So after nearly 2 years we can only guess at hypothetical benefits while many users experience disadvantages every day?
Yeah, given the choice, I’d have the jack back.
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iPhone X Apple: Put back headphone jack or I will switch to Android.
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So after nearly 2 years we can only guess at hypothetical benefits while many users experience disadvantages every day?
Yeah, given the choice, I’d have the jack back.
That’s fine but you’re equally just guessing at the lack of hypothetical advantages.
In a sense, but I can compare to phones that do have a jack. As I said, the benefits are hypothetical while the disadvantages are very definite. As far as cost/benefit analyses go, certainties always trump hypotheticals, unless the hypotheticals are extremely compelling.
on a long enough timeline I would venture to guess that there will be no wired headphones
I agree. I believe eventually Other smart phone competitors will follow. Bluetooth is a secondary option for some, but the secondary option is quickly becoming the primary for consumers with Bluetooth being a convenience.
There would need to be a void within the phone to consider having more space for other components to be considered hypothetical. One less hole to water proof is less likely to leak than no hole at all so the same applies to water intrusion (I am aware it can be done).
Interference is another issue. Its hard to completely isolate EMI from the analog signal when its so close in proximity to other components. Matter of fact if you have issues with interference when using the headphone jack if you use a lightning to 3.5mm adapter it might solve your problems. For example I have a 6S and in my work vehicle I'm forced to use an FM transmitter because there is no AUX. Touching the fingerprint sensor, charging, and/or using the screen causes interference. If I use an adapter and not use the headphone jack at all its MUCH better and generally non existent.
For me wireless options offer better audio fidelity as well, mostly due to better and larger drivers being adequately powered by their own battery. Most if not all options that offer a wireless and non powered wired mode sound much better wirelessly when referencing the iPhone (QC 35).
Using audio over USB via Lightning also offers more too. Headunits and receivers can not only display track info, have one source of volume but they can also charge the iPhone. Since the iPod it’s been a preferred way of connected to many devices.
Admittedly the last two paragraphs don’t require the omission of the headphone jack. And there are other cons too like requiring adapters especially if you want to charge and listen to music at the same time.
For those that have headphones they prefer but use a 3.5mm jack I would suggest just leaving the adapter connected too it. Also consider upgrading some of your audio gear if finances permit. Is it the perfect solution? Of course not. But at the end of the day the headphone jack only provides mediocre performance at very specific tasks and Apple includes a work around to support accessories people may still be using.
Consideration for what you are buying is important too obviously. If you drive a lot and there are no charging stations for EV’s than a Tesla might but be the right car for you.
Edit : that anology was a massive stretch (borderline nonsensical) but the point is if you hang onto iPhone models with headphone jacks by the time they aren’t available at all most of your gear will be updated anyway. I’m still using a 6S and with a new battery it runs great!
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You're grasping at straws. They could have done it, easily. Every other manufacturer does. The whole thing reeks of "We just bought a new headphone company and we need to justify selling all these bluetooth headsets to people." I swear if iMessage wasn't platform locked, I'd have switched years ago behind the arrogance of moves like this.
Why should they have to, if they already have a decent pair of wired headphones? What benefit was there to getting rid of the universal standard 3.5mm stereo jack?
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"Tethered to your phone"... isn't the whole point of the mobile phone to be pocketable?
I have a wireless set but I often use the 3.5mm jack for many other purposes. Why shouldn't this universal standard for audio equipment for many decades remain on the device?
Probably because the 3.5mm jack is 1960’s - 1970’s technology and wireless is where most companies are going.
The wheel is pretty old technology too. Can’t believe we’re still putting those things on cars!
But seriously though, as I and others have mentioned, it’s not like phones with a headphone jack can’t support wireless headphones. Didn’t even the original iPhone support Bluetooth audio? If not, certainly by the 3GS, because I definitely used that with Bluetooth in my car. People act like wireless audio is something new that appeared thanks to loss of the jack.
Well said. It is amazing what stuff people invent to excuse the removal of choices for the consumer. Bluetooth did not need to be enforced as the tech was available for years. But we had choice.
In fact, the sad thing about Apple and audio is that after throwing in Apple lossless they have stopped caring about sound quality until they started marketing the HomePod - which really doesn‘t offer much else than a decent sound for its size. Audio for iOS devices at Apple means crappy cable EarPods, mediocre sounding AirPods and a Beats fashion brand. Everything else is delivered by others.
Advantages are anything but hypothetical and no guessing is required. Bigger battery, better water resistance. Otherwise, we’d still have the jack on most new flagship phones.
Also, you should change “many users” to “many users on this forum” that experience disadvantages. It is a known fact that a vast majority of phone users use just the bundled headphones. The rest are split between those that use wireless ones, those that use adapters and don’t care about it and those that hate adapters. So a small portion of a small fragment of users see the downsides. Everyone experiences the benefits.
Given the choice you’d have the jack back - no arguing there. But if you were a phone company CEO, that would probably be a bad decision.
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They are currently not in the business of making high-quality audio headphones. You’re right that they don’t care, because most of their users don’t care. For a vast majority of users, Earpods, Airpods and Beats sound fine. They are Apple’s market.
As for the removal of choice for the consumers in order to push a certain product vision - that is literally Apple’s way of doing things - and has been since forever. Some people like to have choice, others like to have simplicity of having someone design a product they think is best. That is why it’s important to have both options on the market. I guess Android is better for you.
And the wheel is technology from thousands of years ago, and still being used just fine.
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And many of those users can very well be experiencing the disadvantage of not being able to cherge their phone when they are using the bundled headphones.
Ok.. good point. But since we don’t have hovering cars yet, the wheel still has to be used until we can defy gravity. Anyway, I would like to know what you need the headphones jack for other than playing music... are you ok with buying an iPod? This will free up your phone.
The fact that most users use the bundled headphones is exactly why problems extend well beyond this forum. Many people use those bundled headphones on multiple devices, not just their phone, which is why having a universal port is more convenient. Not to mention the ability to charge while using headphones. I still have friends and family using Android phones or older iPhones who look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them that newer iPhones don’t have a headphone jack. After disbelief the exchange is usually something like,
- “Oh, because it comes with those wireless ones, right?”
- “No, but it comes with earbuds that plug into the charging port.”
- “But then those are useless for anything but my phone, and what if I need to charge while listening to music or making a call (using earbuds and mic)?”
- “Well, you just have to take that into account.”
As for the “anything but hypothetical advantages”, other phones have equal or superior water resistance and battery capacities while still sporting a headphone jack.
As I said, I bought an 8 Plus and I expect to continue buying iPhones in the future. It’s clearly not a deal breaker for me, but I’m not delusional. Removing the jack wasn’t done for consumer benefit. It’s one less part for them to make and it makes their premium prices AirPods more appealing.
We have airplanes...and those use wheels too.
And plenty of people use headphones to talk on the phone (just as many also use to watch something too). As I recall iPods aren't being sold anymore either. Not that solution of having yet another device to do the things that a single device has been able to do is somehow a better one.
But to continue that analogy, what if having a hovering car didn’t mean that you had to remove its ability to move on the ground as well? Phones have supported wireless audio for many year. Limiting their support for wired audio doesn’t somehow help with that.
I’m not sure that I understand the other part of your question. Yes, I use headphones (wired or otherwise) mainly to listen to music. Why would buying a separate device for this be a better solution? Even carying two sets of earbuds, one for my phone and one for everything else, would make more sense than that.
Well I think when Apple include headphones, the intention is for them to be used with the iPhone and maybe at a push with another Apple device like an iPad. I don’t think it’s Apple’s problem if you can’t use the free headphones with your amazon or android tablet.
And the included lighting headphones I can use just fine with my iPad Pro or mini if I want to.
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Sure. I agree it’s not Apple’s responsibility to make their accessories cross compatible with other devices. I’m just disagreeing with the notion that this is a change that was done for the good of consumers. Making the bundled headphones only compatible with Apple products is certainly another benefit... for Apple.
Funny enough, rather than thinking of an Android tablet, I was thinking more about how I frequently use headphones with my laptop, and even Macs still have a headphone jack, not a lightning port.
I bought a launch day iPhone 7 - the dongle is garbage, it has poor reliability and sound quality. Unfortunately there are no in-ear options with a Lightning port that are even remotely decent. The end result is that I've just stopped buying music on the iTunes store and have gradually stopped using the phone for music in general.
I bought a cheap pair of Sony sports type Bluetooth earphones to use with my watch for noise when running and listen to everything else with a traditional component stereo system.
I bought a cheap pair of Sony sports type Bluetooth earphones to use with my watch for noise when running and listen to everything else with a traditional component stereo system.
What's sad was that Apple didn't remove the Jack for innovation, they did it to add revenue streams via producing a dongle and introducing a new product called Air Pods. So if you're stock holder, you don't want the jack returned and are happy they got rid of it and added new revenue streams. If all you care about is the most convenient ways to use a device, sorry you're out of luck (and probably always will be). Buy some stock so you'll be happy with their monetary appetite. Wishing Apple always acted in the best interest of the customer is a losing battle.