But you are saying that after years of hindsight. Your reaction that "this is different" is exactly what everyone else said when the dvd/cd drive was removed. This will drive the wireless headphone prices down once the market gets saturated because finally someone is forcing it to do so. I think this move will bring life back into a market that has been stale for many years.
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Here's What a Headphone Jack to Lightning Adapter Looks Like
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But you are saying that after years of hindsight. Your reaction that "this is different" is exactly what everyone else said when the dvd/cd drive was removed. This will drive the wireless headphone prices down once the market gets saturated because finally someone is forcing it to do so. I think this move will bring life back into a market that has been stale for many years.
I still need to be able to CHARGE my device whilst using the headphones.
Do I need a bloody peripheral for that too?
What about Headphone splitters?
How reliable and what fidelity are wireless headphone earbuds? As an owner of high end headphones and an audiophile through and through, these are bothersome issues.
Do I need a bloody peripheral for that too?
What about Headphone splitters?
How reliable and what fidelity are wireless headphone earbuds? As an owner of high end headphones and an audiophile through and through, these are bothersome issues.
With Apple planning to remove the headphone jack in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, new iPhone owners are going to be stuck with a whole lot of headphones that don't work with their devices. There is a simple, though awkward, solution -- a Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter.
Lightning adapters aren't common at this point in time, but as you can see in the video below, we tracked down an adapter from Japanese company Deff to give you an idea of what it'll be like using standard 3.5mm headphones with a device that doesn't have a headphone jack.
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Our adapter cost upwards of $70, but we expect to see a greater number of adapters on the market following the launch of the iPhone 7, which will drive prices down quite a bit. It's also likely Apple will develop its own Lightning to 3.5mm jack adapter and we can expect to see that sold for around $20-$30 based on the pricing of other types of adapters.
Apple's choice to remove the headphone jack in the iPhone 7 hasn't been a popular one. The Verge's Nilay Patel has called the move "user-hostile and stupid," while Steve Streza, in support of Patel, said the decision is good for Apple but bad for the consumer.
Others, like John Gruber, aren't bothered by the iPhone 7's lack of a headphone jack. In a rebuttal to Patel's post, Gruber compared the headphone jack to the floppy drive, an argument supported by MG Siegler, who pointed out the fact that there's similar outrage every time Apple retires a feature.Going forward, Apple's decision to drop the headphone jack will likely reshape the headphone market. Companies have already started investing in Lightning-connected headphones like the ones we covered in a recent video, and wireless solutions are also on the rise.
Based on rumors, Apple is planning on selling the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus with EarPods that feature a Lightning connector, so everyone will have a way to listen to music on the devices right when they come out of the box. Apple is also said to be developing premium wireless earphones that could be similar in design to the Bragi Dash.
Article Link: Here's What a Headphone Jack to Lightning Adapter Looks Like
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Gruber is such a pathetic homer he can't even get his comparisons correct. Removing the headphone jack for a proprietary connection is no where near the same as removing the floppy or optical drives.
When Apple removed the floppy and optical drives, users had the choice of buying USB drives. These same USB drives could be used on just about any computer that included a USB drive. Gruber can argue that Apple forced USB adoption at a quicker rate.
But replacing the phonejack with a lightening port? A lightening-enabled phoneset would require yet another adapter to allow using the set on non-Apple equipment. Apple being Apple that adapter isn't going to cost less than 19.99. I was betting 19.99 but that may now creep into 39.99 territory.
If Apple decided to drop lightening for USB-C then this would make the situation much more palatable.
When Apple removed the floppy and optical drives, users had the choice of buying USB drives. These same USB drives could be used on just about any computer that included a USB drive. Gruber can argue that Apple forced USB adoption at a quicker rate.
But replacing the phonejack with a lightening port? A lightening-enabled phoneset would require yet another adapter to allow using the set on non-Apple equipment. Apple being Apple that adapter isn't going to cost less than 19.99. I was betting 19.99 but that may now creep into 39.99 territory.
If Apple decided to drop lightening for USB-C then this would make the situation much more palatable.
My suspicion, if this indeed doe happen, is that Apple would bundle in bluetooth speakers with better-than-average sound quality and the ability to pair and charge via the lightening port. While charging, it would also allow pass-thru audio playback. I think this solution would ameliorate all of your concerns. (easy pairing, good sound quality, based on wireless standard)
No?
Yes, since this rumor first started. Is this the first you have heard of it?
Apple won't tout removing the headphone jack as a "feature". You will hear that in your mind (just as you've already imagined the fanboys cheering).
Apple may promote the cleaner lines and waterproof design.
1. Use an adapter, or
2. Sell them on eBay to all the people who are skipping this iPhone because they won't own a phone without a 3.5mm jack and refuse to use an adapter. Try to do it quickly, while they're pumped up like 2nd amendment advocates after a mass shooting and willing to pay top dollar.
But removing the headphone jack does exactly what you want. It adds internal space that can be filled with batteries!
Not sure what the insult's value add is to your point?
Maybe. For 39.99. The knockoffs will be 9.99 but they will stop working as of iOS 10.0.1.
You're right that I have the benefit of hindsight. I agreed with the floppy disk and CD/DVD drive removals at the time though. I remember saying, if I ever need a CD/DVD drive, I will just buy a USB one at Best Buy or whatever as soon as I need it. It's been over 5 years now and I haven't needed it.
Also, unlike floppy, cd/dvd, and everything else - I didn't have hundreds of dollars of good equipment for the format. Those were low-cost events. This will be a high-cost event.
Are we sure about that? Most batteries are pretty rectangular in shape. Generally speaking batteries aren't able to just fill any void in the way that a gas or liquid is able to fill a space. Plus, how much more battery can we possibly get out of the small but of space free up by this, should that space be usable?
I was referring to the Lightning rumor specifically, not Bluetooth. A direct Lightning connection eliminates the need to convert to analog before sending the signal to the speakers, which should produce higher sound quality. Also, 3.5mm plugs and receptacles can be a bit fragile (although possibly no less durable than a Lightning connector).
I see this as another way Apple is hoping to lock people into the Apple garden. In addition to Apple-specific features like iMessage, if you have customers purchase Lightning headphones, then they are even less likely to move to another device in the future (which would most likely have a USB-C headphone port like the new Motorola's) due to additional cost factor.
You know you would only need one of these if you want to use older headphones. Pretty sure if Apple goes this route, the included headphones will be lighting port.
I use all three types with my iPhone today: chunky external DAC (FiiO E07k), wireless (Bluebuds X), and cheap 3.5mm earbuds (Brainwavz Delta). The dac/lightning adapter provides much better sound quality for in-home use with my better quality Sennheiser over-the-ear headphones, but isn't portable. Bluebuds are portable and good for running, but aren't convenient (charging, remembering to turn on/off, difficulty getting the right fit, etc.). So I find myself using the $20 earbuds every day for my commute and at work.
I'm guessing the Apple adapter's DAC will 1) bigger than we want, 2) more expensive than it should be, and 3) much lower quality than a FiiO, DragonFly, or comparable DACs. So I'd lose the convenience too. I'm definitely more in the user-hostile camp. Wireless headphones should be more ubiquitous and convenient before they get rid of the jack.
I'm guessing the Apple adapter's DAC will 1) bigger than we want, 2) more expensive than it should be, and 3) much lower quality than a FiiO, DragonFly, or comparable DACs. So I'd lose the convenience too. I'm definitely more in the user-hostile camp. Wireless headphones should be more ubiquitous and convenient before they get rid of the jack.
Assuming there is a demand for this, couldn't and shouldn't we have seen these products for years now? Possibly since the Lightning port existed?
I'm not saying you're wrong, I just don't necessarily see why this event would sour vastly different quality DACs if that's not already a thing.
Admittedly I know less about DACs than I should.
I thought I remembered hearing when these rumors first started buzzing that Apple would provide digital-to-analog conversion in the device. This would mean that an adapter wouldn't need to cost $80 or even $20, but something like Monoprice would be able to sell them for less than $5 a pop. All you would need is a device that routes the current from whatever pins are designated for analog audio output to the corresponding contacts on the 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Oh no no no...lol. Apple wants us to buy lightning adapters. Of which Apple will always get a cut. This is the new Apple tax.
Hi ahead Apple and remove it. People get attached to old stuff and hate changes. If it was for these people e would still be using steam engines.
This could be a TRIPLE WIN for Apple.
WIN 1: No longer need to include free headphones with phone.
WIN 2: Get to sell wireless headphones.
WIN 3: No headphone jack in phone.
And the newly found profits will be routed through some low/free tax country.
Sad!
WIN 1: No longer need to include free headphones with phone.
WIN 2: Get to sell wireless headphones.
WIN 3: No headphone jack in phone.
And the newly found profits will be routed through some low/free tax country.
Sad!
hehe..Deff
neat little thing ...at least this beats having a dongle hanging off your device..
Reminds me of the old RCA to type adapters i would get just to record VCR's into a laptop.
I was thinking of something like :-
Well, that's a bit kludgy . . .
Anyway, they already have an adapter - the Lightening to 30-pin adapter that contains a DAC. Reduce size and change 30-pin port to headphone out. Or keep same size and add a lightening-through to allow for simultaneous charging.
(That said, I don't like this rumored change).
Maybe Apple will put an extra mic in the space--in order to increase Siri performance. We know digital assistants and AI are becoming more and more important.
It's only page five and the terrible analogies are already giving me a headache lol.
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If this vastly improved Siri it would ease the burn a little bit. I'm unable to get "hey Siri" working more than 50% of the time. And at that point I've already wasted enough time not doing the task manually.
I agree that Apple should have cross platform standards. The whole selling point for Apple is the tight integration ("you can move seamlessly from one device to another"). Well I can't move lightning to USB-C seamlessly, can I? I am okay with getting rid of the jack, but they will need to address this across all their platforms. Otherwise, this could get ugly.