Apple killed the audio port!

[gunug]

I'm sure someone will develop an adapter that is more elegant than this:

[Xairbusdriver]

Great image!    

I think they are already offering one. Hopefully cheaper than the $160 EarPods! There's been many rumors about this for the few weeks, along with lots of complaints. The main reason for this move seems to be "We have to move on"! Secondarily, losing the port allows for a thinner iPhone. I've been complaining about the thickness for... uhmn... wait, I don't think I've ever made that complaint. Oh well... Glad we bought ours last year!

Many "analysts" feel that the hardware (from all makers) is reaching the end of its possibilities. They believe the future changes/improvements will come from software side and expect device makers to change hardware mainly to prevent older apps from running on the newer models. This is supposed to "encourage" updating ones hardware?

[gunug]

QUOTE

The 3.5mm port, on the other hand, has to go, Schiller said, because the company can't justify the continued use of an "ancient" single-use port. He described the amount of technology packed into the iPhone, saying each element in Apple's phones is fighting for space, and it's at a premium. And while every iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will include a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter, Schiller was a lot more bullish about the company's wireless-audio standard.

Schiller explained that no company had tried to deliver a wireless experience between your devices and your headphones that fixes the things that are currently difficult to do—and since there's only one major industry-wide wireless-audio standard, it's easy to assume that he's talking about Bluetooth there (though he didn't say the B-word out loud).

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/09/app...-cites-courage/

The bottom photo I took this morning in an older A/V system we had in our conference room; I'm not sure what problem they were trying to solve but it sure looks odd!

[dboh]

I saw a photo of a man wearing the wireless earbuds. I don't know if anyone here is familiar with Star Trek, but I couldn't help thinking Tim Cook was really an agent for the Borg.

[Paddy]

Not a big deal, IMHO. Apple is including an adapter with every iPhone 7, so if you aren't using bluetooth and want to use 3rd party headphones, it's not difficult. I rarely use ear buds with my phone - I have several iPods should I wish to listen to music on my phone, which 99% of the time, I don't. I have a horrible time finding ear buds that fit and are comfortable - Apple's don't work for me, and when I fly, I have a nice pair of over-ear headphones that I use for the inflight movies. I try not to use my phone when driving (if I do - it's on speaker) as it's terribly distracting and there are very big fines for using a handheld device while driving in Ontario. If I found it necessary to use headphones, I'd likely get Bluetooth.

I suspect that this may end up being a tempest in a teacup - like the one that raged over the end of DVD drives in Macs. Much lamenting and squawking...and then people realized they didn't really need them after all.

[gunug]

There was an episode of Dr. Who (with Rose's alternate universe parents)
where that kind of thing was used to take control of people!

[Frances144]

I saw that and remember thinking we are already there.

[Highmac]

As someone on a UK forum said:

QUOTE

One hundred and fifty nine pounds.

For something you will lose or get eaten by the dog within a week.

[kimmer]

I'm with Paddy. I stopped using earbuds a few years back when I accidentally hit the volume control and my iPod was suddenly playing music at the loudest level. Took my ears a good 24 hours to recover. I love all the other technology that is improved/added with the deletion of the audio port. Can't wait for December when I am able to upgrade my iPhone on my contract.

[gunug]

Maybe they had the courage to make lots of bucks:

QUOTE

Beats brings in more revenue from Bluetooth headphones than LG, Bose, or Jaybird, according to NPD figures released in July. In terms of unit sales, it controls over a quarter of the Bluetooth headphone market.

Bluetooth headphones are also disproportionately profitable among headphones. NPD has them accounting for 54 percent of all dollars spent in the market, despite representing only 17 percent of units sold in the US. These headphones sell at high prices with high margins, and Apple’s company is making the best of it so far.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/8/12839758/...-headphone-jack

[eric j]

Some pundits claim that the sound quality from Bluetooth is noticeably inferior to that obtainable with wired headphones.
They add, however, that a new standard for Bluetooth now in preparation will deliver a better sound quality. If true it will be interesting to find out how much better.

eric j

[Xairbusdriver]

I think he meant to say, "It will be interesting to hear how much better". With the last few generations seemingly unaware that there actually is a volume control, I seriously doubt that many iDevice users will hear anything differently. A car, nor an outdoor environment, nor practically any indoor area is likely to provide a place to actually hear the difference between 128 to 256k digital sounds. None of which will exactly replicate analog fidelity, anyway.

I used to complain to the congregation at church to please keep their mouths shut during any sound reproduction event; open mouths simply let the sound come in but reflect extremely little back into the atmosphere!