It is not free in the box, the adapter I am talking about allows you to charge while using the headphones as well. I have a car that does not have bluethooth audio, I use the AUX port with a 3.5mm audio cord and I keep my phone charged with the new phone right now you cant do this.
Why did Apple remove the 3.5mm headphone jack?
- Thread starter PracticalMac
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jptsr1
macrumors newbie
I'll pass this year since I just dropped a bundle on a pair of headphones but I'll probably pick it up the 8 or 7s or whatever they call it if Beats steps up their headphone game.
PracticalMac
macrumors 68030
Missed that, thanks (correcting OP)
PracticalMac
macrumors 68030
USB headphone is not necessary better than plugged in headphone.
It depends on the DAC in the USB phone, cheap one will have inferior sound to plug in type.
Then again, of the speaker is poor, then does not matter if USB or plug in.
Minijack ports have had waterproof designs for decades. Have a 1995 Sony sport Walkman, jack is water proof.
Don't forget Samsung Galaxy S7 is waterproof, with the jack.
Even Apple did not say (did not hear) a reason they removed jack was better water proofing.
Here is a good discussion on the jacks, and an image shows how little is gained removed the jack.
The biggest issue I have with this is Apples decision to use Lightening. Right when the entire industry is moving toward USB-C, Apple decides to kill the old standard format with a custom one. I get that people would complain about Apple replacing Lightning with USB-C, but it seems like the far better roadmap into the future.
oneMadRssn
macrumors 603
I disagree about this point only. The USB-IF seems to introduce a new plug or new set of interfaces for an existing plug every year or two. Look at USB-C, there have already been revisions to the interfaces where new accessories don't work with devices that came out less than a year ago. It's a mess.
Apple has been very consistent with their standards. Apple has used 30-pin and lightning only, and with very few compatibility issues. The only major issue that comes to mind is when they phased-out firewire from the 30-pin devices, so older cables and accessories based on firewire couldn't charge newer devices. In the 10 years that Apple has used just those 2 standards, USB-IF and the other smartphone companies have gone through at least 4 types of plugs, and close to a dozen different interface-plug combinations.
PracticalMac
macrumors 68030
Phils comments about getting the Dock really takes the cake.
It's like saying "we already know you will loose ability to charge and use headphones at same time, but we had this brick as an option for you ready from the get go!"
Meanwhile Belkin come out with a (somewhat bulky) option to do both in a much more portable option.
With all the other Lightning-adapters Apple has made, why is it so hard to make such a painfully obvious device?
The truth, IT BURRRRRRNS!
It's like saying "we already know you will loose ability to charge and use headphones at same time, but we had this brick as an option for you ready from the get go!"
Meanwhile Belkin come out with a (somewhat bulky) option to do both in a much more portable option.
With all the other Lightning-adapters Apple has made, why is it so hard to make such a painfully obvious device?
The truth, IT BURRRRRRNS!
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LovingTeddy
Suspended
So instead we can easily plugin our headphone and lightning cable to listening music and charge phone at same time, we need to buy a 40 dollars adaptor from Belkin and lighting to 3.5mm adaptor.
Adaptor to an adaptor, sounds like a fantastic idea, isn't it.
Adaptor to an adaptor, sounds like a fantastic idea, isn't it.
The-Real-Deal82
macrumors P6
'We'? You don't buy iPhones because you feel sorry for those that do.
PracticalMac
macrumors 68030
How long before Apple will bring back the 3.5mm?
The iPhone 5 was bought back from obsolescence because it was more popular than the iPhone 6+, and even made massive internal improvements as the iPhone SE.
Far more inclined to get.
The iPhone 5 was bought back from obsolescence because it was more popular than the iPhone 6+, and even made massive internal improvements as the iPhone SE.
Far more inclined to get.
Steve686
macrumors 68040
Convenience has been killed for many people, yes.
My Beats Studio Wireless headphones have a 3.5mm jack so you don't HAVE to pair with every different phone.
I seem to remember Apple giving up a couple of Billion dollars to a couple of guys who owned Beats, also. Considering Beats is largely headphones and speakers that connect wirelessly, it did make sense for the owner of that company to make implementation of the wireless standard a main component of their flagship product.
I like way the Apple Air Pods seem to take the 'pain in the butt' out of connecting to,your phone. Maybe this will be a feature implemented into other BT headphones in the future.
Rian Gray
macrumors regular
No one has to buy lightning headphones, let alone wireless headphones. You can still use wired or wireless headphones from any manufacturers. I don't get this adapter issue that people are bringing up either. Apple adapters can be fragile (not that I've ever broken one, but seen people doing it), so buy a 3rd party adapter (that are durable and more reliable) if you need a batch of adapters. And frankly, just because headphone wires grew an inch longer it won't start to strangle you. They even have DACs in them, I'm sure audiophile community will recommend a good one in no time.
Personally, I think the best option for those who still need 3.5mm is to simply skip iPhone 7. It's like that iPod Shuffle, one without any controls on it, and in the following gen, Apple decided to put it back. The design probably worked for few people. Those who needed a simple music player while jogging would've liked it. But for the rest of the people, it was ridiculous. So Apple decided to put them back. Who knows, they might as well do the same thing with 3.5, and admit it was too early to be wireless if 3.5mm is that popular.
Personally, I think the best option for those who still need 3.5mm is to simply skip iPhone 7. It's like that iPod Shuffle, one without any controls on it, and in the following gen, Apple decided to put it back. The design probably worked for few people. Those who needed a simple music player while jogging would've liked it. But for the rest of the people, it was ridiculous. So Apple decided to put them back. Who knows, they might as well do the same thing with 3.5, and admit it was too early to be wireless if 3.5mm is that popular.
Hi my name is OutSpoken and I charge my iPhone6/listen to music via cable EVERY DAY at work- it literally stays connected to the usb.
and before you suggest it, i own a pair of Bluetooth headphones but I hardly ever use them now because im so fed up constantly charging them after the 4 hour use- they are only useful when I remember to charge them for the gym.
sunking101
macrumors 604
Bluetooth earphones = depletes iPhone battery faster, plus separate battery in earphones to charge as well and poorer sound quality to boot. Aside from losing some untidy cabling it's three out of three on the fail front.
Aux earphone jack = necessary.
Thinner phones but without certain interfaces, with a bulging camera module and barely acceptable battery life isn't the way forward IMO. Drop the earphone jack if and when the whole market decides to do so, not just to flog some Bluetooth Beats earphones to customers who Apple have wrapped around their fingers.
Just my two penneth.
The lightning to 3.5 adapters are a whopping $9 from Apple, so expect them at 3 or 4 for $10 on Amazon shortly. Lightning cables can be had for $5 to 6 while Apple is $20.
I find it ironic people spending $100 to 150 or more on headphones wont spend a few bucks for extra adapters. And leave the adapter hooked to the headphone side and unplug the lightning. Easy solution.
If someone didnt have the courage to ditch the 5.25 and 3.5 floppy we'd still have those too. There's no reason not to try to advance in tech.
I find it ironic people spending $100 to 150 or more on headphones wont spend a few bucks for extra adapters. And leave the adapter hooked to the headphone side and unplug the lightning. Easy solution.
If someone didnt have the courage to ditch the 5.25 and 3.5 floppy we'd still have those too. There's no reason not to try to advance in tech.
sunking101
macrumors 604
Even though analogue audio always has and always will sound better?
PracticalMac
macrumors 68030
The 5.25 and 3.5 floppy was replaced because there was a better and more importantly popular replacement (Zip, CD-R, USB drive)
Lighting is not and will never be a replacement for audio jacks. Much more likely USB-C be a replacement than Lightning.
And 3.5 is far more common than all the Apple products combined.
sunking101
macrumors 604
It isn't an advance in sound quality and it costs more money to use bluetooth speakers/earphones. Plus older kit can't be paired with the new iPhones unless we use an adaptor. I dare say I'll live with it but heck, if that Note 7 didn't catch fire I'd be all over it this year purely because I have some great sounding active speakers that aren't bluetooth.
california_kid
macrumors 6502a
Why did Apple remove the 3.5mm headphone jack?
Because Apple engineers kept giggling every time somebody said "male" or "female" connectors?
Because they made 10 million new iPhone 7s before somebody noticed the accidental omission?
Because management said "get rid of Jack", but the design department misunderstood that to mean "get rid of THE jack". Well the fact that the design guy responsible for the audio jack, happens to be named Jack, didn't help.
Because Apple finally lost the trademark battle to name it iJack since it sounds too much like hijack and would cause a lot of problems on airplanes?
To get to the other side?
Because Apple engineers kept giggling every time somebody said "male" or "female" connectors?
Because they made 10 million new iPhone 7s before somebody noticed the accidental omission?
Because management said "get rid of Jack", but the design department misunderstood that to mean "get rid of THE jack". Well the fact that the design guy responsible for the audio jack, happens to be named Jack, didn't help.
Because Apple finally lost the trademark battle to name it iJack since it sounds too much like hijack and would cause a lot of problems on airplanes?
To get to the other side?
Digital audio gives a lot of potential enhancements you can do over old school 3.5 jacks. A few have been pointed out and surely more to come.
"Headphones manufacturers can use their own higher quality digital signal processor, digital-to-analog converter (DAC), and amplifier in order to create a deeper, more full sound. Traditional headphones have to rely on what the iPhone can do with its own analogue circuitry." and "Noise cancellation within headphones might no longer need batteries, for example, thanks to the power provided by that Lightning port." from Redmond Pie. just a few examples.
Again, use the adapter in the box or wait until they're dirt cheap in a few weeks and get a 3 or 4 pack on amazon. I really dont get the fuss here, you can use either one you want.
There are zero advantages to 3.5mm over digital audio other than refusal to adapt one's ways.
LovingTeddy
Suspended
Case point: You do not need remove 3.5mm to get all of these. There are already lightning based headphone! You do not need ****ing remove 3.5mm to Chet better audio quality?
People has been fine for audio quality with 3.5mm headphone jack for years. All the sudden audio quality is issue now. Unbelievable.
Also, if you do research, there are company making Hi-Fi smartphone with 3.5mm jack.
Apple is never bringing the 3.5mm back.
scrtagntman
macrumors regular
The audio was always digital. The only question, as has been mentioned, is the quality of the DAC and amp. The in iPhone DAC and amp has always been considered above average. What's in the dongle? I doubt anything high end.
Headphone manufactures have had the option of using lightning and their own DAC since lightning came out. This is not new for iPhone 7.
No, wake up people! Apple is busy creating solutions to problems that don't exist and charging you for the privilege!!! They are obsessed with making things thinner and as a result removing useful stuff - 3.5mm jack, ethernet ports, etc - then charging you extra for an adaptor. Style over substance. I'd much rather have a thicker phone with the jack and a bigger battery, if they needed to make room for this new home button, which apparently isn't actually that nice to use either. As I'd rather have the choice on the rMBP of having an inbuilt ethernet port because I use it a lot and adaptors when used daily tend to start working loose. I can appreciate the need for adaptors on a very thin product like the MBA, but on desktop replacements - nope! It's not exactly that light or thin, so give me useful ports please and stop assuming nobody wants them Apple. Or make the iMac thinner because a desktop really needs to be thin. Then put the SD card around the back of the machine so it's a bitch to find, rather than on the front or the side where it would actually be useful!
All in all Apple have for too long now concentrated on making things look pretty at the expense of making it useful. Their current hardware range is a big steaming pile of ****!
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They will if iPhone sales drop significantly enough, or older models with the jack continue to sell beyond their predictions.
california_kid
macrumors 6502a
So which model did you order - 7 or 7+?