“Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has warned Apple is going to frustrate a lot of customers if it removes the headphone jack from the upcoming iPhone 7,” John Davidson reports for The Australian Financial Review. “When the next iPhone comes out, rumoured to be in early September, one thing that’s expected to be missing is a place to plug in earphones.”
“Though Apple is yet to confirm the rumour – indeed, it’s yet to confirm it will even launch a new iPhone in September, or that it will be called the ‘iPhone 7’ – the company is widely thought to be moving to a new type of Bluetooth ‘EarPod,’ that will connect wirelessly to the iPhone,” Davidson reports. “Customers wanting to use their existing, wired earbuds and headphones might have to buy an adaptor that attaches to the iPhone’s Lightning port, or to whatever port does remain on the phone. (The Lightning port, which is used for recharging and for attaching accessories, is rumoured to be changing, too, possibly to a magnetic one.)”
“”If it’s missing the 3.5mm earphone jack, that’s going to tick off a lot of people,” Mr Wozniak told The Australian Financial Review,” Davidson reports. “‘I would not use Bluetooth … I don’t like wireless. I have cars where you can plug in the music, or go through Bluetooth, and Bluetooth just sounds so flat for the same music… If there’s a Bluetooth 2 that has higher bandwidth and better quality, that sounds like real music, I would use it. But we’ll see. Apple is good at moving towards the future, and I like to follow that.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Woz is right. There will certainly be the usual whining from the low information whiners – times a million, since Apple has so many more users now than when they killed the floppy in the iMac, for just one of many examples where Apple pulled the world kicking and screaming into the future – but, it’ll subside in time as usual.
Regardless of the impending idiotic whinefest, we can’t wait! Dumping the 3.5mm anachronism for Lightning will deliver myriad improvements and innovations.
As we wrote back in June 2014:
Bring. It. On.
Mac users are never wedded to old tech when there’s progress to be made.
Also, another good reason for the Beats buy. If Apple and Beats both change to Lightning headphones, the rest of the world will have to follow.
Of interest: Apple Inc.’s U.S. Patent No. 8,655,004: “Sports monitoring system for headphones, earbuds and/or headsets.”
Apple’s patent abstract: A monitoring system that can be placed proximate to the head or ear of a user is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the monitoring system can be used with headphones, earbuds or headsets. The monitoring system can, for example, be used to monitor user activity, such as during exercise or sporting activities. The positioning of the monitoring system can also facilitate sensing of other user characteristics (e.g., biometric data), such as temperature, perspiration and heart rate. The monitoring system can also be used to control a an electronic device. In one embodiment, the monitoring system facilitates user control of the electronic device using head gestures. More info here.
From your ear to your wrist in the blink of an eye™.
Also, if you’d prefer no wires at all, you can do as we’ve been doing for years now and just go Bluetooth – which works just fine for things like exercising, commuting, etc. We’ve been using wireless Jaybirds (currently the Jaybird X2 Sport Wireless Bluetooth Headphones (around $115)). They’re easy to charge, easy to pair, light and comfortable, and work perfectly with our Apple Watches and iPhones.
SEE ALSO:
The real reason Apple wants to kill the 3.5mm headphone jack – August 15, 2016
Apple’s next-gen iPhone will feature all-new non-mechanical Home button, no 3.5mm headphone jack – August 2, 2016
Apple supplier preps for removal of 3.5mm headphone jack in next iPhone – June 30, 2016
Mossberg: New Even earphones tune themselves to each individual’s hearing – June 29, 2016
Alleged iPhone 7 chassis lacks 3.5mm headphone port – June 28, 2016
iPhone 7 rumored to get second speaker, larger camera – June 27, 2016
Apple is known for dumping legacy tech before the rest of the world catches up – June 27, 2016
iOS 9 code reveals Apple’s plans to dump 3.5mm headphone jack in future iPhones – January 20, 2016
Apple’s intention to kill the 3.5mm headphone jack is brilliant – January 13, 2016
iPhone 7 said to be waterproof, replace 3.5mm headphone jack with Apple’s Lightning – January 8, 2016
The fastest Lightning cable is also one of the least expensive – January 8, 2016
Apple will drop headphone jack to make the iPhone 7 super slim, source confirms; wireless charging and waterproof, too – January 7, 2016
Petition demands Apple keep 3.5mm headphone jack in the ‘iPhone 7’ – January 7, 2016
More reports claim Apple has dumped the 3.5mm headphone jack on iPhone 7 – January 5, 2016
Why Apple may axe the 3.5mm headphone jack – June 20, 2014
Apple may be poised to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack – June 7, 2014
Apple may ditch analog 3.5mm headphone jack for Lightning to make thinner devices – June 6, 2014
Apple introduces MFi specs for Lightning cable headphones, iOS software update to deliver support – June 5, 2014
Apple preps HD audio for iOS 8 plus new Apple In-Ear Headphones and lightning cable – May 13, 2014
Apple patents biometric sensor-packed health monitoring earphones with ‘head gesture’ control – February 18, 2014
Apple paves way for more affordable iOS accessories with lower MFi and Lightning licensing fees – February 7, 2014
