New iPhone SE Could Launch In May With Touch ID and A10 Fusion, Without 3.5mm Headphone Jack (macrumors.com)

Mac Rumors reports, citing Japanese website Mac Otakara, that Apple will release an updated iPhone SE next month with a similar form factor as the previous model. It is expected to retain Touch ID, but will drop the 3.5mm headphone jack. From the report: Also like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the new iPhone SE will supposedly be powered by Apple's last-generation A10 Fusion chip, up to 40 percent faster than the A9 processor in the current iPhone SE. The chip will likely enable support for the HEIF image format and HEVC video compression standard. The report speculates that the new iPhone SE may have a glass back with wireless charging capabilities, like the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, but evidence is said to be inconclusive at this time.

Comments

no deal

[Anonymous Coward]

Remove a critical dirt cheap component for an overpriced unnecessary alternative just to make a quick buck and expect consumers like me to just swallow it?

No Deal.

They can peddle their crapware and watch as competing phones with sensible choices eat their lunch. The market is very competitive, I've really no idea why they are shooting themselves in the foot in such idiotic ways. We already know the damned things spy on us, the parts are all soldered together, the cases are glued together in some cases and the batteries crap out after a year. The phones themselves are running so many features their not terribly good at even being phones and the apps drain the battery/data like a hungry vampire.

What do we as consumers want? A phone that functions as a phone and does a good job of it, battery life that is ridiculous into the weeks long range instead of hours, a case that is rubbery easy to grib and shock/water resistant, replace-able parts, modular up-gradable components, low price tag. The rest of it, the games and web browsing and etc etc are really icing on the cake and not actually very useful just a good way to kill time. For this reason my money went to a cheap flip phone, it does not have modular components but it makes the rest of my christmas wishlist easily enough.

Re:no deal

[giggleloop]

There is a middle ground between not pursuing anti-consumer agendas (e.g. removing the 3.5mm jack) and pretending it's 1990 (i.e. what you're suggesting).

Re:no deal

[Anonymous Coward]

why cant apple do both?

Re:no deal

[Ol Olsoc]

There is a middle ground between not pursuing anti-consumer agendas (e.g. removing the 3.5mm jack) and pretending it's 1990 (i.e. what you're suggesting).

The Apple crowd is not terribly worried about the headphone jack for the most part. And those who want to use those 5 dollar Big Lots headphones that seem to be a touchstone for the people who are crapping their pants can simply plug their headphones into the little adapter that comes with every iPhone. If that's too much trouble, well, plugging in a charger is too much trouble, and even with wireless charging, putting the phone in the charger dock is a unacceptable abuse of the consumer.

All this umbrage and gnashing of teeth is just a "We hate everything Apple" crowd talking point.

And okay - whatever - it is hardly important that people who would never ever buy an Apple device have yet another thing to whine about.

If the headphone jack is the number one must have deal breaker for people who would never buy an iPhone....... Wait! that makes no sense.

Buy your Android phone and enjoy it. They work just fine. But don't piss on our legs and claim its raining.

Re:no deal

[TechyImmigrant]

>The Apple crowd is not terribly worried about the headphone jack for the most part.

Well I use Apple products and I do care about the headphone jack. My iPhone 8 plus is my last iPhone and when I replace it, it will be with a phone with a headphone jack.

Re:no deal

[fluffernutter]

Sure.. USB dongles, a dongle for an HDMI monitor, a dongle to plug in headphones... I also have a family, and everyone has has their devices. Since the kids can't have them at night, dad's nightstand becomes a charging station. We don't need anything else to charge.

Re: no deal

[Anonymous Coward]

You are oblivious. Iâ(TM)ve had 5 apple phones, top line models when they were released, bought unlocked at full price. Except for the last two. They were still bought full price and are the top model of their generation but were not bought on release date.
First the 5s, I got it when the 6 was released, because I sure as hell didnâ(TM)t want a fingerprint reader.
Second, the SE, I bought it when the X was released, because I still donâ(TM)t want fingerprint reader, I do not want the NFC that you cannot disable, and now with iOS 11 I do not want radios that you cannot disable. And yes, I am using the headphone jack with a couple of pairs of $400 in ear etymotic monitors, for conference calls or music. The EarPods just donâ(TM)t cut it in terms of comfort, sound quality or noise insulation both when listening and when talking.
My next phone is unlikely to be apple. It will not be Android for sure, so I am at a loss what will it be.
I donâ(TM)t want a phone that has any more spying capabilities than a 4s. I likes the 4s for the super easy to replace battery. If apple releases a new SE in a case that looks like the 4s (easily replaceable battery), but with the SE display factor, new cameras, new cpu and 128 or 256 storage, extended LTE bands modem and lightning connector, 3.5mm headphone jack, but without nfc, without Touch ID, without faceid, they can expect my money for the top of the line one. Otherwise, I donâ(TM)t see how they can expect my money. I have stopped buying macs (I have 4) because their hardware went down and their OS went to shit after Jobs died, now Timmy Crook is destroying the iPhone too.

Re:no deal

[ooloorie]

can simply plug their headphones into the little adapter that comes with every iPhone

A connector that's designed for connecting your phone for charging and data exchange turns out not to be so good for connecting headsets: the requirements are quite different.

Re:no deal

[dgatwood]

The biggest problem with the USB-C shift on the MacBook Pro and with the headphone jack on the iPhone is that Apple isn't even consistent across their product lines. They did things in entirely the wrong order, and consumers got screwed as a direct result. Apple should have adopted USB-C on the iPhone first, before adopting USB-C on their laptops, and should not have dropped the headphone jack on the iPhone until both the iPhone AND the Mac were on USB-C. That way, users would be able to use the same headphones/dongles with both devices and no one would care that much.

Because Apple continued to use the proprietary Lightning connector after dropping the headphone jack, a user who buys an Apple phone and a Mac has to use a dongle with the phone, and remove that dongle to use the headphones with the Mac (because no laptop ever came with a Lightning jack). So you have to carry the dongle separately, rather than keeping it permanently on the cable. By contrast, you can buy an Android phone and use the same USB-C headphones (or adapter) with your phone AND your Mac. In fact Android phones are arguably a better match for Macs than they are for Windows laptops (where USB-C still isn't prevalent).

This was, IMO, a fairly glaring failure of Apple's product marketing department. Not being change averse is one thing. Rushing haphazardly into a new world without thinking through the consequences is another matter.

And this is why I'm still using an iPhone 6s, and will continue to do so until Schiller pulls his head out of his thoroughly innovated a** [+] and insists that the iPhone hardware folks drop Lightning for USB-C.

[+] Schiller once famously said, "Can't innovate my a**," so I can only assume that by now, someone must have innovated his a** just to prove him wrong. Or was there supposed to be a comma in there?

Re:no deal

[dgatwood]

Do you mean 6 Plus, or do you mean that you tried going without a headphone jack and are now so mad at Apple for dropping it that you won't ever buy their products again?

Re:no deal

[anegg]

The Apple crowd is not terribly worried about the headphone jack for the most part. And those who want to use those 5 dollar Big Lots headphones that seem to be a touchstone for the people who are crapping their pants can simply plug their headphones into the little adapter that comes with every iPhone. If that's too much trouble, well, plugging in a charger is too much trouble, and even with wireless charging, putting the phone in the charger dock is a unacceptable abuse of the consumer. All this umbrage and gnashing of teeth is just a "We hate everything Apple" crowd talking point. And okay - whatever - it is hardly important that people who would never ever buy an Apple device have yet another thing to whine about. If the headphone jack is the number one must have deal breaker for people who would never buy an iPhone....... Wait! that makes no sense.

I guess I'm a member of the "Apple crowd" (whatever that is) but not the "We hate everything Apple" crowd; I've owned Macs as my home computer since 1987 when I bought a Mac Plus, and I have had a iPod, iPod Touch, and now an iPhone as my portable music+data, Internet, and telephone communications device starting in 2008. With respect to the iPhone, I vastly prefer it over Android devices for a variety of reasons, including security as one of the big ones. However, I think Apple's "strategy" of dropping the headphone jack is stupid, and it will probably play a role in my future decision to replace my iPhone 5 with when it fails; it has certainly kept me from getting too excited about buying a new iPhone as my iPhone 5 gets longer in the tooth. I enjoy using my $150 pair of v-Moda over the hear headphones for listening to music and engaging in both Internet and cellular communications, and I'm not at all thrilled at the prospect of having to either carry around a(nother) dongle OR keep a Bluetooth device charged up for the same purpose. I've gone through a couple of Bluetooth earpieces (single ear) for hands-free calling purposes, and I find the simple nature of the headphones to be preferable when I don't need the unobtrusiveness of the small single earpiece. I don't think I'm likely to switch to an Android phone, however, just to gain the headphone jack.

I think the clamor and unhappiness about Apple's decision is at least partially rooted in the fact that there are people who vastly prefer Apple's approach to industrial design, user interfaces, and features/capabilities; but are not at all happy that Apple has chosen to drop a very simple, effective, and economical interface for enhanced listening in favor of what they regard to be inferior options. Apple has, in the past, been a harbinger of change for personal electronic device standards, including USB, optical drives (both starting to include them, and eliminating them), higher speed standardized interfaces (SCSI, Firewire), and others, but more than the usual number of people appear to be shaking their heads in disbelief over the elimination of the headphone jack.

Re:no deal

[Ol Olsoc]

I guess I'm a member of the "Apple crowd" (whatever that is) but not the "We hate everything Apple" crowd; I've owned Macs as my home computer since 1987 when I bought a Mac Plus, and I have had a iPod, iPod Touch, and now an iPhone as my portable music+data, Internet, and telephone communications device starting in 2008. With respect to the iPhone, I vastly prefer it over Android devices for a variety of reasons, including security as one of the big ones. However, I think Apple's "strategy" of dropping the headphone jack is stupid, and it will probably play a role in my future decision to replace my iPhone 5 with when it fails;

By all means, get the Android device and you will be happier than you are now. Just like I said before. I do understand that people are very convenience oriented today, and the effort of plugging in an adapter is simply too much for them to handle. You might think this is sarcasm - it is not. I come at the interfacing issue from a professional level. I have a large plastic organizer container full of adapters RF, audio, power - it means nothing to me to use an adapter. I also use bluetooth if for some reason I want to use a headset with either my Apple or Android devices. But it apparently enrages a lot of people. If I want to use my professional headphones with my iPhone, I have still to have an adapter. If I want to use it with my Android devices - I have a number of Android pads - I still have to use an adapter.

But seriously buy a fraggin' Android phone and you will have no fiurther phone problems. You will be happy you ditched the iPhone. You will have the headphone jack.

Re:no deal

[Ol Olsoc]

can simply plug their headphones into the little adapter that comes with every iPhone

A connector that's designed for connecting your phone for charging and data exchange turns out not to be so good for connecting headsets: the requirements are quite different.

Can you give me the citations on the degradation that occurs? Granted, I didn't buy a Wireless device to put wires on it - I use Bluetooth.

What is it - wrong type of metal? Chemtrails? Even then, I have to chuckle at the Android Audiophiles out there. Must be more like listening to live than live. The biggest fun is when they bitch about sound quality in one sentence, then in the next talk abou their 5 dollar headphones from Big Lots.

Re: no deal

[Ol Olsoc]

You are oblivious. Iâ(TM)

Try typing without the "Iâ(TM) bullshit, and people might read your posts.

Re:no deal

[Ol Olsoc]

>The Apple crowd is not terribly worried about the headphone jack for the most part.

Well I use Apple products and I do care about the headphone jack. My iPhone 8 plus is my last iPhone and when I replace it, it will be with a phone with a headphone jack.

Your happiness is your goal. Weird deal breaker to me - but hey, some people were really pissed aabout rounded corners. Android will make you happy and all will be well.

Re:no deal

[Ol Olsoc]

Do you mean 6 Plus, or do you mean that you tried going without a headphone jack and are now so mad at Apple for dropping it that you won't ever buy their products again?

On a whim, I tried plugging a headphone into my iPhone 7. plug the headphones into the little adapter, then into the socket at the bottom. Sounded pretty good, but over the years, I've had a few earbuds ripped out of my ears when waling and they caught on something.

I never want the inconvenience of a wired headphone ever again. I use Bluetooth with my phone or casual listening at the computer, and if top quality is needed, studio phones with a 1/4 inch jack that needs an adapter no matter what kind of device I'm using. But I don't need top quality on the phone.

Which is exactly why I find the Apple haters idea that that little headphone adapter is the unholy stink of Beelzabub's taint to be pretty amusing. A 2 inch long adapter is a bridge too far, but the height of convenience is that wire dangling form your ears to the phone. All ready to get ripped out by accident.

Which is also why the "I've been an Apple customer since 1845, but the headphone dongle has led me to abandon all things Apple and sell all my stock too." makes me a bit skeptical.

Re:no deal

[ooloorie]

Can you give me the citations on the degradation that occurs?

Are you so confused by scientism that you can't follow a simple rational argument anymore without a citation?

Re:no deal

[Tough Love]

I suppose Apple is just trying to continue this trend.

I, like many, detest dongles.

Re:no deal

[Ol Olsoc]

Can you give me the citations on the degradation that occurs?

Are you so confused by scientism that you can't follow a simple rational argument anymore without a citation?

You made the claim. I'm just calling you on it. The technical aspects of the 1/8th inch stern jack are abysmal. Yet you actl like it is a mil-spec connector.

I've repaired dozens oif the shitty things over the time they were available. The springs fail, they get noisy, and technically they suck. If you want to have a discussion of exactly why that is an engineering and mechanical issue we can have that. But insults appear to be your core competency, and little else. But hey - I will give citation or two First: http://www.tracertek.com/media...

Here's another it's a long one so search 1/8 on teh page. http://www.colomar.com/Shavano...

The idea that the 3.8mm or 1/8th inch stero jack and plug is somehow better is the irrational part here. It isn't.

Re:no deal

[dgatwood]

Given that 9 out of every 10 iOS device owners do not own a Mac, I don't think this is the crisis you make it out to be.

I never said it was a crisis. Most bad decisions don't cause a company to collapse in a day. They fester just beneath the surface, causing people to lose trust in the brand a little bit at a time, every time they try to do something and regret their decision to upgrade because of some road block. The key to being a successful tech company is to ensure that the "Wow!" moments greatly exceed the "Why can't my new [computer, phone, ...] to what my old one could?" moments. For me, losing the headphone jack would be disruptive enough that there's no way any upgrade could realistically wow me enough to make up for it unless there's an adequate wired replacement; just to clarify, adequate in this context means "using the same connector on my laptop and phone," or at a bare minimum, "requiring an adapter only on my laptop, not on my phone."

That said, you're completely missing the mark with that statistic. It doesn't matter that only 10% own a Mac. What matters is what percentage also own a computer of any kind. I seem to recall that number actually being fairly high, like in the neighborhood of ninety percent. Even among millennials, I think it's in the neighborhood of 80%. And eventually, all computers on the market (within the margin of error) will have USB-C, so that benefit will exist eventually whether the iPhone user is one of the 10% who own a Mac or the 80% who own a Windows machine.

Of the 1 out of 10 that _do_ own a Mac, I doubt many of them are constantly switching headphones between devices.

Macs have always been very popular among musicians, and at least for those users, you're wrong.

And for those with that particular need, Airpods are a much nicer solution than wired headphones.

Please tell me you're kidding. Airpods are a great solution if you're the sort of person who likes to use a cell phone while jogging for an hour every day, but for folks who use earbuds less frequently, they're approximately the least nice solution you could come up with. The main advantage of wired earbuds is that they are very cheap. That means you can toss a set in your laptop bag, keep a set in your dresser drawer, keep a set in your car, keep a set in your pocket, etc. If you lose a set every so often or they go through the laundry, you're only out ten bucks. And none of them ever have to be charged, so they're always ready to go when you need them, whether it is tomorrow or a month from now, whether you're using them for five minutes or five hours. Airpods are the opposite of that.

Don't get me wrong, I know a lot of folks who use them and love them, but they're not a good choice for everyone.

Not sure why Apple should trade Lightning for the USB C mess. Cables that physically look the same but aren't interchangeable with one another, and a market full of junky noncompliant devices - no thanks.

For the most part, USB-C cables are interchangeable. The only real exceptions are:

• Thunderbolt 3 cables
• Laptop charging cables

Thunderbolt 3 cables are their own animal ($$) and are generally not compatible with USB-C peripherals (except for charging), and vice versa. Although that could be confusing, in theory, in practice, it isn't. Few people will ever encounter either Thunderbolt cables or peripherals, and even if they do, most Thunderbolt peripherals tend not to be moved around much, which means their cables tend to stay attached to the equipment. So the small bit of confusion arising out of Thunderbolt 3 using the same connector is mostly theoretical.

This leaves charging cables as the only real sticking point. USB-C cables can declare how much power they can accept, and chargers won't provide more amperage than they can handle. Reali

Re:no deal

[TechyImmigrant]

>or do you mean that you tried going without a headphone jack and are now so mad at Apple for dropping it that you won't ever buy their products again?

That. Well the phones. Their laptops are still fine.

Re:no deal

[wertigon]

One thing to note, Apples market share is actually falling even lower. This chart does not paint the whole picture.

Since Apple only releases their models once a year, you see a very strong see-saw pattern in their sales; strongest in x-mas, weakest in August. This means the only fair way to measure their market share is by a moving average of the last four quarters.

By this measurement, Apple had a peak of 21.05% market share in calendar Q1 2012 (Apple Q2) and has been in a slow decline ever since, now down to 14.33%.

With reports of worse iPhone sales this quarter, I expect this to continue. If they have a smash hit on their hand, like the iPhone 6 was, the market share temporarily climbs one percentage unit or so; problem is Apple is doing a fine job of scaring away Android users with each update.

Re:no deal

[fluffernutter]

Well, the USB-C ports in my 1.5 year old macbook pro are worn out already. IN fact, typing here on my bed, the power cable just fell out on its own AGAIN. The only micro-USB port I have ever worn out was in my Galaxy S3 and that took 4 years of plugging in several times a day.

Re:no deal

[Ol Olsoc]

Either with or without adapter, wired headphone is f**king annoying

And sometimes painful. I've had a few times while using tethered in ear buds while running ripped out of my ears when they accidentally got stuck on a rail. Going to Bluetooth was like being reborn.

Re:no deal

[Ol Olsoc]

All hail apple. You have been chosen.

I use Bluetooth with my Androids too.

Re:no deal

[Ol Olsoc]

>The Apple crowd is not terribly worried about the headphone jack for the most part.

Well I use Apple products and I do care about the headphone jack. My iPhone 8 plus is my last iPhone and when I replace it, it will be with a phone with a headphone jack.

Your happiness is your goal. Weird deal breaker to me - but hey, some people were really pissed aabout rounded corners. Android will make you happy and all will be well.

I don't know about happy, but at least I can plug my headphones in on a plane, without rummaging for adapters.

protip: leave the adapter on your headphone.

Re:no deal

[TechyImmigrant]

>The Apple crowd is not terribly worried about the headphone jack for the most part.

Well I use Apple products and I do care about the headphone jack. My iPhone 8 plus is my last iPhone and when I replace it, it will be with a phone with a headphone jack.

Your happiness is your goal. Weird deal breaker to me - but hey, some people were really pissed aabout rounded corners. Android will make you happy and all will be well.

I don't know about happy, but at least I can plug my headphones in on a plane, without rummaging for adapters.

protip: leave the adapter on your headphone.

It doesn't plug into my laptop with the adapter on. I keep the adapter in my headphones case so it's there when I need it, but I don't want to have to.

Re:no deal

[Ol Olsoc]

>The Apple crowd is not terribly worried about the headphone jack for the most part.

Well I use Apple products and I do care about the headphone jack. My iPhone 8 plus is my last iPhone and when I replace it, it will be with a phone with a headphone jack.

Your happiness is your goal. Weird deal breaker to me - but hey, some people were really pissed aabout rounded corners. Android will make you happy and all will be well.

I don't know about happy, but at least I can plug my headphones in on a plane, without rummaging for adapters.

protip: leave the adapter on your headphone.

It doesn't plug into my laptop with the adapter on. I keep the adapter in my headphones case so it's there when I need it, but I don't want to have to.

The epitome of a first world problem you have here.

Re:no deal

[TechyImmigrant]

>The Apple crowd is not terribly worried about the headphone jack for the most part.

Well I use Apple products and I do care about the headphone jack. My iPhone 8 plus is my last iPhone and when I replace it, it will be with a phone with a headphone jack.

Your happiness is your goal. Weird deal breaker to me - but hey, some people were really pissed aabout rounded corners. Android will make you happy and all will be well.

I don't know about happy, but at least I can plug my headphones in on a plane, without rummaging for adapters.

protip: leave the adapter on your headphone.

It doesn't plug into my laptop with the adapter on. I keep the adapter in my headphones case so it's there when I need it, but I don't want to have to.

The epitome of a first world problem you have here.

Yep. I live in the first world. These issues only apply to my first world cell phone purchasing decisions. Which was exactly the topic. I have other concerns in life that are of greater importance.

Don't believe the hype

[sanf780]

I am sure Apple has something in store for this month - after all Apple regularly updates its models around the same time each year. What I do not think is worth any dime is to discuss rumors coming from a blog that provides no evidence. You know, it takes courage to stay nerdy and not trendy.

Re:Don't believe the hype

[Kjella]

You know, it takes courage to stay nerdy and not trendy.

Funny, since so much of nerd culture revolves around tech futurism like when do we colonize Mars and get flyi^H^H^H^H self-driving cars and what happens after robots take all our jobs and rouge AIs take over the world. Discussing next-generation gizmos and gadgets seems right up our alley, even if smartphones also are somewhat about the bling and this blog is just wild speculation like the rest of us. Personally I continue to be amazed at how much technology we can fit in a pocket. And while Apple isn't exactly the prime example for many people a cheap smartphone is the first computer they'll ever have. All that said, it's not that revolutionary changes from year to year anymore.

Re:Don't believe the hype

[sheramil]

Funny, since so much of nerd culture revolves around tech futurism like when do we colonize Mars and get flyi^H^H^H^H self-driving cars and what happens after robots take all our jobs and rouge AIs take over the world..

As long as they act like Iain M Banks' Culture Minds, i don't care what color the AIs are.

Re: Don't believe the hype

[cyber-vandal]

Rouge AIs? Can we have them in other colours too?

Re:Don't believe the hype

[Type44Q]

Meatfucker. The poorly-behaving Minds are the best.

Once again, not knowing their market

[DeplorableCodeMonkey]

will drop the 3.5mm headphone jack

Does Cook actually know a damn thing about his own market demographics? The people who bought the SE in the first place are more conservative buyers who don't like the new form factor. This is just a big fuck you to the demographic they're trying to target.

Oh wait, this is the same guy who builds a pro-laptop with features aimed at the suits and marketing people, not actual pro users like media workers and engineers who need that 32GB RAM, not super tiny form factor.

Re:Once again, not knowing their market

[Krakadoom]

Agreed, this seems especially clueless. The main thing I like about my SE is that it can work well as an iPod when working out, it can connect easily to my ancient car stereo, etc. Actually pretty much everything I use it for that doesn't involve taking calls, will be hampered by the missing headphone jack. Guess I gotta ... stockpile old SEs then?

Re:Once again, not knowing their market

[_merlin]

Some people have to carry their work when they travel, or work at client sites. Dell Precision Mobile Workstation is looking a lot like the last serious professional notebook.

Re:Once again, not knowing their market

[supernova87a]

I don't think the headphone jack actually matters much for people who buy the SE. If you're targeting an older, more conservative crowd, how many of them are listening to music via headphones anyway, or taking calls on a headset?

This is to waterproof the thing, which is probably good for that crowd.

Re:Once again, not knowing their market

[b0s0z0ku]

Nah, it's usually drunken millennial insufferables who plop their phone in a toilet. I suspect plenty of the "older" crowd listen to music via earphones. The iPhone is just a replacement for an iPod or Walkman. iPod was around 15 years ago, Walkmen have existed for ~35 years now.

Re:Once again, not knowing their market

[gnasher719]

I don't think the headphone jack actually matters much for people who buy the SE. If you're targeting an older, more conservative crowd, how many of them are listening to music via headphones anyway, or taking calls on a headset?

Anyone who is commuting with public transport.

Re:Once again, not knowing their market

[bjdevil66]

iPhone SE user here, and the GP poster hit the nail on the head with me.

I have an older, perfectly running car with a nice, older, factory Bose stereo that doesn't have Bluetooth connectivity or an AUX jack. To make it work, I wired the Bose to work with a 1/4" jack for a custom AUX connection. Works perfect - but won't work without the 1/4" jack.

I also have an expensive set of Bose QC-25 headphones (no Bluetooth - only wired) with a mic for phone calls.

And I could care less about waterproofing, or wireless charging (glass back? bad idea...)

Apple needs to know its SE audience.

Dongles - Apple's joke on you

[Anonymous Coward]

You buy expensive Apple phone so you can buy expensive dongle to go with it.

You buy expensive new Apple computer, cannot connect so many devices. You must buy expensive new dongle.

You spend even more money. You lose dongle, you buy a new one.

Joke is on you.

Dongles = Apple laughing at consumers.

No headphone jack == no sale

[Snotnose]

I probably use my phone most as an MP3 player while hiking. Last thing I want are expensive, easy to lose wireless earbuds.

Re:No headphone jack == no sale

[hcs_$reboot]

+1. Have been using a newer "jackless" iPhone, it's not pleasant! 1) "Where is this lightning to jack adapter, again?", 2) Hey, how do I listen AND charge at the same time? 3) Using BT: one more thing to charge, 4) BT: lower quality etc...

Re:No headphone jack == no sale

[93 Escort Wagon]

I really like my refurb iPhone 6S. Later this year I’m probably getting the battery replaced for $29 (not that it really needs it - wear level is currently 1-2%) and I should be good to go for another 3-4 years.

After that, we’ll see what the other manufacturers are offering before I look at another iPhone... but, regardless, I’m done spending 650-1000 bucks on a phone (this one was $500-520 at the time I bought it, IIRC)

Apple seems to know what people want

[goombah99]

Fortune Mag remarks " the iPhone X alone generated five [actually 6] times more profit in the fourth quarter than all of the profits generated from more than 600 Android device vendors " citing Counterpoint Research analysts:

  "Apple remained the most profitable brand, capturing 86% of the total handset market profits...
Global handset profits declined 1% [compared to same time previous year], but Apple grew 1% YoY even with the iPhone X being available for only two months in Q4 2017."

Even 3 year old iphones outsold nearly all other handsets.
  "Additionally, the longer shelf life of all iPhones ensured that Apple still has eight out of top ten smartphones, including its three-year-old models, generating the most profits compared to current competing smartphones from other OEMs".

  While reports have remarked on diminished Apple supply chain orders for iPhone X, suggesting a failed launch, in fact "The iPhone X alone generated 21% of total industry revenue and 35% of total industry profits during the quarter."

Re:Apple seems to know what people want

[Joce640k]

I bet most of those people wear $60 t-shirts and overpay for just about everything else in their life, too.

That doesn't make them informed, intelligent, or anything else. They just want to be seen wearing/using certain brands because they think it increases their status.

Yes, high profits can be made from these people. No, it doesn't tell you anything about the quality of the products they pursue, only the marketing of those products.

Re:Apple seems to know what people want

[goombah99]

It's not overpaying if you value what you get. Is it overpaying to get your calories from any other source than generic branded Macaroni and cheese? After all calories are calories, anything else is paying for style. Intelligent people recognize this?

Why would you buy a $2.75 coffee, when a 30-count box on Ali-express no-doze tablets costs the same and does the same thing?

why do you buy cotton underwear when you could just go commando or stuff newspapers down your shorts?

A phone is probably the thing you are on more contact with daily that any other object. Why would you want to waste your time and life on an inferior experience for something that will consume double digit percentages of your waking living hours???

You have your priorities messed up. measured in terms of time spent, an iphone is one of the cheapest luxuries in the world. Nearly everyone reading slashdot earns enough to afford one anything else said beyond that is just trying to cast a personal prejudice as something else.

Re:Apple seems to know what people want

[Joce640k]

I really don't see how my $10 t-shirt is inferior to a $60 t-shirt with a fancier brand name.

Same goes for brand-name underwear: I don't have to stuff newspapers down my trousers to save money, I can simply not shop at Calvin Klein.

Re:Apple seems to know what people want

[b0s0z0ku]

(1) A smartphone doesn't make life enjoyable. In fact, life was more enjoyable without everyone having e-leashes.
(2) My Android phone was $100, not $800. I intend to keep it for 3-4 years. That's $0.0675 per day, an order of magnitude less than your iPhone example.
(3) Don't want Google to track you? Don't enable a Google account, sideload bootleg .apks. Mail, web, even navigation work without a Google account. I have no interest in things like Google Drive or clown storage in general. I transfer my pics via an SD card...

Re:Apple seems to know what people want

[b0s0z0ku]

Sideloading is enabled by clicking through a disclaimer, no jailbreaking on Android needed. No real risk of bricking the device.

Then you just download from a website and install, basically same as installation of a non "store" app on a PC or Mac. It's trivial and safe if you keep to reputable .apk sources.

I don't want Google OR Apple OR Microsoft in my pants. Fuck all three, and Amazon too.

Re:Apple seems to know what people want

[Tough Love]

Fortune Mag remarks " the iPhone X alone generated five [actually 6] times more profit in the fourth quarter than all of the profits generated from more than 600 Android device vendors "

That's supposed to be a good thing? Doesn't it just indicate that Android vendors give you more value?

Re:Apple seems to know what people want

[goombah99]

I take it then that when you write a program if someone pays you less than it cost you in time to write it you consider that this must mean the program is highly desirable. And if they pay you more then it must not be a very desirable program? The fact that apple can make products people will pay a premium for is an indication of their desirability.

Re:Apple seems to know what people want

[Tough Love]

The fact that apple can make products people will pay a premium for is an indication of their desirability.

That claim would make sense if there was something noticeably desirable about Apple, but they have actually fallen into the middle of the pack or worse in terms of functionality, looks, and ease of use. Even as a status symbol they seem to carry more stigma than status now. Something your mom has, or that aging millennial with the maxed out credit card.

power/sync connectors no good for headphones

[ooloorie]

Headphone connectors are subject to a lot of mechanical forces; that's what they are designed for: they are strong, springy, and very simple mechanically.

Lightning and USB-C connectors are not designed to have something plugged into that has a lot of forces applied to them. I've gone through two of these headphones so far, and the connectors keep failing, and I suspect the connector inside the phone is not going to survive long either.

The only realistic choice with the new headphones is to use Bluetooth. Unfortunately, Bluetooth has its own problems with connectivity, security, quality, and latency.

Re:power/sync connectors no good for headphones

[cyn1c77]

The only realistic choice with the new headphones is to use Bluetooth. Unfortunately, Bluetooth has its own problems with connectivity, security, quality, and latency.

I think the only realistic choice is to go back to a fucking standard headphone jack that I can use WHILE charging my phone with the separate power jack.

Re:power/sync connectors no good for headphones

[tlhIngan]

Headphone connectors are subject to a lot of mechanical forces; that's what they are designed for: they are strong, springy, and very simple mechanically.

Lightning and USB-C connectors are not designed to have something plugged into that has a lot of forces applied to them. I've gone through two of these headphones so far, and the connectors keep failing, and I suspect the connector inside the phone is not going to survive long either.

Actually, headphone jacks cannot take a lot of mechanical forces. They are weak in certain directions because they go in all directions. They are almost always held onto circuit boards by soldered tabs, and ripping them off is surprisingly easy.

The plug is mechanically strong, but the jack itself is fairly weak. It's like a barrel connector - convenient to use, but damn they can be fragile.

Lightning and USB-C connectors however can be made to be structural elements. You can buy connectors that are basically meant to bolt to chassis - they are that strong. And Apple actually uses those (see any iFixit teardown - the Lightning port is bolted to the metal case and connects via flex cable to the motherboard). And a lot of phones use proper chassis-mountable USB-C ports. Enough so that Apple's dock consists of nothing more than the plug sticking up (it looks weird since it's a heavy base with nothing to support the phone other than the connector). And if it's unreliable, then Apple Stores must be replacing docks and phones on a daily basis.

+1. Have been using a newer "jackless" iPhone, it's not pleasant! 1) "Where is this lightning to jack adapter, again?", 2) Hey, how do I listen AND charge at the same time? 3) Using BT: one more thing to charge, 4) BT: lower quality etc...

1) It's attached to my headphones. Why have 2 pieces when you can have one. The $10 adapter turns my headphones into lightning headphones. Most people don't have a need for more than one set of headphones, so sticking it on permanently is more than a solution. (Most people also rarely if ever plug them into anything else).

2) Nice third party solutions exist for cars, though not really a problem since the latest models support wireless charging.

3) Thankfully you can buy lots of USB chargers these days. Those 5 port models are really nice and I've plugged in lots of the multi-output connectors so there's some staples, and some with odd plugs for the few times I plug in an odd thing to charge.

4) Yes, if you use the crappy SBC encoder that's mandatory. Luckily you can use higher quality encoders. Sure, iOS doesn't support lossless codecs on Bluetooth, but AAC will be more than satisfactory for headphones. For home use there is AirPlay which is lossless.

There are also plenty of headphones that can plug into a lightning jack for high-quality audio.

Re:power/sync connectors no good for headphones

[ooloorie]

Actually, headphone jacks cannot take a lot of mechanical forces. the Lightning port is bolted to the metal case and connects via flex cable to the motherboard

You can do the same for headphone jacks, and many devices do. Where they differ is that a Lightning/USB-C port has many parallel traces and is designed for easy insertion, which is a bad design for something that experiences a lot of lateral forces.

Most people don't have a need for more than one set of headphones, so sticking it on permanently is more than a solution.

Wired headlphones get lost, forgotten, or damaged all the time.

Thankfully you can buy lots of USB chargers these days.

You're missing the point here: you can't simultaneously charge your phone and use your headphones unless you use yet another dongle.

Things this old man wants in a smartphone

[OrangeTide]

I would like to see:
* replaceable battery - even if a 3rd party has to carefully open the case for me. I don't replace my watch batteries myself either.
* headphone jack - wired headphones tend to just work, are easy to borrow and easy to link up to other equipment.
* industry standard charge port - having special connectors for various generations of Apple devices versus various generations of Android devices is a real pain. Providing power to charge a LiPO doesn't take 5 competing standards. (of course Apple makes a lot of money on licensing accessories, but as a consumer I don't really care about protecting Apple's revenue)
* WiFi screen casting. FairPlay vs Widevine vs PlayReady. Really I want one standard for all phones so that my phone can work with TVs at friends' and family's house. (Widevine is probably the cheapest to license and most widely available thanks to Android)

WHATEVER - I win either way.

[sootman]

I loved my 5S. Until it died. Then I replaced it with another 5S, sadly just a few months before the SE came out. That one is now dying but I'm hoping it hangs in there long enough for the new one to come out because,
- I'm totally happy with the current SEs, but if a better one comes out, I want it.
- But if the new one is worse, then I'll get the current one, at a discount once it's officially "old".
Either way, I win.

JFC get over your jacking obsession

[SuperKendall]

Here's the truth, 99% of people do not really care the headphone jack is gone. They either use the adaptor that comes with the phone, or mostly just use bluetooth headphones these days anyway, or USB into car systems to play music....

The only people whining about jacks these days are aged tech nerds who were never going to buy this phone ANYWAY.

Re:JFC get over your jacking obsession

[david_thornley]

As an aged tech nerd who is seriously thinking about buying the phone, can I do a little whine about the jacks?

Apostrophe test on Android

[martrootamm]

GNU IceCat 38.8 on Android 2.3: "I've had many featurephones."