OMG Apple just invented wireless!

currently nr1 on reddit. lmfao.

 

And here it is! http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/8/12852098/belkin-apple-iphone-7-plus-adapter-dongle-charge-music

$40, give me a break. You know there will be a dozen cheaper knockoffs shortly.

 

I imagine the iPhone 7 using the lightning port as its only audio out will end up being more a nuisance than a benefit, and the 7 will bomb until Apple fixes it with the 7s. But knowing Apple, they will probably never put a 3.5mm jack on an iPhone again, and the 7 will be a smashing success only because it has a 7 in the name.

 

They might put a 2.5 mm on there, but only if the phone doesn't sell.

(honestly - I wouldn't be surprised if they have a secret "SE" version already stashed away for that very scenario)

 

I'm the biggest Apple fanboi you know, and I find this completely superfluous. As long as my $99 Noble BTS keeps working, I can use any IEM with a standard two-pin connection over Bluetooth, and the BTS includes a pretty decent microphone.

That said, snark works better when it's actually funny.

 

Funny thing is the opposite opinions are found among photography forums. Really, this is all about camera vs. 3.5mm jack fighting for space inside a thin phone. Apple won't make iPhones thicker - Apple won't ever do this. In fact, the camera bulge is even more obvious in iPhone 7 than previous models. That 1.8 aperture eats space.

Apple's top priorities are chasing enthusiast-level cinematography & photography (DCI wide color gamut, RAW support, Lightroom, etc.). Audiophile-grade audio quality isn't on Apple priority list at the moment. If Apple was after good quality audio, it would buy a better company than Beats. Heck, even iPhone 7 capture mono audio during video recording!

I have to state that I'm not being a fanboy / starting a fight. And pardon my English.

 

I can believe it. Photos can be shared near instantaneously to millions to demonstrate a better camera sensor, it's much more difficult to pass around iPhones to showcase a higher quality built-in amplifier for the headphone jack. Guess which one is going to sell more phones.

 

Phones are replacing cameras, that is true. I think Audio progress is much smaller segment of their market, hence the change. Good or bad, I think they are pretty brave (or cockey, or something) do something like this.

 

I will say this, Apple removing the headphone jack will push a lot of manufacturers to come up with different ways of solving the audio transmission issue. This could spur solid advances in wireless headphones.

 

Add Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Facebook and their decision kind of makes sense...

 

Oh I'm sure it'll start with good intentions, but them somewhere in the chain of command the bottom dollar wins out and they'll push to grab the cheapest "fix" from a Chinese manufacturer and glue it on to existing models. Before that even happens from the established members of the industry, you're gonna have a bunch of newbies and kickstarter/indiegogo startups popping up to try and capitalize on the briefly empty market front. A few will be decent, but most will suck because they're designed by hipsters who make pretty websites and listen to grados made from wine barrels, which will unfortunately hurt the overall market and lower incentive for the established players to actually invest into the research.

 

A good first look.

 

There will always be bottom of the barrel products. When the Apple Watch came out and Apple hilariously priced the bands in the hundreds of dollars, a gazillion knockoffs popped up. I tried many of them and they sucked. But plenty of people have bought them and have no problem with it.

I think you will see established players do something to meet the demand of a headphone jack-less iPhone. Audeze already has, and they're not that big compared to some of the names that could jump into the fray.

 

Aaaaand even though I signed up for the Apple upgrade program last year I was just locked out of the pre-orders because all the phones allotted for that program were reserved in minutes. Pretty sure I'll skip the 7, hold onto my headphone jack for another year, and then survey the phone landscape September of 2017.

 

Except the included $9 adapter is cumbersome and will break quickly if used while your phone is in your pocket or a bag, especially with earphones with right-angle plugs.

I found this Vox article pretty informative: iPhone 7: why Apple just abolished the headphone jack.

However, this article on TechCrunch, No, really, the headphone jack is more useful than you think!, made a lot of good points that I hadn't even considered given my focus on 3.5mm exclusively for audio.

 

@Deep Funk The choice of prioritizing good photo/video is undertstandable for me. Death of old compact camera? Yes, it's inevitable. It's phones / $600+*(New, USA price) ILC nowadays. As a hobbyist photog, I welcome bigger/dual camera even though I wish it had a 3.5mm jack. Shallow DOF on phones hurts entry-level cameras sales even more.

It is also way easier to achieve good photo than video/audio (kudos to Sony, their imaging sensor tech is really really good). iPhone 7 camera modules cost less than $50 each. Try to manufacture good transducer for $50. Uh-uh.

*estimation

@Merrick I feel your pain. Rumors said a special iPhone next year. 2017 marks the 10th iPhone anniversary. If the rumors are true, expect all-glass iPhone. Hopefully Apple engineers find ways to produce strong glass, otherwise it's a no-no.