Apple will most likely sell an adapter for 3.5 to lightning, like they did with the 30-pin.

Hopefully this will finally push third party manufacturers to get their **** together on he lightning headphones. I've been waiting for the in-ear noise cancelling ones JBL showed off LAST YEAR at CES that they still haven't brought to market.

Edit: Guess I can't say **** lol
 
Looks like I may as well quit using iPhones if it comes true. Not interested in inconvenient power sapping bluetooth headphones, not interested in more pointless adaptors and not interested in proprietary solutions all for problems that don't exist.
 
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Good, time to modernize. It's obvious they can't make their devices thinner by keeping a legacy audio port around, but all the angst about losing it is just unwarranted. I mean all you need is a small adapter to take a legacy audio jack and turn it into a lightning (or hopefully Apple wakes up and adopts USB C soon), and you are done. However most people today are using bluetooth wireless audio, I haven't plugged anything into a headphone jack for years now so I think the future is going to be 100% wireless connectivity. In fact if Apple were to adopt a good wireless charging technology there would be no point to have any "ports" on a device, even Lightning or USB C will limit device thinness eventually.

BTW, people lamenting having to buy a $10 "adapter" for a $1000 phone that costs $1000+ a year to operate on a cellular data plan, LMAO. If you can afford an iPhone you can easily afford whatever toys are necessary to make it work properly. If you don't like Apple moving away from a 3.5 mm headphone jack, buy a $200 Android device.

If there is one thing I like about Apple is they have no qualms about adopting NEW and modern technology, unlike other companies like Microsoft which hangs on to legacy and placates Luddites that don't want to invest or learn new things. 5 years from now, the 3.5 mm headphone jack will not exist on ANY mobile device.
 
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Ridiculously stupid move that has zero benefit for the consumer but makes another cash cow for Tim and his cronies.

I'm sure apple would love to sell 50 dollar adapters and all that juicy lightning licensing money.

By cronies did you mean shareholders? If you did, then of course - Apple's in the business to make money thus keeping their shareholders happy (and wallets bigger) so if this move helps them save money on production and make money by adapters, then so be it. It's entirely Apple's right. If we don't like it, we don't have to buy it. Quite simple.

For the record, I don't like it - I find BT to be spotty at times and like a hard wired connection personally, but I saw this coming. Like the disappearance of the optical drive and the switch to lightning cables, it's evolution. I'm sure all the headphone companies out there just hit the brakes on their 3.5mm production or made hard right/left turns to focus entirely on BT versions.

I would like BT for running. I don't mind the cable. Then again, I'm a part time jogger. Not something I do all the time, but between running and the spin bike, BT would be great.
 
I love how you've only listed the negatives, and even an opinion in there too for good measure..
Why is BT necessary? We already have BT headphones and people aren't exactly flocking to them. The iPhone already has a Lightning connector, and how many lightning headphones are there? Getting rid of the standard jack doesn't give consumers any more choice than they already have. It just reduces the options for many.
 
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not and expert here, but music from spotify/apple music are not flac they are compressed sooo i dont think you would hear much difference between bt or wired heaphones. and if you need full sound lightning would help.
 
Remember when everyone complained about the Lightning Connector? Now everyone loves it.

I'm sure no one will miss the 3.5mm headphone jack in 2-3 years.
I don't love it. It's one of the reasons I moved away from iOS (for my phone). Well, that and Motorola releasing some great products at competitive prices.
 
not and expert here, but music from spotify/apple music are not flac they are compressed sooo i dont think you would hear much difference between bt or wired heaphones. and if you need full sound lightning would help.

Very true but Apple is rumored to be working on an uncompressed or high definition file type very similar to flac
 
Good, time to modernize. It's obvious they can't make their devices thinner by keeping a legacy audio port around, but all the angst about losing it is just unwarranted. I mean all you need is a small adapter to take a legacy audio jack and turn it into a lightning (or hopefully Apple wakes up and adopts USB C soon), and you are done. However most people today are using bluetooth wireless audio, I haven't plugged anything into a headphone jack for years now so I think the future is going to be 100% wireless connectivity. In fact if Apple were to adopt a good wireless charging technology there would be no point to have any "ports" on a device, even Lightning or USB C will limit device thinness eventually.

BTW, people lamenting having to buy a $10 "adapter" for a $1000 phone that costs $1000+ a year to operate on a cellular data plan, LMAO. If you can afford an iPhone you can easily afford whatever toys are necessary to make it work properly. If you don't like Apple moving away from a 3.5 mm headphone jack, buy a $200 Android device.

If there is one thing I like about Apple is they have no qualms about adopting NEW and modern technology, unlike other companies like Microsoft which hangs on to legacy and placates Luddites that don't want to invest or learn new things. 5 years from now, the 3.5 mm headphone jack will not exist on ANY mobile device.
Just reading your post tells me you must be a Millenial. Everything should be designed "just for your needs". Forget everyone else. Poll iPhone users and I bet they'd take more battery over thinner. It's nice you want to have to keep an adapter in your pocket all the time, but most people don't. And, before you play the Microsoft card, you better have your list of things Microsoft/Windows had BEFORE Apple had ready (USB 3.0 and Touchscreens, for two...). Apple had FW and TB and we all know how well those went over.
 
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Of course there will always be a need for wired headphones/earbuds though regardless of quality unless the FAA approves BT devices for airplanes.

I'm not sure why they haven't already. BT uses the same frequencies as in-flight Wi-Fi.
 
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