Getting rid of the headphone jack

[anon(10101748)]

I am assuming The next iPhone will have a USB type c to lightning cable instead of the current USB type b to lightning.

Definitely possible. I just think Apple knows it needs to offer faster charging. USB-C can offer 7 hours charge time in 15 mins. Now obviously 3rd party chargers can offer a lot of things, but Apple needs to think about battery size/efficiency, wireless charging, speed of charging.

I actually think current battery sizes fine as is and was never impressed by wireless charging. I mean...unless I can charge my phone wirelessly without it laying on a mat or something then really you are just avoiding sticking a wire in the device. You still aren't free to move around with the device. Just don't get it.

Charging speed matters no matter what phone you have. Inevitably everyone run into the instance where the phone dies and you have a few minutes to charge and your like, NO...I have to leave and it's a 13% it's not enough!!!!

 

[lusid1]

I finally picked up the base component of the lightning dock, and it works perfectly. All headset functions work, as does both charging and usb data access via the lightning port. If only it came in a dongle form factor I'd have my mobile use case remediated.

A couple of things surprised me about the dock. First, it sounds better than the dongle. I don't have the equipment to measure it objectively, but subjectively the DAC is cleaner, even through earpods. Second, it's not a very good dock. It holds the phone almost perpendicular, it takes two hands to insert/remove the phone, and doesn't really hold it securely enough to operate the phone while its in the dock. The phone just jiggles. Looks pretty though.

 

[anon(10101748)]

Looking at the difference between the 6s and the 7s, it really isn't much of a difference when it comes to thickness. When I am on a call for 3-4 hours, not being able to charge my phone sucks. I like to use noise cancelling headphones as I work in a restaurant and it can get loud. I went to the Apple Store to find a dongle that would let me charge and listen at the same time and they told me nothing exist. I know there are third party alternatives but I would rather have first party, or "made for Apple iPhone" third party. I am only voicing my concerns regarding not having a headphone jack, it's anti- consumer. Honestly, thou I know we can agree, there is no substitute for the iPhone when it comes to the complete package and it works for me. I can't go back to the 6 or the 6s due to the crappy camera.

There is a lighting adapter that goes into the iPhone and then two lines come out. One is for 3.5mm audio and the other is for charging. This would resolve your problem if you took the call while seated obviously. So it may not be the solution you are looking for.

 

[anon(10101748)]

It's interesting. Apple is all about additional items. Moved from 30 Pin, to Lighting, USB to USB-C, dropped internal disc drives, have battery extenders and even their own case.

If they really wanted to capitalize, they'd have removable batteries. Everybody would buy 2-3 of them.

I'm not advocating for this. But it could be a massive differentiator in the market.

 

[trparky]

I do wish that Apple would come out with their own Lightning jack splitter as versus having to rely on a third-party accessory.

 

[G323q569]

Although I'm not one to really use my headphone jack as many of the people here (for conference calls, square, etc...) it doesn't really bother me.
However, I do feel like the ones complaining about it and just plain upset about it are a bit ridiculous. You know what you were getting when you purchased the phone - therefore you knew there was going to be no jack. It's like buying brand X car and being upset that brand Y car offers something different.

 

[anon(10101748)]

Although I'm not one to really use my headphone jack as many of the people here (for conference calls, square, etc...) it doesn't really bother me.
However, I do feel like the ones complaining about it and just plain upset about it are a bit ridiculous. You know what you were getting when you purchased the phone - therefore you knew there was going to be no jack. It's like buying brand X car and being upset that brand Y car offers something different.

Agree and disagree. Yes, in some cases the complaining is way over the top. That said, I think it's okay to voice a complaint over something you know ahead of time and still purchase.

If you are of the belief which clearly many are, that an iPhone 7 model without a 3.5mm jack is still better than an alternative device then I think a complaint is fair. But I get the other side to...it's been months...get over it. There's no 3.5mm audio jack?

 

[lusid1]

I knew about the flaw going in, but decided it was better to remediate it than to migrate to a droid variant. What was not really apparent at the time was that the only fully functional adapter available is the lightning dock, which is expensive, barely portable, and definitely not mobile.

 

[jj2339]

However, I do feel like the ones complaining about it and just plain upset about it are a bit ridiculous. You know what you were getting when you purchased the phone - therefore you knew there was going to be no jack. It's like buying brand X car and being upset that brand Y car offers something different.

You are so right. They should buy another iOS phone that has a headphone jack made by another manufacturer, vs the ones apple makes.

Oh wait, you can't. So if you've been on iOS for a long time, if you move to Android you lose any apps you had paid for, and of course since apple is a locked garden you can't use any purchased iTunes content anywhere outside of an apple phone. Sure, you could get an older model, but then you have bad resale value and older tech.

It seems like a badly planned move, especially since the new Macs use usb-c, so you need even more dongles. Hell, when I travel with my iPad and iPhone, it's a pain to bring the dongle, and I have to worry about not losing it, or else bring multiple pairs of headphones. Cause that's convenient.

 

[jj2339]

And let me be clear, I have a 7plus and overall like it. I have BT headphones I use now for everything, and for the most part am ok with them. Aside from the audio delay, which is why I don't use my iPhone for conference calls or video watching. My largest complaint is when travelling in rental car, I have to be careful to get a rental car with BT so I can use GPS while charging my phone. I don't want to get lost and not have a charged phone. That is my biggest concern, aside from forgetting to charge my BT headphones and running out of juice mid hike, or travelling with headphones for iPad vs iPhone.

But for some, who have told their stories here, they are valid complaints to me. Especially given the lack of consistency across other apple product lines.

 

[njlx2016]

I've been using my 6s Plus with external DACs for my collection of mid-fi headphones through the Lightning port prior to getting a 7 Plus, so I'm used to having a dongle of some sort.

However, I have been using a cheaper pair of headphones that I really like (Koss PortaPro's) for "on the go" more frequently as of late, compared to sitting down at home in a chair and listening to my headphones, and it's been frustrating. It's inconvenient to carry a pair of regular headphones around and have to deal with removing and storing the Lightning adapter whenever I'm not using them with my phone. Also, using the Lightning adapter with headphones that have an angled connector looks extremely ugly.

I've been slowly trying to use the Lightning EarPods that came with my 7 Plus instead of the PortaPro's and Lightning adapter, but I still have to carry the PortaPro's around for my laptop.

Bluetooth headphones may be more convenient in a way, but I've never used any Bluetooth audio device that made switching between multiple devices easily, and I'm not about to spend $160 on a pair of ugly AirPods so solve that problem.

I'm not also completely sold on the audio quality of Bluetooth headphones. They all sound muddy to me, even compared to an inexpensive pair of wired headphones.

 

[njlx2016]

No, its not. Lightning was never about the port, it was always about licensing the connector. They were leaving a lot of money on the table with the 30pin, because there was no enforcement of the license/taxation of the connector, and no way to control what accessories made it to market. Lightning's security chip gives them the control they lacked, a way to enforce the MFI program, and part of the revenue on every accessory from every manufacturer. There is no way they would give that up.

If anyone remembers Sony during most of the 2000's with locking users into their proprietary ecosystem (Memory Stick instead of SD cards, UMD's, among other things) Apple is doing the EXACT same thing. We all know how that turned out for Sony... How Sony Lost Its Way

 

[ItnStln]

If anyone remembers Sony during most of the 2000's with locking users into their proprietary ecosystem (Memory Stick instead of SD cards, UMD's, among other things) Apple is doing the EXACT same thing. We all know how that turned out for Sony... How Sony Lost Its Way

I remember that!

 

[Shanicenicolle]

I'm curious if the Motorola phone that got rid of the headphone jack got the same uproar of a response. (Not saying they didn't just genuinely curious)

 

[jj2339]

I'm curious if the Motorola phone that got rid of the headphone jack got the same uproar of a response. (Not saying they didn't just genuinely curious)

But it's a bit different, Motorola makes Android phones so you could just get another type of Android phone. Plus, they were not a top tier producer of Android.

 

[Shanicenicolle]

But it's a bit different, Motorola makes Android phones so you could just get another type of Android phone. Plus, they were not a top tier producer of Android.

But people saying it was a dumb move is more of what I'm asking.

 

[tadpoles]

I'm still getting used to it. It is an annoyance having to rely on an adapter. The positive spin I'm trying to apply to it is that I can better justify purchasing the astonishingly excellent AudioQuest DragonFly Red DAC/headphone amp, but that's another $200.

 

[njlx2016]

I'm still getting used to it. It is an annoyance having to rely on an adapter. The positive spin I'm trying to apply to it is that I can better justify purchasing the astonishingly excellent AudioQuest DragonFly Red DAC/headphone amp, but that's another $200.

Good luck finding one! I have a Dragonfly Black 1.5 and I'm extremely happy with it. However, you probably will need to use the newer Apple USB 3.0 Camera Connection Kit as the original CCK causes pops during audio playback.

 

[jj2339]

But people saying it was a dumb move is more of what I'm asking.

Oh yea, I get where you are coming from. Nor sure there was a lot of press over that phone, it wasn't a major one like an iPhone or galaxy phone. I'm sure it was mentioned as a con though, but I've never gone to look, so no idea. Good question though.

 

[o4liberty]

Welcome to the dongel world. Electronics will change monthly as they improve.