The internet is ablaze with rumors of Apple's next iPhone. Many sources are saying that Apple will not include a headphone jack on the iPhone 7. What the heck is Apple thinking (if true)?
While I could fake outrage, I personally rarely ever use the headphone jack. The main reason is that my headphones typically have issues plugging into the port because I usually have a case on my iPhone. As a result, I typically use two methods for listening to music over headphones with my iPhone.
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While I could fake outrage, I personally rarely ever use the headphone jack. The main reason is that my headphones typically have issues plugging into the port because I usually have a case on my iPhone. As a result, I typically use two methods for listening to music over headphones with my iPhone.
Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.
Dragonfly DAC
When I want decent sound, I use a Camera USB adapter, a Plugable, a Dragonfly DAC, and a pair of headphones. Accessing the lightning port with the Camera Kit has never been a problem (and can't be because I have to charge the thing), so I prefer to use the lightning port from an ergonomic standpoint.
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Also, in my opinion the Dragonfly provides better sound quality and also allows 96kbps files to play. The Dragonfly has a powerful amp despite its diminutive size, so you can drive pretty much any pair of headphones without even getting the iPhone's volume to the midpoint. I have a video that I put together if you are curious about the setup:
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Also, in my opinion the Dragonfly provides better sound quality and also allows 96kbps files to play. The Dragonfly has a powerful amp despite its diminutive size, so you can drive pretty much any pair of headphones without even getting the iPhone's volume to the midpoint. I have a video that I put together if you are curious about the setup:
Does Apple Expect Everyone to Use this Frankenstein Setup?
It sounds like Apple has figured out a way to put a very small DAC into an adapter that will make it easy to attach a regular set of headphones. (Note: I believe Apple is becoming more about dongles than at anytime in the past. The MacBook also required a dongle if you needed more than one port. I wonder how long it will be before the iPhone is just a sheet a glass with some small chip that will actually run from a dongle? You pick the case, then they ask you at checkout if you want the $399, $499, or $599 dongle...LOL) :) To be honest, most of my high end headphones require an adapter to work with the small jack on the iPhone rather than the typical 1/4 inch jack of most amps.
Bluetooth Headphones
Obviously, with any recent iPhone, you can use Bluetooth headphones. If you remember to charge them, they can be very convenient. I have a cheap pair and an expensive pair. The cheap pair is for walking the dogs and other activities and the expensive pair is for when I need mobility, but don't want to carry around the iPhone. Dollar for dollar, wired headphones typically have better sound quality. However, the Parrot Zik 2.0s, that I have had for a while now, have options like noise canceling and EQ capabilities that you don't typically find in wired headphones, so the trade offs are often worth it. Now that I have an Apple Watch, Bluetooth headphones are often more useful since I can pair them directly to the watch and listen to the playlist that I have stored right on the watch.
So what is the point of Apple making this move?
I think Apple wants to sell lightning headphones and take advantage of the ports extra capabilities (like noise canceling). Also, by putting the DAC and headphone jack outside the case, they can make room for a bigger battery, a smaller bezel, and/or a slimmer case. The 6s could use a better battery and because of the size of the 6s Plus, it would benefit from being shrunk all around the screen.
(The tech media is constantly arguing that people don't want lighter, thinner phones. Personally, I don't agree with that assessment at all. Try carrying around an iPhone 6 Plus or 6s Plus in a pair of jogging pants or shorts. It is cumbersome, to say the least. I have made the decision to make that trade off for a larger screen, but I would prefer to make it less of a trade off.)
While I am not saying these changes will be worth losing the headphone jack for most people, I would make that trade off without a complaint because I don't care about the headphone port. Also, I bet they will have a pair of headphones with the lightning connector included in the box. I expect that they will also have some dongle available for connecting my regular headphones.
That being said, I do wonder whether they will have some option/dongle for plugging in a microphone that I own that runs off the headphone jack now. Unfortunately, I think Apple and third party companies will just come out with more products that can use that port and some of the old accessories will be useless.
One thing they have to do is make it more powerful, though. When I plug in my Dragonfly DAC without the Plugable hub, I get an error saying that "the connected device requires too much power". If they can't improve the power output of the lightning port, then it will severely limit the devices that will work with it. Most of those devices will require a workaround like the Plugable or some sort of battery power. Not ideal and it wouldn't give you any extra abilities you can't get with the current port.
(The tech media is constantly arguing that people don't want lighter, thinner phones. Personally, I don't agree with that assessment at all. Try carrying around an iPhone 6 Plus or 6s Plus in a pair of jogging pants or shorts. It is cumbersome, to say the least. I have made the decision to make that trade off for a larger screen, but I would prefer to make it less of a trade off.)
While I am not saying these changes will be worth losing the headphone jack for most people, I would make that trade off without a complaint because I don't care about the headphone port. Also, I bet they will have a pair of headphones with the lightning connector included in the box. I expect that they will also have some dongle available for connecting my regular headphones.
That being said, I do wonder whether they will have some option/dongle for plugging in a microphone that I own that runs off the headphone jack now. Unfortunately, I think Apple and third party companies will just come out with more products that can use that port and some of the old accessories will be useless.
One thing they have to do is make it more powerful, though. When I plug in my Dragonfly DAC without the Plugable hub, I get an error saying that "the connected device requires too much power". If they can't improve the power output of the lightning port, then it will severely limit the devices that will work with it. Most of those devices will require a workaround like the Plugable or some sort of battery power. Not ideal and it wouldn't give you any extra abilities you can't get with the current port.
Tech Writer Outrage
I fully expect that many tech writers will scream from the rafters about how they have been wronged by Apple and that "Steve Jobs would never allow this to happen". However, Apple, yes, even in the Steve Jobs era, was all about being forward looking. They dropped floppy drives, optical drives, etc and took the brunt of the bad press. If they make this move, I am sure they are putting up the walls now for all of the arrows that will come their way. However, I am hoping that they can shrink the bezels on the Plus sized iPhone and make it more streamlined. I would also like to see them make Lightning Port more flexible and useful, so I will wait until they explain the move before I get out my pitchfork and torch.
Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.
Note: I get paid commissions for purchases made through any links to Amazon products in this post.
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