Seven years later, Apple was right to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack • Hacker News Board

Re: Seven years later, Apple was right to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack

#11

Post by thebigspacefuck » Thu, Aug 25, 2022, 2:38 PM UTC

57FkMytWjyFu wrote: post #8

thebigspacefuck wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the environmental irresponsibility of AirPods?

You cannot replace the batteries without prying them apart, and Apple by default just tells you to throw them away and buy new ones. There are rare earth minerals in the speaker drivers.

It looks like they recommend recycling them https://support.apple.com/guide/airpods/disposal-and-recycli...

And use 100% recycled rare earth elements according to the tech specs https://support.apple.com/kb/SP856?viewlocale=en_US&locale=e...

Re: Seven years later, Apple was right to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack

#12

Post by lillecarl » Thu, Aug 25, 2022, 2:42 PM UTC

aaaaaaaaata wrote: post #9

thebigspacefuck wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why wouldn’t the $9 lightning to 3.5mm adapter solve your problem?

They didn't have one until Apple created it. Now they should have lower fidelity audio, and/or more shit to carry around and fiddle with, and/or fail unexpectedly when least needed? You actually can't understand the consumer side of this? Or just like Apple?

I've seen more people with wireless than wired headphones for many years now, there's been a couple of instances since I got my fairphone when I miss the headset jack, mostly in cars with old stereo systems. If I had a car like that I'd buy a Bluetooth DAC probably.

Re: Seven years later, Apple was right to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack

#13

Post by doubled112 » Thu, Aug 25, 2022, 2:43 PM UTC

aaaaaaaaata wrote: post #9

thebigspacefuck wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why wouldn’t the $9 lightning to 3.5mm adapter solve your problem?

They didn't have one until Apple created it. Now they should have lower fidelity audio, and/or more shit to carry around and fiddle with, and/or fail unexpectedly when least needed? You actually can't understand the consumer side of this? Or just like Apple?

Do they fail frequently?

I'd bet that many (most?) people would plug their headphones into the adapter and leave it until the headphones or adapter failed.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not for Apple or the adapter, but I'm not convinced by the adapter hate either. I do wish I could find Bluetooth devices that didn't suck, though.

Re: Seven years later, Apple was right to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack

#14

Post by scarface74 » Thu, Aug 25, 2022, 2:47 PM UTC

57FkMytWjyFu wrote: post #8

thebigspacefuck wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the environmental irresponsibility of AirPods?

You cannot replace the batteries without prying them apart, and Apple by default just tells you to throw them away and buy new ones. There are rare earth minerals in the speaker drivers.

Have you seen the tear down of the AirPod? The batteries make up the bulk of it.

Re: Seven years later, Apple was right to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack

#15

Post by galleywest200 » Thu, Aug 25, 2022, 2:48 PM UTC

thebigspacefuck wrote: post #11

57FkMytWjyFu wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You cannot replace the batteries without prying them apart, and Apple by default just tells you to throw them away and buy new ones. There are rare earth minerals in the speaker drivers.

It looks like they recommend recycling them https://support.apple.com/guide/airpods/disposal-and-recycli... And use 100% recycled rare earth elements according to the tech specs https://support.apple.com/kb/SP856?viewlocale=en_US&locale=e...

1) Your link only mentions the magnets, nothing else in relation to rare earth elements.

2) Plastic is not recyclable in a lot of jurisdictions. Seattle stopped collecting it all together.

3) Most people will not ecycle things. Most people will just throw them in the trash instead of driving to a big box store to drop of headphones for ecycling.

3a) Sure, this behavior is common across electronics (being lazy, throwing away) but when you design an electrical device to never be repaired you are just making things worse.

Re: Seven years later, Apple was right to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack

#16

Post by thebigspacefuck » Thu, Aug 25, 2022, 2:49 PM UTC

aaaaaaaaata wrote: post #9

thebigspacefuck wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why wouldn’t the $9 lightning to 3.5mm adapter solve your problem?

They didn't have one until Apple created it. Now they should have lower fidelity audio, and/or more shit to carry around and fiddle with, and/or fail unexpectedly when least needed? You actually can't understand the consumer side of this? Or just like Apple?

I understand it. I was annoyed by the removal of the headphone jack at first. I have a pair of Sennheiser headphones with 3.5mm and I previously used the adapter with them. I didn’t notice any lower fidelity audio with them and leaving the tiny adapter on the 3.5mm jack didn’t really feel like I was carrying anything more around. I’ve replaced the headphone cable on my senns twice and it was never through use of the adapter(usually because I’d get up and pull my computer to the floor and it fell on the jack), plus the Sennheiser cables are like $30 vs $9 so I’d rather have the adapter fail. I did a sound test with my wife’s Bose QCs and they sounded the same or better than my wired Senns. Now I have my own pair and I don’t miss fucking around with wires at all.

Re: Seven years later, Apple was right to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack

#17

Post by scarface74 » Thu, Aug 25, 2022, 2:50 PM UTC

dougmwne wrote: post #7

That’s a joke. 7 years later I am still picking up headphones then remembering I can’t plug them in without going to find a dongle. If there was an iPhone with a headphone jack I would buy it.

I can’t imagine having to use a cord for a headset in 2022. My AirPods switch seamlessly between my Mac, iPad, Watch and MacBook. Cords her tangled, caught in things are horrible for running etc.

Not to mention that would I run and go to the gym with just my watch.

Re: Seven years later, Apple was right to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack

#18

Post by 57FkMytWjyFu » Thu, Aug 25, 2022, 2:55 PM UTC

scarface74 wrote: post #14

57FkMytWjyFu wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You cannot replace the batteries without prying them apart, and Apple by default just tells you to throw them away and buy new ones. There are rare earth minerals in the speaker drivers.

Have you seen the tear down of the AirPod? The batteries make up the bulk of it.

That's so weird. My headphones are comprised of mostly.... headphones.

And that's not even addressing the issue of the charging curves of lithium batteries that make those batteries fail sooner than they should.

Re: Seven years later, Apple was right to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack

#19

Post by jdalgetty » Thu, Aug 25, 2022, 2:58 PM UTC

I'd still rather have the option.

Re: Seven years later, Apple was right to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack

#20

Post by glennvtx » Thu, Aug 25, 2022, 3:00 PM UTC

1: I do not wish to charge my headphones.

2: I have many headphones with higher quality sound than earbuds can provide.

3: Bluetooth still kinda sucks, even after all this time.

4: Bluetooth is subject to denial of service, security concerns.

5: Apple's purpose with the decision was to increase revenue, that is all. You all are now paying $$$ for headphones with batteries, etc. onboard, and they no longer had to implement an audio amp or jack. win for apple, not the consumer.