Couragegate

[Nargg]

It is one extra step. One step. You are blowing this way out of proportion. One step. One time. If you have a pair of head phones or a special audio jack that you use you only need to place the dongle on once. Then leave it there. That's like complaining about plugging a charger in. Or flipping a light switch when you enter a room. That is literally the amount of time in your life you spend plugging in a dongle. It is one second out of your life that you are slightly inconvenienced.

You forgot that it's not just headphones. I have an additional 3 other devices that use that port. Only one has been verified as working with the adapter, and even if the others do it will be troublesome to do so the way they are designed. As posted through an external article in another thread, Walt Mossberg, a well respected Apple reviewer also called it a bad move that is annoying and negative. I respect you are only "slightly inconvenienced", but you can't force that viewpoint on others.

 

[kch50428]

... but you can't force that viewpoint on others.

nor can you force your "grievously inconveinienced" viewpoint on others...u

 

[anony_mouse]

For me, removing the headphone socket is inconvenient. If I'm travelling, I use headphones with a tablet, laptop, smart phone and with inflight entertainment systems. Having to carry an adaptor for the smart phone will be annoying, and it's likely to get lost regularly. I say that because of experience - I have lost several of the single 3.5mm stereo to dual 3.5mm mono converters that are needed on older planes. I'm not interested in wireless headphones, which are much more expensive, offer poorer sound quality AND worst of all need to be recharged. Plus the small "ear tampons" that Apple offer will also quickly get lost.

Change is only good if it's change for the better. Can anyone tell me exactly what is better now?

 

[Nargg]

nor can you force your "grievously inconveinienced" viewpoint on others...u

From others posting here, I seem to be sharing a similar inconvenience with more than just a few. If you don't share, why bother being so forceful? Just move on, like you are asking the rest of us to do?

 

[tgp]

I've been wireless for the last 18-24 months, so it doesn't bother me. But I know multiple people who feel the same as you. I do believe that wireless is the way things are headed, so perhaps they're just ahead of the curve removing the jack?

This is my opinion as well. A similar thing happened when Apple removed the optical drive from the Macbook several years ago. It was early enough to be somewhat painful for some reason, but at the same time I believe everyone knew that it was the direction in which the industry was headed.

Lenovo removed the audio jack from the Moto Z series earlier this year. However, that will not make nearly the impact that the iPhone will, as it sells in much lower numbers. Apple also has enough influence in the upper end to drive the market.

No audio jack will be the norm soon. Sure, it might be a bit of an inconvenience now, and a few people might even leave over it, but we'll figure it out.

 

[Evilguppy]

For me, removing the headphone socket is inconvenient. If I'm travelling, I use headphones with a tablet, laptop, smart phone and with inflight entertainment systems. Having to carry an adaptor for the smart phone will be annoying, and it's likely to get lost regularly. I say that because of experience - I have lost several of the single 3.5mm stereo to dual 3.5mm mono converters that are needed on older planes. I'm not interested in wireless headphones, which are much more expensive, offer poorer sound quality AND worst of all need to be recharged. Plus the small "ear tampons" that Apple offer will also quickly get lost.

Change is only good if it's change for the better. Can anyone tell me exactly what is better now?

It might not necessarily be "better" but it's definitely a step toward better.
I hated IOS7 so much I left Apple and went partying with Samsung for a while.
That turned out to be a disastrous and costly decision, btw.
But now look at IOS 10.
It had to go through the awkward teenage stage, I guess.
I'm thinking the same is true of the hardware, it has to start somewhere.
Am I all that excited to plug what will look like a pair of Tampax in my ears? Not exactly, lol.
But this may very well be the stage we need to pass through, give Apple the time and user info/grievances they'll need to improve it.
So at first I will use my old ear buds and the adapter thingie.
I might get the ear Tampax later on.
But I know that it's only a matter of time before Apple gives us Airpods so tiny the secret service will be jealous, hehehe.

 

[kch50428]

From others posting here, I seem to be sharing a similar inconvenience with more than just a few. If you don't share, why bother being so forceful? Just move on, like you are asking the rest of us to do?

There's a pot/kettle moment... Why are you bothering to be so forceful? Just move on...

 

[Quis89]

It might not necessarily be "better" but it's definitely a step toward better.
I hated IOS7 so much I left Apple and went partying with Samsung for a while.
That turned out to be a disastrous and costly decision, btw.
But now look at IOS 10.
It had to go through the awkward teenage stage, I guess.
I'm thinking the same is true of the hardware, it has to start somewhere.
Am I all that excited to plug what will look like a pair of Tampax in my ears? Not exactly, lol.
But this may very well be the stage we need to pass through, give Apple the time and user info/grievances they'll need to improve it.
So at first I will use my old ear buds and the adapter thingie.
I might get the ear Tampax later on.
But I know that it's only a matter of time before Apple gives us Airpods so tiny the secret service will be jealous, hehehe.

This explanation I can support. I'm definitely all for the potential great future that lies ahead in a wireless world. The problem is that we just aren't there yet. I would have much preferred to be living in that future and THEN lose the headphone jack than to lose the headphone jack and deal with the transition forcefully.

 

[Evilguppy]

Pioneering ain't for sissies, lol. :biggrin:

 

[robertk328]

I think if the thread is devolved to "I know you are but what am I" back and forth it has run its course

 

[TwitchyPuppy]

Ah, people..

- APPLE DOESN'T INNOVATE >:/
*Apple innovates*
- IT'S ****! THEY SHOULD'NT HAVE DONE THAT >:/

 

[John Yester]

345% above previous iPhone 6 and 6+ pre orders first 3-4 days by some carriers. Not bad... Not bad at all

 

[dchandler]

345% above previous iPhone 6 and 6+ pre orders first 3-4 days by some carriers. Not bad... Not bad at all

That's pretty good numbers

 

[John Yester]

Think it was Sprint and T Mobile. No word form Verizon and AT&T. Heck they are still trying to figure out their shipping statues lol

 

[dchandler]

Think it was Sprint and T Mobile. No word form Verizon and AT&T. Heck they are still trying to figure out their shipping statues lol

Hahaha let them take there time. Lol

 

[robertk328]

Think it was Sprint and T Mobile. No word form Verizon and AT&T. Heck they are still trying to figure out their shipping statues lol

I know TMo had a deal on trade-in, Sprint probably did too. Even VZW added one!

 

[MRSBROWN2006]

Honestly haven't used wired earbuds steadily since the iPhone 5 release. Me and the LG Tone Pro/Active/Infinim (in order of use) are best buds. Won't miss the headset jack at all.

 

[anon(52425)]

This is still going on huh... I've seen threads with less nonsense get locked.

 

[reeneebob]

It's a fine line between "complaining" and taking action, don't you think? Though I do have to say, complaining about the complainers doesn't seem very helpful to anyone. Kinda calling the kettle black.

It's a HEADPHONE JACK. PEOPLE ARE DYING, HATE CRIMES ARE HAPPENING, and you're spending hours bemoaning and campaigning over a GD headphone jack.

Good lord, you'd think someone punted your puppy.

 

[anony_mouse]

It might not necessarily be "better" but it's definitely a step toward better.
I hated IOS7 so much I left Apple and went partying with Samsung for a while.
That turned out to be a disastrous and costly decision, btw.
But now look at IOS 10.
It had to go through the awkward teenage stage, I guess.
I'm thinking the same is true of the hardware, it has to start somewhere.
Am I all that excited to plug what will look like a pair of Tampax in my ears? Not exactly, lol.
But this may very well be the stage we need to pass through, give Apple the time and user info/grievances they'll need to improve it.
So at first I will use my old ear buds and the adapter thingie.
I might get the ear Tampax later on.
But I know that it's only a matter of time before Apple gives us Airpods so tiny the secret service will be jealous, hehehe.

Wireless headphones are nothing new. They have been available for many years and work with pretty much any Bluetooth phone sold in the last decade. They are not necessarily expensive - check out these for EUR20: TIE Bluetooth 4.1 oordopjes kopen? | Bax-shop . They don't have to look like ear-tampons - Motorola sell these: https://www.amazon.de/VerveOnes-Wir...ag=techracom00-21&ascsubtag=UUimUvbUpU2809614 .
And the great news is that they work with phones which *have* a 3.5mm socket! So there was no need for Apple to remove it!

Personally, for the reasons I mentioned above I'm not interested in wireless headphones. So I will have to use a clunky adapter with my phone that I will quickly lose. Or buy some headphones that only work with my phone - I don't see any likelihood of the lightning connector appearing on (Windows) laptops, planes, TVs, etc any time soon. I really cannot see how this is a step forward.

BTW, I have a technical question - I see claims that the output of the lightning socket towards headphones is digital. That would mean the headphones, or the adaptor, must include a digital to analogue convertor. Can anyone confirm whether that is the case, or whether lightning actually outputs analogue audio for headphones. Thanks!