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Pursuit of Slenderness May Mean No More Headphone Jack In iPhone 7 (pcmag.com)

Posted by timothy on from the dropping-the-screen-saves-weight-too dept.

An intriguing rumor reported by PC Mag (and initially reported in this Japanese blog) holds that Apple may drop the standard headphone jack from the next revision of the iPhone, in favor of Bluetooth and Lightning connectors. From PC Mag's article: The big question is just how such a move might affect all the other headphones one can buy, as well as the other devices Apple makes. While we can envision some manufacturers making iPhone-exclusive variants of their headphones, we doubt that Apple's potential decision to chop out the headphone jack is going to suddenly make for a market full of Lightning-only headphones and earbuds. There are, after all, plenty of non-iPhone devices that still use the 3.5mm connection. And, of course, you could just pair any ol' pair of Bluetooth headphones or earbuds with the iPhone 7.

5 of 412 comments (clear)

  1. Real bad news by cfalcon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Really excellent headphones use the standard jacks, and will not be converting over. Grado, Audiotechnica, and many others simply do not have a funny little iphone connector, and likely never will. While I'm sure there will be some dumb converter you can buy, who wants to keep that crap in their pocket, or attached to their headphones (which you will have to track carefully when plugged into a normal outlet).

    It's true that mostly I listen on little crappy remote earbuds, but that's absolutely not the case that this is ALL I want to listen to.

    Moving to this will remove my ability to use real headphones on Apple phones. That's totally shit.

    1. Re:Real bad news by sd4f · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think this is the main thing, the inertia on quality headphones using 3.5mm plugs just makes this a silly decision. Additionally, there's just a point where getting a phone thinner is just being silly. Give me better battery life over a thinner device. Problem is the industry appears to be dead set against progressing beyond a 1 day battery.

  2. Re:converter by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I can buy a wired headset that plugs into just about any device that's been manufactured in the last 40 years for about 1/20 the price of a wireless one. SO it seems to me your message is actually more like, "You should spend heaps more money to accomplish the same task, because... um... because I said so, dammit!"

    --
    Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  3. Stop making super thin phones you idiots! by laserhead · · Score: 5, Insightful

    We need more battery life!

  4. Re:3.5mm? by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Meh. Keep the 3.5mm connector, shrink the rest of the phone down,and fill the remaining space with extra battery. Seriously, how much thinner do phones need to be? I'd prefer some extra battery life, thanks.

    --
    If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...