Earlier quoted context omitted.
This adapter requires the cooperation of the OS to function.
The headphone jack also requires the cooperation of the OS to function
an OS cannot deny an analog jack. An OS can however deny an digital adapter.
The End of Headphone Jacks, the Rise of DRM
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Re: The End of Headphone Jacks, the Rise of DRM
#12This is the first time I've heard that argument. It's a good one.
Except that there are adapters that convert to that same old jack, and so you haven't really lost anything. Yet, anyhow. If they ever lock you down to only approved headphones, then we've got a real problem, and not just for being able to do what you want with your music.
If they ever...
Boiling frogs.
Re: The End of Headphone Jacks, the Rise of DRM
#13This is interesting but personally I think this move is more about Apple being able to take more profit from its Beats brand and from any third party speaker maker that now has to license to work with iOS.
Of course I guess they can also sell "premium DRM" snake oil to recording companies now, because nobody can tap audio from hardware. That's totally impossible right?
Apple just loves to tax their ecosystem. They also have a huge fetish for eliminating connectors, plugs, etc. even when they are well past the point of diminishing returns there.
Re: The End of Headphone Jacks, the Rise of DRM
#14Re: The End of Headphone Jacks, the Rise of DRM
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
This adapter requires the cooperation of the OS to function.
The headphone jack also requires the cooperation of the OS to function
While true, when the jack was the main interface for earplugs, it would've been unthinkable for the os to refuse routing audio there.
Now that lightning is default and the adapter is an extra legacy, it's much more "reasonable" (in heavy quotes) to just pop up a dialog with "this accessory is not compatible with the media file"
Re: The End of Headphone Jacks, the Rise of DRM
#16Earlier quoted context omitted.
The headphone jack also requires the cooperation of the OS to function
an OS cannot deny an analog jack. An OS can however deny an digital adapter.
Not true. The os switches off the analog jack when the internal speaker is used or when sound is routed to a Bluetooth headphone or speaker. Clearly the OS can deny an analog jack.
Re: The End of Headphone Jacks, the Rise of DRM
#17There's a lot of potential for anti-competitive practice here -- for example, Apple could theoretically prevent the Spotify app from transmitting audio over Bluetooth or Lightning, forcing users into the Apple Music ecosystem.
Re: The End of Headphone Jacks, the Rise of DRM
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
As the article mentions, it's probably super easy for iOS to refuse to route audio to the adapter if it so chooses, for example when playing certain "fairplay" encrypted content. How convenient.
Wouldn't it be just as easy to refuse to route to a physical audio jack as well? I don't see how the loss of the physical jack changes that scenario.
It matters because the jack is no longer the default output device that customers expect to always work.
Re: The End of Headphone Jacks, the Rise of DRM
#19Earlier quoted context omitted.
The headphone jack also requires the cooperation of the OS to function
an OS cannot deny an analog jack. An OS can however deny an digital adapter.
Yes it can. I can use the mixer now to mute only the analog output while the digital output (eg. HDMI) continues to play.
Re: The End of Headphone Jacks, the Rise of DRM
#20I understand the argument that forcing content through a proprietary jack opens the door for controlling said content and has huge implications for hardware manufacturers and the way people use their stuff.
What I am having a hard time understanding is why is that any different than the OS influencing what gets sent to the 3.5mm jack? It isn't like apps running in iOS had to interact with APIs to do all the other things (e.g. camera) but not the jack. Is it?