The iPhone 7 has been announced and the rumors were true; they've removed the headphone jack. Now you'll need an adapter to use your standard headphones. This is probably fine for the majority of iPhone users but it's impractical for me.
I'm addicted to my iPhone. I use it for both work and play on a daily basis. I film footage with my phone for our behind the scenes series and I also use it at times for professional jobs as well. I have approximately 6 different sets of headphones that I use with my DSLRs while we film that I will also use to listen to music or podcasts with my phone. When I play my digital drum kit at home, I plug my phone into my kit via the headphone jack for music backing. When I get in my car, or a rental car, I use the aux port to play music. The idea that I am going to buy an adapter for each of these devices is ridiculous or the idea that I am going to carry an adapter with me everywhere I go is even more absurd.
I know that I'm probably not an "average" iPhone user and you may only have one set of headphones that you use but there is one more annoying issue. The flaw with Apple's design is that even if you don't mind using an adapter for your headphones, you can't charge your phone while listening to music at the same time. I would imagine that the majority of people with long commutes like to charge their phones while they pipe music through the aux port in their car.
Phil Schiller has recently come out and said that if you want to charge and listen to music, you can purchase an iPhone Lightning Dock that is designed to sit on a desk and cost $50.
Belkin has announced that they are releasing a Lightning splitter which would allow you charge and listen to music via Lightning headphones but if you want to use standard headphones you will need to use a second adapter. This option is also too cumbersome to be taken seriously.
I've never been satisfied with my iPhone's battery life. Maybe it's fine for 99% of users but I want to be able to use my phone literally all day long without needing to charge. For this reason, I have put a battery case on every single one of my iPhones to double, or sometimes triple, my battery life.
My current battery case converts the proprietary Lightning connector on the bottom of the phone into a standard micro USB slot. This has saved me from buying extra Lightning cables for all of my computers at home and at the office. Every room in my house already has some device which uses micro USB.
We already know that it is possible to charge the iPhone 7 and listen to music with the help of Apples dock. I'm praying that one of these battery case manufacturers will include a micro USB for charging and transferring files and a headphone jack for music.
In a perfect world I want an iPhone that is double the thickness with 2 days of battery life, a headphone jack, a micro USB jack, and a Lightning jack. I seriously doubt that will ever happen though. I've heard some people say that they believe Apple will be forced to back pedal and will include the headphone jack back in the iPhone 7s or 8 but I doubt they will. If you look at their track record, they love proprietary cables and I don't remember them ever doing a complete 180 with their designs.
I was planning to buy an iPhone 7 but at this point I'm going to wait for a battery case with a headphone jack to be released. A wire-free world sounds awesome, but I use my phone with too many devices to make that a reality today.
This is what I don't get, why buy a device that forces you to change the way you want it to be? If people stopped buying the iPhone over this it'd actually force Apple to change tack to actually listen instead of dictate.
There's dozens of phones out there that has similar or better features. The iPhone isn't even a true cordless device. It doesn't even have Qi/Inductive charging that's now been on phones for 5 years. I no longer use USB to charge my phone or transfer files. I create network shares on it which is faster than USB is.
I'm with you. If everyone who liked using a headphone jack simply stopped buying iPhones, Apple would have to change. Sadly that isn't an option forever. I'll happily skip this phone. Maybe I can even skip the next one. But after 3 years my phone is usually on it's last leg. I've certainly considered switching to android but it would be painful. I love my iPhone and I have my whole house setup with apple TV and airplay devices.
I think I'm coming to terms with not having a headphone jack especially now that Bose are releasing their QC30. I've done my ranting and complaining, but... I think it might be ok.
I can't wait 'till people start losing that one earpiece, LOL!
Apple is Apple. They'll do what they want to do because they can get away with it.
-- "why buy a device that forces you to change the way you want it to be?"
On the flipside... why would you let a headphone jack (or lack thereof) dictate which smartphone platform you want to use?
Even if I had the most amazing set of headphones... that wouldn't be enough to make me switch to Android.
I'd use the included 3" dongle on the end of a much longer headphone cable before I'd leave the Apple ecosystem.
I explain in my post that I use too many different accessories to make that a realistic option.
Thanks... but my reply was to the other guy. I even quoted him. :)
I don't like the adapter option at all and I also think it's stupid as they are forcing people to go wireless with expensive headphones that also need a charger and batteries that won't last forever. But you know you can use just one adapter for all your headphones?
Hi. I don't think they're forcing you to go wireless you do have two options included in the box. A very small and not at all inconvenient adapter for all your old technology (I don't get all the resistance to such a small adapter piece) and a pair of good quality earbuds with a lighting jack. And I'm sure in the near future there will be more lighting jack options for other headphones. Also apparently the quality/functionality you'll be able to get through the lighting jack will be superior to the old 3.5 jack. It is inconvenient that they didn't also include a splitter in the box like the Belkin one mentioned in the article for listening while charging as I do that every day, but at least there is a solution with the splitter, unfortunate that we have to purchase separately though.
Ok "forcing" may be an inappropriate term, let's say "politely inviting you" :)
because people have their own factors on deciding what phone to buy? For some it may be the lack of headphone jack. For others, poor battery life. etc etc
They have the adapter. I'm sure we will all live.
Well people can live without a smartphone also, it's obviously a first world problem, nonetheless a problem to many
Inductive charging is not possible in a metal body. Apple may add the feature if they bring back the glass back side on the iPhone 8.
Apple being Apple.
"We revolutionized the way one removes the mini-jack from a smartphone" :D
First world problems.
Remember when Apple got rid of SCSI ports and parallel ports and floppy disks and introduced this insane USB thing and then they dumped the built in CD drive and yet they're still here. This apocalypse will also pass...
Took it right out of my mouth. Had to log in to give you a +1. :)
I don't want to pick a fight, but as you pointed out, you aren't the typical iPhone user. Nearly everyone I see these days are either using the included Apple EarPods or have wireless headphones.
I'm a power user as well, using my iPhone for BTS, invoicing, email, backup VO recording, and music. But the vast majority of people are just using the EarPods or one other headset, athletes have wireless headphones, almost every modern car has bluetooth, and wireless speakers are everywhere. So for every person like you who has every right to be upset at adding more work arounds to your life, there are probably 8-10 people out there who really aren't affected.
I totally agree that there are unique situation where the absence of a headphone jack are going to be extremely inconvenient. I do think though, that the benefits outweigh the frustration, especially if it helped bring waterproofing, stereo speakers and whatever other features they could add into the mix.
So with all due respect, to say that there's only one hope for the iPhone 7, and its a headphone jack battery case, seems a little dramatic to me.
That's a fair take
Not to mention it does come with a jack adapter in the box that is small and unobtrusive, it just seems to be getting some resistance from some folks.
Has anyone seen actual reasoning why for Apple, it helped with waterproofing yet other manufacturers have been doing it?
The iPhone 6s is already pretty waterproof. I've seen a few test videos.
Splash proof is different from waterproof and even the new iphone 7 is splash proof, as the Apple warranty will not cover liquid damage. I'm sure if you try to use this phone to do and underwater video of few minutes you will damage it. Splash proof is ok for accidental dropping, though waterproof is another thing
I think that's what he is referring to...there are tons of videos showing iPhone 6s phones in cups of water and under the faucet for minutes and still working. It's almost like it was a trial and now a feature in the 7
Yes, I know about the 6S being "accidentally" splash proof, but, and I'm not 100% sure but the new iPhone 7 is only splash proof too as the warranty on the new iPhone 7 don't cover liquid damage http://www.zdnet.com/article/apples-warranty-for-water-resistant-iphone-...
I really don't think the waterproofing was the primary reason. Apple has a history of picking a vision of the future and then executing it....regardless if it is a mainstream vision/desire or not. They saw the world moving to streaming so they 86'd the DVD drive....which was a pain for me for a while. I think the killing off the headphone jack is the same thing.
They also gained internal space...which was probably a much greater benefit than the waterproofing issues.
I'm not saying that waterproofing is the reason for removing the headphone jack. What I do know is that a headphone jack takes up a ton of real estate on a very smal device. That is now freed up for technology that's probably not a century old.
Lets call it what it actually is and stop fooling yourself. Its markerting and seeing how far apple can squeeze its user base. Its testing loyality and seeing what the ROI response will be. Why else would they stress it as a "couragous" endevour?
Ok. I want to make sure I'm understanding you. You're saying that someone in marketing goes, "We need to know how loyal our users are and how far we can push them. Lets remove the headphone jack," and everyone in product design said, "OK."
I can't imagine thats what you mean, but that's that I hear. Please clarify.
No, I am being sarcastic. I'm saying from a marketing standpoint, they are taking a risk and placing faith in their fan base being ok with the lack of a headphone jack. I for one think apple will be just fine, but rest assured people will leave them for this, without question.
Yes - we got like 1-2 hours more battery ... that might be one of benefit of freeing up the space the 50 year old jack occupied.
I'll believe it when I see it. I don't understand how a thinner battery with a more powerful processer will yield longer battery life esp when wired technology has been scrapped for more power hungry wireless technology. This is where Lee's battery point comes in. Both Lee and I have used battery cases on our iPhones for about 4 generations now. Now an iPhone 7 with battery case will simply be the same weight and thickness of an iPhone 6 with a simple case....with 2-3 extra charges.
They now have 4 processors, two high power and two low power. Nearly all of the battery life savings will come from low power tasks like email and phone calls using the low power processor. Depending on what types of activities you use your phone for this could equal a ton of extra run time.
Mainly to get people to adopt wireless. If they didn't remove the audio port people will still use it and not migrate to wireless.
They removed it to make room for the newer home button.
This being a photography website I would expect the newer camera with a 1.8 lens in it to be more than enough to want it.
I made the switch to Bluetooth headphones a while ago so the headphone jack is a non issue for myself. Honestly the sound quality from a 3.5mm jack isn't that great to begin with. I have the Samsung gear EarPods for my iPhone and they sound amazing.
Apple won't have to backpedal. Phone pre orders are already sold out and bluetooth headphones are becoming more normal. Honestly I'm kind of happy as this will push Bluetooth head phone makers to innovate and create better products.
Bluetooth headphones in many cases are quite a weak quality in sound. The average user base is not going to want to spend top dollar on high quality BT.
I own the Samsung gear EarPods and the Bose soundlink Bluetooth headphones and they sound just as good as wired headphones.around the same price point as well. The 3.5mm jack is not the hallmark of audio quality anyway so there isn't really anywhere to go but up.
Honestly that's why this is exciting that apple did this. It's going to push companies to innovate and make better sounding wireless headphones. Give it a year or 2 and you'll see wireless audio take a huge leap forward.
Plug in > Wireless ... In most cases. Not all, but most whether you want to accept that or not.
I was a Broadcast audio engineer for 10 years before becoming a photographer. I'm fully aware wireless audio has not come as far as it's wired equivalent.
What I do know is that the quality from a 3.5mm jack isn't that great to begin with so for most consumers the difference is unnoticeable. The real quality comes from the buds or earphones themselves not the connector to the device. A $300 pair of Bose Bluetooth headphones is going to sound better than a $100 pair of some other brands wired headphones. The connection to the device is merely a means to an end. Most broadcasting audio equipment has gone wireless and sounds just as good as its wired partner. It will only continue to get better.
Why is change always so hard for most people. Every time Apple does something revolutionary the vast majority go into the negative fetal position gnashing their teeth and predicting the end of the world.
Get a grip!
i interned at a studio while in college and their motto was "evolve or die" I've since taken that to heart and it's changed the way I see things. Change is important. Being complacent is one of the worst things a creative can do IMHO
I can't see what's revolutionary in taking away the headphone jack. What are you gaining? A bigger speaker?
They took it out to make room for the new home button. It may not be a revolutionary thing to do but it may spark a revolution in terms of Bluetooth headphones and wireless audio.
Because it's a change that really isn't fully for the better. It's a change that forces people to waste time searching and spending money for 3rd party product to use their existing product which worked fine before, or forcing people to buy new accessories that are not needed.
Personally, I think apple users do this to themselves. They complain every year buy never leave. The reason I left apple back during the iPhone 5 days. I was able to break free of it and realize android has been far ahead of the curve for years and offer SO much more than apple ever will.
You can't know that change isn't for the better until it's actually been released and out in the world for a long time.
It's great you like android but don't knock others who prefer apple. In the end who really cares?
Guys, what are you talking about ? What's this Apple bashing for ? Watch the "Keynote", or have a look at their website on the iPhone page, we'll find this "iPhone 7 comes with EarPods that have a Lightning connector. But if you still want to listen through your old headphones, you can plug them in using a 3.5 mm headphone jack adapter, also included." They said "INCLUDED".
Same comments each time Apple release a product, and 5 years later, it becomes a standard...
If you love cables all around, fine, personally, I don't.
I thought the people on this site would be a little more tech savvy.
I am a heavy user and I went wireless years ago. I don't see the issue. In a few years all phones will have opted out of including the jack so for once apple is ahead of the curve.