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would no headphone jack make you leave the iPhone?

  • Yes I would try something else

    Votes: 68 17.8%
  • No it doesn't bother me

    Votes: 227 59.3%
  • I will not upgrade and just keep the iPhone I have for now

    Votes: 88 23.0%

  • Total voters
    383
I still think it's stupid for my laptop to have a headphone jack, my iPad has a headphone jack but now my iPhone won't? Really messes things up since I actually do use the headphone quite a bit.
 
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Reactions: alxz1194
I've been thinking about buying the new Macbook. That has two connectors - USB-C and a headphone jack. No lightning, no SD card slot, no HDMI.

So, if Apple's newest Mac has a headphone jack, I'd be very surprised and somewhat confused if the next iPhone doesn't have one.
 
Judging by a lot of comments in general from the main thread in the news forum about now headphone jack being heavily rumored with Bluetooth earbuds/ adapter needed

Who here would be tempted to move away from the iPhone in the short term? Maybe get the s7/s7 edge maybe?

How is this rumour affecting your thought on if a change is needed?

I'm not very picky with headphones. I already use whatever comes in the box, so I would do the same (assuming Apple included Lightning or Bluetooth earbuds).
 
One of the factors that I've realized is that Apple may utilize the Lightning port for dual purposes similar to the iPad Pro. Apple allows the Apple Pencil to be charged using the iPad's lightning port. Apple may allow headphones to connect the same way. Yes, while this may turn people away since a small majority of users have Bluetooth headphones or have ear pods that won't work, it will eventually work itself out within 1-2 years once everyone gets used to it. Personally for me, I have hearing aids so I have a specialized Bluetooth headset so this has no effect on me, but for others I may or may not be a deciding factor.
 
I've been thinking about buying the new Macbook. That has two connectors - USB-C and a headphone jack. No lightning, no SD card slot, no HDMI.

So, if Apple's newest Mac has a headphone jack, I'd be very surprised and somewhat confused if the next iPhone doesn't have one.

The iPhone drives Apple, not the Mac, and definitely not the rMB.

Apple is not going to risk revealing their plans for the iPhone 7 to make sure the most recent refresh of the rMB is compatible with the new iPhone in 6 months.

Most likely, Apple will do exactly what they did with the iPad 3, which is update it mid cycle and replace the 30-pin dock connector with Lightning. Apple will simply swap out the 3.5mm jack with a Lightning port quietly after September. It's not even a difficult update to do since the wiring path and port configuration is already in place.
 
I would not buy an iPhone without a headphone jack. I quite like my existing headphones and other sound devices, and a dongle would be a nuisance compromising the extreme portability that is fundamental to a smart phone. If the iPhone 7 is 3.5mm free, I would have to seriously consider whether I see how long my iPhone 5 will last, or if I pick up an iPhone 6S and then see how long that lasts. I have an ecosystem of iOS/Mac apps that I rely on quite heavily, but Apple's design objectives seem to be moving them further and further from my hardware interests. At least I can build a hackintosh for my next desktop.

I'm not entirely sure I would move away from the iPhone (mostly because I badly want an Apple Watch), but the loss of a headphone jack would prompt me to give Android a serious look. Like you, I love my headphones. They are nice, they work fine, and I won't part with them no matter what Apple does. That means my choice is to carry around a dongle, a striking inelegance in a platform that once prided itself on elegance.

And yes, I'm probably in the minority because I have invested hundreds into headphones, and I really care about my music. Once, that made me the perfect Apple customer. Now, Apple apparently is betting that there aren't many like me.

Are they right? Maybe, but if 10% of us that were previously loyal customers start looking seriously at Android, we might discover that it has something to offer. And as Apple should know, once a "switching" narrative begins, it can be hard to stop.
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All of the people in this thread and any other thread claiming they will not get an iPhone because of something as trivial as a missing headphone jack will be first in line when the 7 drops....you just watch. If you aren't using a Bluetooth device with your phone in 2016, you need to just revert back to a flip phone and a Sony Walkman anyway...

Hate to break it to you, but Bluetooth has limited bandwidth compared to a direct headphone connection. Audio over Bluetooth is compressed and probably won't sound as good as it would over comparable wired headphones. Your analogy therefore is highly flawed.
 
I'm not entirely sure I would move away from the iPhone (mostly because I badly want an Apple Watch), but the loss of a headphone jack would prompt me to give Android a serious look. Like you, I love my headphones. They are nice, they work fine, and I won't part with them no matter what Apple does. That means my choice is to carry around a dongle, a striking inelegance in a platform that once prided itself on elegance.

And yes, I'm probably in the minority because I have invested hundreds into headphones, and I really care about my music. Once, that made me the perfect Apple customer. Now, Apple apparently is betting that there aren't many like me.

Are they right? Maybe, but if 10% of us that were previously loyal customers start looking seriously at Android, we might discover that it has something to offer. And as Apple should know, once a "switching" narrative begins, it can be hard to stop.
[doublepost=1462143204][/doublepost]

Hate to break it to you, but Bluetooth has limited bandwidth compared to a direct headphone connection. Audio over Bluetooth is compressed and probably won't sound as good as it would over comparable wired headphones. Your analogy therefore is highly flawed.

You missed the article on how Intel is pushing USB-C audio. This is not just Apple. You can bet within a year of Apple doing it, you will not be able to buy a flagship phone from anybody with a 3.5mm jack.
 
I've already demoted my iP 6S Plus to my secondary smartphone.

Losing out... to the stellar speed, lag free, ultra reliable Nexus 6P I bought upon its release, iOS simply doesn't cut it as a mission critical smartphone for my heavy daily usage.

Nothing that the casual user can't live with Apple's iOS phone platform is decent enough for them. Upcoming "features" rumored thus far are of no interest to me.

I'll wait and see if Apple catches up with iPhone 8.
 
I've already demoted my iP 6S Plus to my secondary smartphone.

Losing out... to the stellar speed, lag free, ultra reliable Nexus 6P I bought upon its release, iOS simply doesn't cut it as a mission critical smartphone for my heavy daily usage.

Nothing that the casual user can't live with Apple's iOS phone platform is decent enough for them. Upcoming "features" rumored thus far are of no interest to me.

I'll wait and see if Apple catches up with iPhone 8.
Different strokes for different folks. iOS is my mission critical phone operating system, reliable and just works.
 
If apple just includes a little 3.5 mm to lightning wire that your current headphones plug right into what exactly is the problem? Seems like people getting upset over nothing.
 
Different strokes for different folks. iOS is my mission critical phone operating system, reliable and just works.
For decades... Mac OS (currently OS X) has been and continues to be my much loved desktop OS of choice. Even though my long term concurrent use of Windows, Unix and Linux has been quite good, nothing fits my requirements like Apple Desktop and Laptop Computers.

In fact therein lies the rub.

If not for the stellar experiences I've enjoyed with Apple Computers over the long haul, I wouldn't find iOS devices so disappointing. Notice here at MacRumors, my posts in the computer forums are few and usually very complimentary. That's because I simply don't experience the issues, the performance compromises, the annoyances and frustrations that plague iPhones and iPads.

It's like two different world's.
 
The 3.5mm phone jack has been the standard for portable media devices for as long as there have been mainstream portable media devices (i.e. the walkman). On the other hand the 2.5mm phone jack has long been a standard for personal communication devices, which would include cell phones. Every cell phone I owned prior to an iPhone included such a jack. The iPhone was the first smartphone as an effective convergence device merging media and communication functionality. As such, the selection of a 3.5mm jack was not some revolution, but a reflection that the iPhone's heritage as a media device mattered more for headset selection than its heritage as a communication device.
Funny how the first generation iPhone's headphone jack was widened to make it so only apple headphones could be used with it.
 
Funny how the first generation iPhone's headphone jack was widened to make it so only apple headphones could be used with it.
It's been an incredible display of Apple’s power and influence over their customers. Proprietary cables and connectors priced obscenely high, year after year.

Then in a mind boggling demonstration of complete naivete' these same customers brag about how much money Apple makes... :eek:
 
I'll wait a few years until new headphones come out with an 3.5 and lightning or lightning becomes so popular it's on 90%. If Intel successfully makes usb-c the standard and Apple doesn't comply I'll probably move elsewhere despite my intense dislike of android. Proprietary charging I can deal with, this kind of crap is next level and just reeks of a company trying to open up new channels of profit.

Find it a little curious they did this after buying beats, can already see how it'll go in the store. "Oh yeah I'm sorry your old $500 senheisers wont work, but look at the new $499 beats pros with new lightning connectivity......."
 
So you obviously have a 3.5mm jack in your truck... You can still have Bluetooth with a $10 adapter from eBay. Try again...

Have you tried using a $10 adapter from ebay? Most aren't enjoyable. However I expect the upcoming $99 one from Apple to be just perfect. The big disaster that looks to be coming is USB-C replacing the 3.5 jack. So you'll need either to buy overpriced Bluetooth headphones that lose quality, buy a pair of expensive headphones for your phone, then go and buy a pair of expensive headphones for your new MacBook and everything else because they won't work together.
 
Funny thing. I have a nice set of Bose headphones that are wired, so I just ditched my 5 for a 6S+ so I could guarantee having a headphone jack.

We'll see what happens in September.

My wife is a fitness instructor and they use direct connect from mobile devices to their sound system. Might be time for her to upgrade too.
 
I had an audiophile explain that music over BT loses some of the higher fidelity as compared to a cabled, line-level connection or especially analog.

BT sounds great to me in my truck and even my BT Jaybirds, but the battery life is not optimal yet.
 
Funny thing. I have a nice set of Bose headphones that are wired, so I just ditched my 5 for a 6S+ so I could guarantee having a headphone jack.

We'll see what happens in September.

My wife is a fitness instructor and they use direct connect from mobile devices to their sound system. Might be time for her to upgrade too.

I'll likely do the same thing, I have a 6+ ATM and if they lose the jack on the 7 I'll go to the 6S+ so I'll still get a speed boost and multi touch while keeping the jack. From the rumors it seems like the 7S is the one that'll be getting the glass body and such anyways. Bluetooth just really bothers me, it seems to be one of those technologies that have massive flaws but it's good enough so people look the other way.
 
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