"Tim Cook Defends Decision to Kill Headphone Jack"

[thermodynamic]

http://www.cultofmac.com/445561/tim-cook-defends-apple-decision-kill-headphone-jack/

$ure, Tim, whatever. Let's see Apple spearhead properly made wireless headphones with an open standard for replaceable batteries instead of one-piece deliberately cheaply made disposable crap that not only costs customers more in the end, no environmentally-friendly company would want to be associated with when otherwise telling us how green they are.

 

[smallcoffee]

Just use the adapter.

Apple is pushing the boundaries and it makes people uncomfortable. Same thing with no ports on MacBook and really pioneered with the MacBook Air and no disk drive. People don't even think twice about not having a disk drive, it'll be the same with wired headphones soon.

 

[APlotdevice]

Just use the adapter.

Apple is pushing the boundaries and it makes people uncomfortable. Same thing with no ports on MacBook and really pioneered with the MacBook Air and no disk drive. People don't even think twice about not having a disk drive, it'll be the same with wired headphones soon.

SSDs offered major speed benefits over HDDs. Bluetooth headphones still have crappy audio quality verses wired. (Not to mention the fact that it's yet another thing which you have to remember to keep charged. )

I'm not against getting rid of the headphone jack. Its an antiquated connector to be sure. But it still needs a viable wired replacement. And no, that's NOT lightning. Lightning is proprietary. A proper headphone connector replacement needs to be UNIVERSAL as well.

 

[aaronvan]

And no, that's NOT lightning. Lightning is proprietary. A proper headphone connector replace needs to be UNIVERSAL as well.

Absolutely. Furthermore, non-proprietary would probably sell more iPhones in the long run, as the selection of aftermarket stuff would be enormous.

 

[impulse462]

i saw a demo of someone with the airpods in their ear, trying to change music in a loud setting and it was so stupid.

“HEY SIRI TURN THE VOLUME UP” and then slight pause because bluetooth is **** at the moment.

meanwhile for the past 5 years ive been changing my volume by clicking one button (oh no i have to lift my hand) with my headphones which have a battery life of infinity but oh no a ****ing wire god save my SOUL

 

[vrDrew]

It's a logical step.

You can come up with rationalizations to keep old technology around pretty much forever. But at some point, you've got to move on. And I think Apple did the right thing with the iPhone phono jack.

The phono jack is (mostly) unidirectional. And it's analog. It adds weight, volume, and a potential ingress point for moisture into the phone.

Is it going go cause some degree of complication for people with a lot of investment in old-school technology? It'll cause some. I'll need the little adapter to use my noise-cancelling headphones. But I suspect that sooner or later I'll update the phones to ones with Bluetooth built-in.

A word about Bluetooth: I've been using it on-and-off for several years now. It's gotten better, but it's still not where it needs to be for high-fidelity music listening. It's laggy. Pairing is a nuisance. And there's another battery life to keep track of. The Apple air Bids supposedly solve some of these issues, but still....

Embrace Change.

 

[impulse462]

It's a logical step.

You can come up with rationalizations to keep old technology around pretty much forever. But at some point, you've got to move on. And I think Apple did the right thing with the iPhone phono jack.

The phono jack is (mostly) unidirectional. And it's analog. It adds weight, volume, and a potential ingress point for moisture into the phone.

Is it going go cause some degree of complication for people with a lot of investment in old-school technology? It'll cause some. I'll need the little adapter to use my noise-cancelling headphones. But I suspect that sooner or later I'll update the phones to ones with Bluetooth built-in.

A word about Bluetooth: I've been using it on-and-off for several years now. It's gotten better, but it's still not where it needs to be for high-fidelity music listening. It's laggy. Pairing is a nuisance. And there's another battery life to keep track of. The Apple air Bids supposedly solve some of these issues, but still....

Embrace Change.

apple trying to do a change like steve did to CD drive or ethernet port, but bluetooth isn't a standard in any way shape or form.

change for change sake isn't beneficial to anyone. other than a tangled wire (which takes 5 seconds to untangle), give me one benefit of wireless headphones

 

[vrDrew]

give me one benefit of wireless headphones

I use wireless Bluetooth earbuds when I'm on a treadmill or exercise bike. Not having a device clipped to my body, and wireless snaking across my torso is very convenient. And more than once, when using wired earphones, I've accidentally snagged them, either yanking the plug out of the jack, or flinging the phone or iPod onto the floor.

I also can charge the phone or iPod and still listen to it, while I'm moving around, exercising or doing household chores (the Bluetooth drops out if I move too far away..)

Don't get me wrong: Bluetooth ain't perfect. It's not for any sort of audiophile experience. But listening to podcasts and pop hits of the 80s and 90s? It's fine, given its limitations.

 

[0007776]

Same thing with no ports on MacBook and really pioneered with the MacBook Air and no disk drive.

The Macbook is a niche product, and disc drives were already going away since DVD's weren't as practical or cheap as USB based storage, and internet connections were getting fast enough for digital software and movie distribution. If Apple had used another proprietary disc format for distributing their software instead of digital downloads when they eliminated the optical drive then you'd have a more valid comparison.

 

[impulse462]

I use wireless Bluetooth earbuds when I'm on a treadmill or exercise bike. Not having a device clipped to my body, and wireless snaking across my torso is very convenient. And more than once, when using wired earphones, I've accidentally snagged them, either yanking the plug out of the jack, or flinging the phone or iPod onto the floor.

I also can charge the phone or iPod and still listen to it, while I'm moving around, exercising or doing household chores (the Bluetooth drops out if I move too far away..)

Don't get me wrong: Bluetooth ain't perfect. It's not for any sort of audiophile experience. But listening to podcasts and pop hits of the 80s and 90s? It's fine, given its limitations.

ok fair enough for your treadmill experience. when i'm on the treadmill my headphones tend to fall out when i sweat more. luckily they're attached to themselves and the phone while i'm running so i dont have to worry about them falling to the ground and searching for them.

i've snagged them once so we've basically had the opposite experience. the battery is the thing that kills it for me. maybe if theoretically these wireless ones had infinite battery life i'd get behind it, but i use my headphones for long stretches either when i'm doing work or writing. i think having to charge yet another thing (and don't take my word for this, steve had the same reaction when mossberg asked him about it; although i know times have changed) as trivial as headphones is just ludicrous.

 

[zin]

I'm not ready to give up my wired earphones. I have wireless ones that I use but the sound quality is truly not much better than two cups and a string. I'll be using the adapter with my shiny new toy and I have no issue with that. Better battery life, stereo speakers, and room for whatever contraptions they've improved are a good trade.

 

[impulse462]

I'm not ready to give up my wired earphones. I have wireless ones that I use but the sound quality is truly not much better than two cups and a string. I'll be using the adapter with my shiny new toy and I have no issue with that. Better battery life, stereo speakers, and room for whatever contraptions they've improved are a good trade.

what about charging and listening at the same time? i'll admit during my day to day use i rarely do it, but when i'm on vacation or something i do that all the time. i guess for that ill get an adapter, but so stupid that i'm forced to buy an adapter.

why not just switch the 3.5mm out for usb-c. thats adopting a standard and their new rMB already has it. clearly its just to sell more phones than to push a standard for everyone to use since no one uses lightning and having a lightning port on a macbook would be a joke

 

[zin]

what about charging and listening at the same time? i'll admit during my day to day use i rarely do it, but when i'm on vacation or something i do that all the time. i guess for that ill get an adapter, but so stupid that i'm forced to buy an adapter.

why not just switch the 3.5mm out for usb-c. thats adopting a standard and their new rMB already has it. clearly its just to sell more phones than to push a standard for everyone to use since no one uses lightning and having a lightning port on a macbook would be a joke

I cannot recall that I have ever charged and listened at the same time. Well, actually, I tell a lie. I currently have a battery case for the iPhone 6 and I have charged from the case whilst listening to music. I won't be using a battery case with the iPhone 7 and instead I have a power pack.

Which in fact has just created a problem that I didn't think of until your post. Guess I'll just have to engage in tactical charging if I lose power throughout the day.

 

[aaronvan]

what about charging and listening at the same time? i'll admit during my day to day use i rarely do it...

I do that all the time while sitting at my desk, but I'm probably an outlier. Guess I'll just have to live for it. Well, starting next year with the iPhone 8. The 10th anniversary iPhone should be a major update. I'm staying with my 6+ for now.

 

[impulse462]

I cannot recall that I have ever charged and listened at the same time. Well, actually, I tell a lie. I currently have a battery case for the iPhone 6 and I have charged from the case whilst listening to music. I won't be using a battery case with the iPhone 7 and instead I have a power pack.

Which in fact has just created a problem that I didn't think of until your post. Guess I'll just have to engage in tactical charging if I lose power throughout the day.

yeah you won't be able to use a charging case and listen to music at the same time. "it just works"
[doublepost=1473893890][/doublepost]

I do that all the time while sitting at my desk, but I'm probably an outlier. Guess I'll just have to live for it. Well, starting next year with the iPhone 8. The 10th anniversary iPhone should be a major update. I'm staying with my 6+ for now.

i hope they don't call it iphone 8. the number schemes are getting dumb. would just call it iphone anniversary edition or something. can't believe its almost been 10 years

 

[aaronvan]

yeah you won't be able to use a charging case and listen to music at the same time. "it just works"
[doublepost=1473893890][/doublepost]
i hope they don't call it iphone 8. the number schemes are getting dumb. would just call it iphone anniversary edition or something. can't believe its almost been 10 years

I suspect they won't. They're getting any from OS numbers, too.

 

[cmanbrazil]

I'm interested to see the difference between the wireless sound with the new phone vs the Bluetooth I've listened to in the past. I not "hanging on" to old tech. I'm looking for the option that delivers the best sound. I don't like wires, but I'll take them if the sound is better, which it has been, including in my car. I also would hate to charge anything after 5 hrs. It one more thing I have to remember to charge daily.

 

[Cineplex]

Just use the adapter.

Apple is pushing the boundaries and it makes people uncomfortable. Same thing with no ports on MacBook and really pioneered with the MacBook Air and no disk drive. People don't even think twice about not having a disk drive, it'll be the same with wired headphones soon.

Problem with the logic here is that we are not talking about obsolete technology. The PROFESSIONAL standard for audio monitoring is STILL analog. Wireless headphones are not a step forward. We are currently using wired headphones that require no toxic battery, no electricity to keep them charged, no wireless radiation to your brain, and are not using up the valuable wireless frequency spectrum. These headphones with the non-replaceable battery and proprietary charging case will fill up landfills much faster than wired headphones. How many lightning adapters will end up in landfills? That is not even to talk about the rubbish sound quality.

So no. This isn't pushing boundaries or saving the world from wasteful technology. This is Apple cutting costs and increasing profits. Don't be sucked in by their green world changing marketing. This is not Steve Jobs' Apple.

 

[smallcoffee]

The Macbook is a niche product, and disc drives were already going away since DVD's weren't as practical or cheap as USB based storage, and internet connections were getting fast enough for digital software and movie distribution. If Apple had used another proprietary disc format for distributing their software instead of digital downloads when they eliminated the optical drive then you'd have a more valid comparison.

no that wouldn't be a valid comparison at all.

And no, go back and read the reactions to the no-disk drive bonanza. Everybody was clamoring for their super drives.

MacBook may be a niche product, but the same thing has been said about the MacBook Air. Either way it's irrelevant.

And this is coming from a guy who has a pair of B&O that I will have to use an adapter for whenever I switch over to a new iPhone in a couple of years.
[doublepost=1473900783][/doublepost]

Problem with the logic here is that we are not talking about obsolete technology. The PROFESSIONAL standard for audio monitoring is STILL analog. Wireless headphones are not a step forward. We are currently using wired headphones that require no toxic battery, no electricity to keep them charged, no wireless radiation to your brain, and are not using up the valuable wireless frequency spectrum. These headphones with the non-replaceable battery and proprietary charging case will fill up landfills much faster than wired headphones. How many lightning adapters will end up in landfills? That is not even to talk about the rubbish sound quality.

So no. This isn't pushing boundaries or saving the world from wasteful technology. This is Apple cutting costs and increasing profits. Don't be sucked in by their green world changing marketing. This is not Steve Jobs' Apple.

Last I checked the iPhone didn't play anything above 320k so if you own a pair of "professional" headphones it won't really make a difference to you. Even if you had flac files on your iPhone, you're the tiniest of tiny minority. But you don't.

Nobody is stopping you from using wired headphones. In fact, the iPhone comes with what is nothing more than a slight extension of your cord. Really they're kind of giving you a longer cord so you should be thankful.

Wireless radiation to your brain? Lol. Wireless frequency spectrum? lol. Just lol.

 

[Pakaku]

I'm not against getting rid of the headphone jack. Its an antiquated connector to be sure. But it still needs a viable wired replacement. And no, that's NOT lightning. Lightning is proprietary. A proper headphone connector replacement needs to be UNIVERSAL as well.

What is the major compelling reason to get rid of the functional 3.5mm port? Because it's old? That's not a good enough reason if the proposed alternatives don't offer any substantial new features that aren't possible with the 3.5mm plug. There needs to be a major reason for it, not just silly marketing reasons.

Wireless is the only "alternative" with an actual advantage, but that comes with the trade-off in sound-quality. They're getting better, but they're still not viable replacements.

 

[APlotdevice]

What is the major compelling reason to get rid of the functional 3.5mm port? Because it's old? That's not a good enough reason if the proposed alternatives don't offer any substantial new features that aren't possible with the 3.5mm plug. There needs to be a major reason for it, not just silly marketing reasons.

Wireless is the only "alternative" with an actual advantage, but that comes with the trade-off in sound-quality. They're getting better, but they're still not viable replacements.

Here are the limitations I see with the 3.5 jack:
- It doesn't provide any additional power, which you need for features like noise cancelation.
- It only offers two output and one input channel, and thus cannot support things like stereo-input or multi-channel surround.
- It's analog only.
- The connector is prone to electrical interference.
- It wasn't designed with waterproofing in mind.
- It doesn't disconnect easily when tugged. At first this may seem like an advantage, but consider that the last thing you probably want is your entire phone to get yanked out of your pocket and onto the ground.
- As modern components go, its relatively "clunky". Especially given the fact that it has to be somewhat isolated from other components to avoid the interference issue. Yes not everyone is interested in having the slimmest possible phone, but as far as Apple and other Smartphone makers are concerned, that's a prime selling point.

 

[Cineplex]

no that wouldn't be a valid comparison at all.

And no, go back and read the reactions to the no-disk drive bonanza. Everybody was clamoring for their super drives.

MacBook may be a niche product, but the same thing has been said about the MacBook Air. Either way it's irrelevant.

And this is coming from a guy who has a pair of B&O that I will have to use an adapter for whenever I switch over to a new iPhone in a couple of years.
[doublepost=1473900783][/doublepost]

Last I checked the iPhone didn't play anything above 320k so if you own a pair of "professional" headphones it won't really make a difference to you. Even if you had flac files on your iPhone, you're the tiniest of tiny minority. But you don't.

Nobody is stopping you from using wired headphones. In fact, the iPhone comes with what is nothing more than a slight extension of your cord. Really they're kind of giving you a longer cord so you should be thankful.

Wireless radiation to your brain? Lol. Wireless frequency spectrum? lol. Just lol.

Just LOL, huh? Okay. You realize that Bluetooth uses a microwave frequency? CNN noted it here. If you want to fill your brain with microwaves...be my guess. When you end up with brain cancer we can all LOL about it. I'm sure you will still find it funny.

I never said anything about using professional headphones with an iPhone. I was saying that if the professional standard is currently analog, there is a question about it being obsolete and good enough quality.

Also you totally missed my point about all the adapters sitting in landfills.

LOL, just lol.

 

[Pakaku]

Here are the limitations I see with the 3.5 jack:
- It doesn't provide any additional power, which you need for features like noise cancelation.
- It only offers two output and one input channel, and thus cannot support things like stereo-input or multi-channel surround.
- It's analog only.
- The connector is prone to electrical interference.
- It wasn't designed with waterproofing in mind.
- It doesn't disconnect easily when tugged. At first this may seem like an advantage, but consider that the last thing you probably want is your entire phone to get yanked out of your pocket and onto the ground.
- As modern components go, its relatively "clunky". Especially given the fact that it has to be somewhat isolated from other components to avoid the interference issue. Yes not everyone is interested in having the slimmest possible phone, but as far as Apple and other Smartphone makers are concerned, that's a prime selling point.

I like those reasons, and the multi-channel reason was something I actually had in mind myself. I just hope something like that actually gets taken advantage of sooner rather than later.

 

[smallcoffee]

Just LOL, huh? Okay. You realize that Bluetooth uses a microwave frequency? CNN noted it here. If you want to fill your brain with microwaves...be my guess. When you end up with brain cancer we can all LOL about it. I'm sure you will still find it funny.

I never said anything about using professional headphones with an iPhone. I was saying that if the professional standard is currently analog, there is a question about it being obsolete and good enough quality.

Also you totally missed my point about all the adapters sitting in landfills.

LOL, just lol.

If that were the case we would see some sort of massive uptake in brain cancer. We don't. It's not an issue.

The professional standard is great, for professionals.

I ignored your point about landfills because it's not a great point.

 

[Cineplex]

If that were the case we would see some sort of massive uptake in brain cancer. We don't. It's not an issue.

The professional standard is great, for professionals.

I ignored your point about landfills because it's not a great point.

History shows that the affects of something aren't always immediately clear. It may take 20 years before we see the results of microwaving out brains. People said the same things about fluoroscopes in the 50's....that wasn't good for you!

You can ignore it all you want....landfills are a problem.