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Apple Explores the Idea Of Killing Headphone Jack On the MacBook Pro (thenextweb.com)
Less than two weeks after Apple unveiled its headphone jack-less iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the company is already exploring the idea of doing the same on its flagship computing lineup. An anonymous reader shares a report on The Next Web: Apple might be going all-in with the wireless revolution as the company is now allegedly considering killing the headphone jack on the MacBook Pro. Users are reporting that as of recently Apple has been asking them to fill in a survey about the way they use their MacBook Pro and one of the questions pertains particularly to the headphone jack. Shared by Blake A. via Twitter, the question reads "Do you ever use the headphone port on your MacBook Pro with Retina display?", suggesting Apple is exploring going jackless with its laptops in the future. Given the Cupertino company just ditched the audio jack on the iPhone 7, the change is likely to eventually come to other Apple products too -- the real question is when.Several Slashdot readers have also confirmed that they have participated in a similar survey with some noting that Apple also asked them about the removable of headphone jack on some of its other computing lineup including the iMac.
Oh, I thought you wanted the jack removed because it took up too much space in the phone. Not the problem, is it? Is it because you own the perfect shitty overpriced headphones, Beats, and want to squeeze as much money out of your customers at possible?
I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
Got to plug that analog hole.
There is no excuse to eliminate an audio jack from a phone, much less a Macbook. Too many complications with wireless headphones and microphones, and peripherals to add the functionality back just add to clutter for a portable device.
This isn't edgy, or brave, or futuristic. It's simply the beginning of the end for a once-innovative company who is practically trying to alienate its customer base. I really wonder if the same idiots who were in charge of the Final Cut Pro 10 transition were the same ones involved in these decisions.
I'm sure for $59.99 they'll have something that you can use to bridge the technology gap.
(Not trolling... I'm a Macbook Pro user myself and in the same boat as you)
Geez, I actually use my MBP as my desktop for about 98% of the time, and it is hooked to my desktop speakers for listening to.... I'm supposed to fscking do THAT wireless too now?!?!
Only if you want to. You could go USB or thunderbolt pretty easily. I connect my laptops to a USB 3.0 docking station which has a 3.5mm jack built in when I'm using them at my desk. So that's a perfectly viable option when using a laptop as an ersatz desktop PC. Heck you're probably going to hook up a USB hub or peripherals anyway so why not just include the 3.5mm jack there? I could see it being annoying to not have it when you are traveling with a laptop but the arguments against removing it at the desk are pretty weak.
That said on a real desktop PC (Mac) I don't really see a good argument for removing the 3.5mm jack at this time. Neither space, power or cost are constraints and there is no advantage to the user in removing it unless you get something in return. None of those things apply to desktop PCs. I can at least see the argument on a smartphone whether or not I agree with it but those arguments don't apply to desktop machines.
Some people require headphones to use a device, and bluetooth may not always be an option. Removing the jack removes any ability to charge it while using headphones that are attached to its single USB-C port.
It's the exact same problem with the iPhone 7 and its single lightning port. Apple clearly doesn't have a fucking clue what it's doing anymore. They are so desperate to try and be industry leaders again that they are trying random shit that nobody seriously wants or will find useful as an effort to "think outside of the box", and it's not a good thing. For them or their customers.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
The 3.5mm jack is nothing but a conduit for your stolen media, so suck it up. And you there with the 5000 CD collection. Don't be a commie and buy all that music again in iTunes, willya?
You are welcome on my lawn.
All this does is show the world that Apple was lying through their teeth when they said it was about making room for more battery. Not sure what space they are going to save in the iMac or the Mac Pro.
Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
Those were all technologies that were in some way vastly superseded in quality or functionality. The standard audio jack is currently extremely high quality (yay push-pull transistors) and universally standard and will remain so, outside of the apple-verse, for decades to come.
To be honest the headphone jack on those machines is pretty crappy anyway. If you're serious about audio you're already using an offboard USB DAC.
---- Den ene knappen er powerknapp, den andre er Bender voice knapp "Bite My Shiny Metal Ass"
What? Things wear out? What??? UNPOSSIBLE!
Plus, I have news for you: A middling quality headphone jack is of far higher quality and average lifetime than any USB jack ever manufactured. A truly high quality headphone jack is darned near bulletproof. USB jacks and connectors and cables are connectivity and structural strength fails from word one. Particularly the smaller types. Plus, when the user's USB jack wears out sooner because they've regularly been jamming headphones into it and then putting various stresses on the USB cable, as well as plugging in the charging cord every day or so, they won't just lose the ability to use wired headphones. They'll lose the ability to charge their phone. Because Apple's still far behind the crowd on wireless charging. Me, I just put my phone on the cradle and it charges, no physical connection to the phone required. I've owned my phone for months now and have yet to plug anything into the stinking USB jack. So it isn't broken. Yet. But anyway.
If you don't want wires, bluetooth is already there. Bingo, no connection, no wear and tear. If anything wears out, it'll almost certainly be your relatively less expensive headphones / earbuds. If you do want wires (and frankly, an analog connection via the headphone jack will provide better quality audio), the headphone jack is a far more reliable choice than any USB jack ever conceived. And your phone will almost certainly last longer, too. Say... you don't think Apple might have been tucking a little planned obsolescence in there, do you? No, couldn't be!
Nah, Apple's just being an idiot about this. But hey, they thought a trashcan and a bunch of desk warts was "professional", so at least they're being consistent in their blundering along the path of abject stupidity.
I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
I imagine Apple will also be removing the headphone jack from the iPod. That will be hilarious.
wireless networking is not perfectly fine for.
* High security areas
* Areas where walls block wifi
* Areas With lot's of Congestion
* Areas with overloaded AP's