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Why did Apple remove the 3.5mm headphone jack?

PracticalMac

PracticalMac

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 22, 2009
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Houston, TX
Why did Apple remove the 3.5mm headphone jack?

Schiller says "courage." "Courage to move on."
Click to expand...

Takes courage to make obviously stupid mistakes.

Speaking for myself, even though I rarely use the headphone jack, the LAST thing I need is to find a dongle to use an ubiquitous world wide standard.

Might as well remove the steering wheel from a car. (use iPhone to steer it)
Or the number in front of the house (Google maps can pinpoint, don't need to look for it)


In the past Apple products had versatility and options the PC world dreamed of. Now its being shaved until there is no redundancy. MacBook with USB-C, more dongles to spend on, and not have on when you need it.


====EDIT UPDATE=====
AirPods will cost $159 and will be available in late October.
Click to expand...

No earphones with iPhone 7 it seems.

Is the Lightning adapter in stock now?
Availability:
  • Currently unavailable
Click to expand...

Guess not (but 7 wont be distributed till 16th, probably will be in stock then)

#Nojacknoiphone7
======================
ADDENDUM (9/8/16):
There will be a set of *wired* ear buds with the iPhone 7, with the non-standard Lighting connector.
 
Last edited:
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So use the lightning connector or bluetooth. I don't see the need to remove it either, but I haven't plugged anything into my headphone port in years.
 
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PracticalMac said:
Takes courage to make obviously stupid mistakes.

Speaking for myself, even though I rarely use the headphone jack, the LAST thing I need is to find a dongle to use a world wide standard.

Might as well remove the steering wheel from a car. (use iPhone to steer it)
Or the number in front of the house (Google maps can pinpoint, don't need to look for it)


In the past Apple products had versatility and options the PC world dreamed of. Now its being shaved until there is no redundancy. MacBook with USB-C, more dongles to spend on, and not have on when you need it.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you're just looking to complain.

Lightning w/adapter works just fine. What's the problem? Old tech. Get rid of it and use that space for something better. Plus, it's impossible to water proof with a huge hole like that.

Steering wheel isn't an audio jack. Not even in the same class bud.
 
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Courage, meet the new Apple.
the new apple.jpg
 
Why did Apple remove the CD/DVD drive from late model Mac laptops?

Why did Apple kill Appletalk? Why did Apple kill PowerPC Mac? Why did Apple kill OS9 Classic? Why did Apple kill syncing with Leopard 10.5.8 when using a lighting connector? Why did Apple kill syncing with a 30-pin connector for iOS 7 and higher? Why did Apple kill syncing with iOS 9 on anything less than Lion?

Why did Apple kill the floppy drive?

Why did the airlines kill piston-powered aircraft? Don't we all want to travel around for hours on end in a DC-3?

19th century tech has been removed. Good riddance to the jack.
 
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I personally have never seen anyone charge there phone/listen to music via cable, so it should be fine. Be happy they're not charging you for the adapter lol
 
Far from impossible to waterproof without it. Phones have been doing it for years.

Adapters suck for most people. My wife rotates through about 6 sets of earbuds. She would lose that adapter in about 2 hours.

For me, it's personally no problem - I won't lose the adapter and I often use an external DAC already, but I still think it's a stupid decision.
 
AbSoluTc said:
Sounds like you're just looking to complain.

Lightning w/adapter works just fine. What's the problem? Old tech. Get rid of it and use that space for something better. Plus, it's impossible to water proof with a huge hole like that.

Steering wheel isn't an audio jack. Not even in the same class bud.
Click to expand...


The adapter can easily be snapped off from lightning port and damage lightning port in the process?

If I loss the adapter, I need spend other 35 dollar for a stupid adaptor?

And Samsung, Motorola can make phone waterproof with 3.5mm? So you are saying Apple cannot do what other can do?

Frankly, I hate Bluetooth headphones. It is pain in the butt to pair and your need pair and unpair when you connecting to different phones. I am not going to buy 4 Bluetooth headphone for 4 devices.
[doublepost=1473274085][/doublepost]
eyoungren said:
Why did Apple remove the CD/DVD drive from late model Mac laptops?

Why did Apple kill Appletalk? Why did Apple kill PowerPC Mac? Why did Apple kill OS9 Classic? Why did Apple kill syncing with Leopard 10.5.8 when using a lighting connector? Why did Apple kill syncing with a 30-pin connector for iOS 7 and higher? Why did Apple kill syncing with iOS 9 on anything less than Lion?

Why did Apple kill the floppy drive?

Why did the airlines kill piston-powered aircraft? Don't we all want to travel around for hours on end in a DC-3?

19th century tech has been removed. Good riddance to the jack.
Click to expand...

Floppy drive being replaced with standard hard drive. CD is replaced by streaming. But Apple is replacing 3.5mm with lightning port? **** no. Apple can **** itself and I will not buy lightning headphone.
 
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They removed the 3.5mm plug to make the iPhone thinner.

The problem is now you have to carry around something extra that you will lose. This kind of mindless thinning is really stupid, "Hey, we made the device smaller! Oh, but we did it by removing things you need so instead of having everything you need in the device you'll now have to carry around a million adaptors and doo-dads that you're sure to lose. And we'll stop selling the adaptors in six months. Go F yourself! Hahahahahahahahahahahaha"
 
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M. Gustave said:
There's really nothing you won't complain about, is there?
Click to expand...


I will add one thing. **** Apple! Now you are starting 32GB as base storage for iPhone 6S. Why the **** not do it at beginning. What they do is screwing old customer.

And **** Apple one more time. Why the hell iPhone SE not pick up 32GB?
 
LovingTeddy said:
The adapter can easily be snapped off from lightning port and damage lightning port in the process?

If I loss the adapter, I need spend other 35 dollar for a stupid adaptor?

And Samsung, Motorola can make phone waterproof with 3.5mm? So you are saying Apple cannot do what other can do?

Frankly, I hate Bluetooth headphones. It is pain in the butt to pair and your need pair and unpair when you connecting to different phones. I am not going to buy 4 Bluetooth headphone for 4 devices.
[doublepost=1473274085][/doublepost]

Floppy drive being replaced with standard hard drive. CD is replaced by streaming. But Apple is replacing 3.5mm with lightning port? **** no. Apple can **** itself and I will not buy lightning headphone.
Click to expand...


The headphone connector can also easily snap off. Nice try. What else you got?

Again, you're just looking to complain. Go elsewhere.
 
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The ip7 looks to a very respectable upgrade.

Yes, I'm not liking the loss of the audio jack, but the other features plus the added battery life are definite pluses.

I think many (of the masses) will buy.

Guess we'll see the reviews next.
 
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AbSoluTc said:
The headphone connector can also easily snap off. Nice try. What else you got?

Again, you're just looking to complain. Go elsewhere.
Click to expand...
It's simple physics and lever moment arms.

A typical 3.5mm stereo plug where it inserts 3/4" has much less sheer force than a lightning connector that inserts 1/4" given the same pull on the connector. It also doesn't help that the lightning dongle is over an inch long (compared to the 1/4" inserted). It'll never survive being put in a pocket while plugged in (which is how I run). Even an accidental tug while sitting on the desk in the wrong direction will likely damage the plug or the receptacle.
 
I'm not saying the new iPhone doesn't look inciting, but"courage" could have been combined with "smart-thinking". Replacing the lightning port with usb-c, and removing the headphone jack would have been courageous and smart. USB-c is superior to lightning in all ways. People would loose compatibility with old chargers and accessories...but that is already happening with the removal of the headphone jack. A move to usb-c by would have been seen as industry leading, and would simply make sense. It would have extended the compatibility not only with the industry, but other apples products like the macbook. By sticking with lightning, they are sticking with an inferior technology, and it looks like nothing more than a money grab via accessories and licensing.
 
AbSoluTc said:
The headphone connector can also easily snap off. Nice try. What else you got?

Again, you're just looking to complain. Go elsewhere.
Click to expand...
It can, but if it does snap off at least you could still in theory charge your iPhone since the headphone port would be ruined and not the Lightning port.

LovingTeddy said:
I will add one thing. **** Apple! Now you are starting 32GB as base storage for iPhone 6S. Why the **** not do it at beginning. What they do is screwing old customer.

And **** Apple one more time. Why the hell iPhone SE not pick up 32GB?
Click to expand...
It would've been nice for the SE to also be updated to 32GB base storage.

bufffilm said:
The ip7 looks to a very respectable upgrade.

Yes, I'm not liking the loss of the audio jack, but the other features plus the added battery life are definite pluses.

I think many (of the masses) will buy.

Guess we'll see the reviews next.
Click to expand...
I think it's a respectable upgrade as well. Stereo speakers, water / dust resistant, new home button, improved camera, improved cpu/gpu, and additional battery life.

But no fast charging or better resolution on the displays. Still the 750p and 1080p which bothers me a lot.
 
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