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Phones Without Headphone Jacks Are Here... and They're Extremely Annoying (mashable.com)
A few weeks ago, we had an intense discussion on what would happen if Apple's next iPhone doesn't have a headphone port -- and what that means for the rest of the industry, as well as the pros and cons of ditching the legacy port. Over the past few months, we have seen many smartphone manufacturers launch new handsets that don't have a headphone jack. Mashable has a report today in which it says that it is already causing frustration among users. From the article: In the Android camp, phones like Lenovo's Moto Z and Moto Z Force and China's LeEco have already scrapped the 3.5mm headphone jack; to listen to music on the company's three latest phones, users need to plug in USB Type-C headphones, go wireless, or use a dongle. I'm all for letting go of old technologies to push forward, but what is happening is actually going to make things worse. The headphone jack has worked for 50 years and it can work for another 50 more because it's universal. Headphones I plug into my iPhone work in an Android phone, in a BlackBerry, in my computer, in my PS4 controller, in my tablet, in any speaker with audio-out, and so on. I can walk into any electronics store and pick up a pair of headphones and not have to worry about compatibility with any of my devices. I know it'll work. [...] With a universal headphone jack, I never have to worry whether or not the crappy pack-in iPhone EarPods I have will work with the Android phone I'm reviewing or not. I also never have to worry if I'll be able to plug my headphones into a friend's phone to listen to some new song. Same applies for when I want to use my earbuds and headphones with another person's device. And there lies the real issue. I will need different dongles -- a Lightning-to-headphone-jack and a USB-Type-C-to-headphone-jack to be prepared because I do carry both iPhone and Android phone on me daily. Dongles also get lost.
That's exactly the problem. The companies want proprietary. Hell, this goes back the earliest Macs, with their unique mouse, keyboard, and printer ports, and their scuzzy drive connectors... I can understand the reasons, but it's one of those things held them back in market share. Imagine, with their unquestionably superior software and CPUs of the time, how much they would completely dominate if they just opened the tent a little bit to let others play.
And where would the PC be if IBM's bios wasn't pried open? Too bad the same ruling didn't apply to Apple
“He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
I agree 100%, but the fanboy "must have the newest version for prestige" types don't care. In fact, the more exclusionary the better for them. Totally absurd.
The headphone jack has worked for 50 years and it can work for another 50 more because it's universal. Headphones I plug into my iPhone work in an Android phone, in a BlackBerry, in my computer, in my PS4 controller, in my tablet, in any speaker with audio-out, and so on.
This is the problem with your analog headphone jack -- there's no vendor lock-in possible! This grievous error must be stopped.
Apple almost had this going on with the original iPhone, they just sank the jack down a couple millimeters into the phone so most headphones couldn't plug in properly because their plug was too large. But soon headphone makers started slimming down the plug diameter, and those crafty Chinese made little dongles for existing phones to connect. And what could Apple do? They couldn't copyright a certain diameter hole. But now, oh, but now... we have digital audio transmission possible and decoding chips so small they can literally be inside the headphones themselves, or even just the plug you hook into the device. So now we can just encrypt everything and make headphone producers pay the device manufacturer for a license to be allowed to make third-party accessories. Apple can make money without lifting a finger now. And you wont be able to use your nice $300 earphones your got for your android device or laptop on your iPhone as well. No, now your get to buy two pairs of headphones for twice the price instead.
Seriously, though. I can't wait to hear how Apple spins this as being a good thing at the next iPhone announcement in a few months here.