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I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back

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Re: I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back

#211

Post by mattnewton »

MAGZine wrote: post #59
NeedMoreTea wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many have said thinner is the reason, yet phones without jacks are not thinner than those with. The problem solved was encouraging sales of some very expensive wireless earbuds. I really do think it was as simple as that. Those who want Bluetooth wireless could just as easily have it on a phone with a jack without losing any benefit. They already did.

My understanding is that the headphone jack actually occupies a lot of space. If you have opened up a phone before, it is evident that all internal space is _very_ well accounted for, so removing a headphone jack is actually a very tangible increase in usable internal space. And it's not just the jack, you need to include a DAC in the device, too! This means being able to include more/new co-processors, different/bet…

I haven’t seen an XS or XR tear down, but People have opened up the 8 and found room for a headphone jack. I find this argument hard to believe

Re: I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back

#212

Post by AmericanChopper »

S_A_P wrote: post #83
Bud wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

AirPods require neither of these things. The case is always charging them. You want to use your beyerdynamics? Fine. Your phone came with an adapter for them.

Its not that I "want" to use them. The difference is that I could use the same headphones to record drums, drum machines, guitar, Vox, or even my iPhone. Bluetooth is great! I use it in my car for phone and audio all the time. Wireless headphones are at a fundamental disadvantage in that they have less battery capacity than a phone. Those AirPod thingys you like? great. They don't fit my weird ears. My problem. but e…

>Wireless headphones are at a fundamental disadvantage in that they have less battery capacity than a phone.

I’ve been using a pair of beats for over a year now, and have never run out of batteries with them, even on multi-leg long haul flights. I use them constantly, and almost exclusively charge them when I have to go to a meeting, which doesn’t usually happen more than once a day. I used AirPods before then and their battery life was even better.

Re: I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back

#213

Post by pookieinc »

We need to take into account _Accessibility_. A large use case that I've found most people seems to miss are individuals who are older and don't have much experience with bluetooth or wireless technology. I'm fine with Apple removing the headphone jack, but they've alienated so many people to find their own path when they don't include the adapter.

Anecdotal example: I recently purchased headphones for my 65-year old father and showed him how to use it, in preparation for his "headphone jack-less" future. After about a month (he lives in China, so I see him only a couple times a year), I asked him how it's going and he said he doesn't use them anymore because he just couldn't figure it out. I tried to explain "Turn on Bluetooth on your phone, then turn on your headphones, then hold down the button to pair, etc", but it was actually quite complicated because once he did this dance, 2 months later his phone restarted and bluetooth was off and we had to do it again. Software-wise, I can just send a link, but when it comes to hardware + software like printers, things become really challenging to explain.

I bring this up because if we're moving to the "wireless" world, we need to really consider accessibility for the elderly. My father ended up throwing away these really expensive Beats headphones, went to his local market and bought some cheap Sony headphones and is now listening fine. I'm not really sure what's going on happen when his next phone doesn't have the headphone jack.

Re: I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back

#214

Post by jamesrcole »

xg15 wrote: post #205
jamesrcole wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whether you like something or not has nothing to do with whether it is courageous or not.

I don't disagree with you, I'd just question why that particular kind of courageousness is relevant to the discussion.

My point is that there isn't some different kind of courage that separates this from everyday notions of "courage".

Many people mock the idea that removing the headphone jack required any courage.

Re: I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back

#215

Post by mattnewton »

dvcrn wrote: post #163

I don't miss the headphone jack a bit. Apple forced me into trying bluetooth headphones and so far I've not looked back. For cases when I want a cabled connection after all (like in airplanes), I just use the adapter. I had it a few times in the past that I used cabled headphones, ripped on the cable and smacked my phone on the floor by accident.

Glad it worked out for you. They could have just sold you the product the way they used to though: I would have bought airpods after trying them out since I trust apple, not because I was forced to abandon my perfectly good wired headphones after breaking or losing all my adaptors, and all the collateral damage with that.

Re: I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back

#218

Post by MarkSweep »

chillacy wrote: post #183
mark-r wrote: post #37

I'm voting with my wallet. My household will never have a phone that is missing the 3.5mm jack.

This comment is bound to age poorly ;) Unless 3.5mm headphone jacks will be around in 50 years who knows.

They were already around 50 years ago:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/apple-iphone-headphone-ja...

Re: I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back

#219

Post by marzell »

S_A_P wrote: post #17

100% agree with this. Its pretty interesting that I almost never use headphones anymore now because bluetooth headphones require a few things: 1) preplanning/foresight in charging the headphones 2) refer to number 1. I have 2 really nice pairs of bluetooth headphones, and almost NEVER use them. Guess what pair gets used almost daily? my 15 year old beyerdynamic DT770s. 3.5mm or ¼" plug, closed back. Not really the mo…

I also still use my DT770s as my daily headphones when I'm at my computer. I wish I had bought the Pro version way back when, as I believe it has detachable cables, and also higher resistance... it's difficult to modulate the volume on my desktop, as even 4-6% can be loud enough in some circumstances and there's not a lot of room for fine control at that level. In any case, I have had mine around the same length of time as you.

However, I also really love my bluetooth headphones, and that's what I use when I'm not at my desk at home. They also work as wired headphones, but I acknowledge they are not affordable to most people. A charge lasts a really long time, and they have some nice features as well. I don't expect them to last 15 years, however.

I bought a specific pair of wired earbuds with a mic to use for conference calls using my phone (Android). Now that my phone is failing and I'm forced to upgrade, I'm a bit concerned that the USB-to-3.5mm dongle for the Pixel 3 may not be compatible w/ the mic in my earbuds. In pictures it looks like it has a proper tip-ring-sleeve configuration so it might work, but at this point I'm just crossing my fingers until I can test.

Re: I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back

#220

Post by Latty »

c17r wrote: post #11

I'm holding onto my 6s+ with a death grip. If they had replaced the 3.5mm with another lightning port, I would have upgraded by now. This single port thing is just silly. Same thing with the latest Macbook Pros, the switch to USB-C doesn't bother me, the low number of ports does.

I was looking for this, I think it's crazy there isn't a phone with dual USB-C ports - one top, one bottom. Not only is it a thinner port for audio, but you can use a wired peripheral while charging, or use a charger from the top if it is more convenient.

I guess it's not something enough people would care about, but it seems like at least one company would have done it by now.

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