The removal of the headphone jack gave no benefits and decreased the utility of the phone. You can’t charge your phone while listening to music, and all existing headphones no longer work with the phone. To make them work you have to give apple $10 for an ugly adapter that only lasts a few months (or so I’ve heard). Headphone jacks can be made waterproof, and even if its removal made the phone slightly slimmer, does that actually matter? I don’t know anyone who buys a phone based on its thickness. I’d imagine that most people don’t care at all about tiny changes in thickness.
Unfortunately apple was able to make a lot of money through their new lightning only headphones (which inexcusably don’t even work with pre-7 iphones) and their bluetooth airpods. They were able to create a problem, manufacture solutions to it, and sell them for a profit. It’s a great business plan but it’s also why I hate apple as a company. I currently have an SE and have no future plans to buy a phone without a headphone jack.
Zac - 6 years ago
The lightning to headphone jack dongle is one of their highest selling products which just proves to me that the headphone still relevant and widely used. It's still on their computers btw. People still use it. Sure Airpods are high selling as well, but that just means people use both.
The problem I see now is that people with iPhones seem to have this "hate" for the headphone jack when you are literally losing nothing by having one. You are only gaining options to the way you use your phone. You can still have Bluetooth and you can still have the h1 chip, and you can still have the headphone jack, you can still have water proof. It is simply giving people options. And yes there is space for it. The Samsung Note can fit an entire pen inside their phone. They make room for it, if they want to.
After Apple removed the headphone jack and released Airpods I lost alot of respect for the company and it's one of the reasons I switched to Android. If you're anywhere near a sound board in your life, you need a headphone jack. I use mine about every day for my car as well (no built in Bluetooth). I realize Android is following in Apple's footsteps and eventually most of them will remove it, but I'm keep my S10 plus as long as I can cause as an audio guy, I still use the headphone jack.
Mr T - 6 years ago
@Oliver F
You are right, I voted no and I do not have an iPhone ... but my sons has. He is now on his second set of AirPods as the batteries have lost most of their capacity and cannot be replaced. (Well done Apple, for going against the silly sustainability trend, and for your hard work and lobbying against the profit-crunching "Right to Repair" movement!) My son is not enthused by their sound quality either and, personally, I think he looks somewhat silly with those conspicuous, white thingamadings hanging out of his ears (remember people wearing Bluetooth headsets some years back?). But each to his own.
For me it is not about stopping progress but about convenience and common sense, the latter seemingly very much on the decline. You mentioned the headphone jacks, different ports, buttons and storage options. I am glad that most companies seem to have standardised on USB C, as our household of four people has six phones (five USB C and one iPhone), which makes life easier — apart from the iPhone, obviously. With regards to buttons, I am fine with volume up, volume down and an on-off (possibly with a secondary function). Bixby buttons and the like I need about as much as I need an ingrown toenail. Micro SD on the other hand has come in handy many times. I often travel far and like to download videos to my phone to watch on flights (and no, I normally do not use my laptop as I often find it inconvenient in the cramped seats). I also have loads of E-books loaded on to the phone too. The Micro SD cards also come in handy when I want to show people photos from my camera. Eject the card from the camera, plug it into the phone and Bob's your uncle.
To return to the headphone jack, I find the lack of it disingenuous as the wires are very convenient when you want to talk to people. With AirPods you have to take them out and hold them or put them away in a pocket (or somewhere else), which I find inconvenient. This also incurs the risk of losing them. With wired earphones you can drape them over your ear or around your neck. And with AirPods and the like, you also have yet another thing to keep charged whereas wired earphones does not have that problem. It is similar to E-book readers versus paper-based books — the latter never runs out of power.
Dick Woodcock - 6 years ago
Sorry, but it was a stupid decision. Not brave at all. They only removed the headphone jack for aesthetic reasons.
I have a pair of wired headphones that I like. I'm not going to buy a new pair of phones or buds. Dongles are stupid too. You are going to use a nicely designed product just to mess up the look with dongles? Plus, it's another thing to lose.
I will never buy a phone without a headphone jack (unless there is no option anymore).
Bob M - 6 years ago
The removal of the headphone jack had nothing to do with "pushing" technology. They could have easily spec'ed a new flatter analog connection and used it. But when you can sell obscenely overpriced Bluetooth buds that sould like crap but will be lost on a monthly basis by teenage girls the reason as always is profit. Apple is at the point they could sell pieces of dog poop wrapped in white plastic for $200.00 and have fan bois lined up around the block to buy it
Apple lowered the bar on audio quality and it's clear the Millennials don't care. Makes me sad but nothing I can do
I switch to the pixel 2 once I no longer had the option for a headphone jack. Bluetooth is ok, but when it has problems, every single problem could be eliminated by just plugging the device in. Fewer options is never a good thing, and discarding proven technology for a lower quality product is why Apple is struggling. The iphone's completed lack of innovation, the MacBooks garbage keyboard. I bought Mac's for everyone at my company at one point. Such a let down.
As long as you can still plug in headphones through SOME wired connection (lightning port, etc.) it's the right call. For most people wireless headphones are preferable. Also, with the 3.5 mm jack gone, that's one less way water and dust can get it.
Russell - 6 years ago
I'm surprised that the majority of the technology media including the Macworld podcast and (for example) those on the Relay network haven't reported the recent study about the apparent increased risk cancer caused by using Bluetooth headphones https://qz.com/1572885/the-truth-behind-claims-airpods-cause-cancer/ I'll be sticking with my wired headphones thanks
Brendon - 6 years ago
Everybody who said 'yes' does not appreciate having the ability to choose. I have a pixel 3, and I think the airpods are an ingenious product, however they must be charged, which makes them inconvenient for long periods of use. So, while they are charging, I am unable to charge my device and use the headphone adapter at the same time. Why get rid of this feature? How is this more convenient to anyone? My pixel 3 3.5mm already no longer works, it's just cheap plastic made to inconvenience you and force you to buy slightly more convenient technology 3-5x the price of the wired commercial competitors. Seriously if you believe this is just 'the way of the' future, wake up and take a look at your wallet in comparison to what you paid 5 years ago for more well rounded technology, even within Apple's ecosystem. I love true wireless ears buds, but the whether or not I had a headphone back I still would have purchased a pair. Apple was simply trying to force change. Let's wait and see how long it takes for them to get their iphone's using USB c so yall can finally throw away your slow ass lighting cables.
Julia - 6 years ago
I have a fab little sound system at work, it is not Bluetooth. Purposely bought the iPhone with the jack. Purposely. Tired of all the little widgets or apps you have to deal with. Travel a lot and the AUX port in rental cars is my friend. I know that eventually it will die and I'll have to get a phone without one, but hopefully, hopefully by then the lags and 'interruptions' to my music from notifications on your phone will be gone.
Oliver F - 6 years ago
Old technologies have to go or the phone would be 90 percent ports and buttons.
Lightning for people using old lightning accessories.
Micro USB for people with old Android devices and power banks.
USB C for people who want faster charging speeds and transfer files to PC faster.
Headphone jack for people with wired headphones, Micro SD card slot for expanding storage.
Voice assistant button for people using Bixby, Siri or Google Assistant.
Micro SD for people who want more storage
etc.
Oliver F - 6 years ago
Old technologies have to go or the phone would be 90 percent ports and buttons.
Lightning for people using old lightning accessories.
Micro USB for people with old Android devices and power banks.
USB C for people who want faster charging speeds and transfer files to PC faster.
Headphone jack for people with wired headphones, Micro SD card slot for expanding storage.
Voice assistant button for people using Bixby, Siri or Google Assistant.
Micro SD for people who want more storage
etc.
Oliver F - 6 years ago
Most of the people who voted No are ones who don't have an iPhone without a headphone jack, you may still think it's wrong if you've never made the change, this poll should only be for people who have an iPhone 7 or later. If you still say no, with an iPhone 7 or later, why? it comes with a headphone jack adapter in the box so you could use that.
Fine for everyday use, but it does make it less use as a device for musicians to use, as bluetooth is too laggy to (say) play a guitar or keyboard through the iPhone and monitor through bluetooth headphones.
Although you can get a lightning audio adaptor, using that does limit what else you can plug in at the same time.
The removal of the headphone jack gave no benefits and decreased the utility of the phone. You can’t charge your phone while listening to music, and all existing headphones no longer work with the phone. To make them work you have to give apple $10 for an ugly adapter that only lasts a few months (or so I’ve heard). Headphone jacks can be made waterproof, and even if its removal made the phone slightly slimmer, does that actually matter? I don’t know anyone who buys a phone based on its thickness. I’d imagine that most people don’t care at all about tiny changes in thickness.
Unfortunately apple was able to make a lot of money through their new lightning only headphones (which inexcusably don’t even work with pre-7 iphones) and their bluetooth airpods. They were able to create a problem, manufacture solutions to it, and sell them for a profit. It’s a great business plan but it’s also why I hate apple as a company. I currently have an SE and have no future plans to buy a phone without a headphone jack.
The lightning to headphone jack dongle is one of their highest selling products which just proves to me that the headphone still relevant and widely used. It's still on their computers btw. People still use it. Sure Airpods are high selling as well, but that just means people use both.
The problem I see now is that people with iPhones seem to have this "hate" for the headphone jack when you are literally losing nothing by having one. You are only gaining options to the way you use your phone. You can still have Bluetooth and you can still have the h1 chip, and you can still have the headphone jack, you can still have water proof. It is simply giving people options. And yes there is space for it. The Samsung Note can fit an entire pen inside their phone. They make room for it, if they want to.
After Apple removed the headphone jack and released Airpods I lost alot of respect for the company and it's one of the reasons I switched to Android. If you're anywhere near a sound board in your life, you need a headphone jack. I use mine about every day for my car as well (no built in Bluetooth). I realize Android is following in Apple's footsteps and eventually most of them will remove it, but I'm keep my S10 plus as long as I can cause as an audio guy, I still use the headphone jack.
@Oliver F
You are right, I voted no and I do not have an iPhone ... but my sons has. He is now on his second set of AirPods as the batteries have lost most of their capacity and cannot be replaced. (Well done Apple, for going against the silly sustainability trend, and for your hard work and lobbying against the profit-crunching "Right to Repair" movement!) My son is not enthused by their sound quality either and, personally, I think he looks somewhat silly with those conspicuous, white thingamadings hanging out of his ears (remember people wearing Bluetooth headsets some years back?). But each to his own.
For me it is not about stopping progress but about convenience and common sense, the latter seemingly very much on the decline. You mentioned the headphone jacks, different ports, buttons and storage options. I am glad that most companies seem to have standardised on USB C, as our household of four people has six phones (five USB C and one iPhone), which makes life easier — apart from the iPhone, obviously. With regards to buttons, I am fine with volume up, volume down and an on-off (possibly with a secondary function). Bixby buttons and the like I need about as much as I need an ingrown toenail. Micro SD on the other hand has come in handy many times. I often travel far and like to download videos to my phone to watch on flights (and no, I normally do not use my laptop as I often find it inconvenient in the cramped seats). I also have loads of E-books loaded on to the phone too. The Micro SD cards also come in handy when I want to show people photos from my camera. Eject the card from the camera, plug it into the phone and Bob's your uncle.
To return to the headphone jack, I find the lack of it disingenuous as the wires are very convenient when you want to talk to people. With AirPods you have to take them out and hold them or put them away in a pocket (or somewhere else), which I find inconvenient. This also incurs the risk of losing them. With wired earphones you can drape them over your ear or around your neck. And with AirPods and the like, you also have yet another thing to keep charged whereas wired earphones does not have that problem. It is similar to E-book readers versus paper-based books — the latter never runs out of power.
Sorry, but it was a stupid decision. Not brave at all. They only removed the headphone jack for aesthetic reasons.
I have a pair of wired headphones that I like. I'm not going to buy a new pair of phones or buds. Dongles are stupid too. You are going to use a nicely designed product just to mess up the look with dongles? Plus, it's another thing to lose.
I will never buy a phone without a headphone jack (unless there is no option anymore).
The removal of the headphone jack had nothing to do with "pushing" technology. They could have easily spec'ed a new flatter analog connection and used it. But when you can sell obscenely overpriced Bluetooth buds that sould like crap but will be lost on a monthly basis by teenage girls the reason as always is profit. Apple is at the point they could sell pieces of dog poop wrapped in white plastic for $200.00 and have fan bois lined up around the block to buy it
Apple lowered the bar on audio quality and it's clear the Millennials don't care. Makes me sad but nothing I can do
I switch to the pixel 2 once I no longer had the option for a headphone jack. Bluetooth is ok, but when it has problems, every single problem could be eliminated by just plugging the device in. Fewer options is never a good thing, and discarding proven technology for a lower quality product is why Apple is struggling. The iphone's completed lack of innovation, the MacBooks garbage keyboard. I bought Mac's for everyone at my company at one point. Such a let down.
As long as you can still plug in headphones through SOME wired connection (lightning port, etc.) it's the right call. For most people wireless headphones are preferable. Also, with the 3.5 mm jack gone, that's one less way water and dust can get it.
I'm surprised that the majority of the technology media including the Macworld podcast and (for example) those on the Relay network haven't reported the recent study about the apparent increased risk cancer caused by using Bluetooth headphones https://qz.com/1572885/the-truth-behind-claims-airpods-cause-cancer/ I'll be sticking with my wired headphones thanks
Everybody who said 'yes' does not appreciate having the ability to choose. I have a pixel 3, and I think the airpods are an ingenious product, however they must be charged, which makes them inconvenient for long periods of use. So, while they are charging, I am unable to charge my device and use the headphone adapter at the same time. Why get rid of this feature? How is this more convenient to anyone? My pixel 3 3.5mm already no longer works, it's just cheap plastic made to inconvenience you and force you to buy slightly more convenient technology 3-5x the price of the wired commercial competitors. Seriously if you believe this is just 'the way of the' future, wake up and take a look at your wallet in comparison to what you paid 5 years ago for more well rounded technology, even within Apple's ecosystem. I love true wireless ears buds, but the whether or not I had a headphone back I still would have purchased a pair. Apple was simply trying to force change. Let's wait and see how long it takes for them to get their iphone's using USB c so yall can finally throw away your slow ass lighting cables.
I have a fab little sound system at work, it is not Bluetooth. Purposely bought the iPhone with the jack. Purposely. Tired of all the little widgets or apps you have to deal with. Travel a lot and the AUX port in rental cars is my friend. I know that eventually it will die and I'll have to get a phone without one, but hopefully, hopefully by then the lags and 'interruptions' to my music from notifications on your phone will be gone.
Old technologies have to go or the phone would be 90 percent ports and buttons.
Lightning for people using old lightning accessories.
Micro USB for people with old Android devices and power banks.
USB C for people who want faster charging speeds and transfer files to PC faster.
Headphone jack for people with wired headphones, Micro SD card slot for expanding storage.
Voice assistant button for people using Bixby, Siri or Google Assistant.
Micro SD for people who want more storage
etc.
Old technologies have to go or the phone would be 90 percent ports and buttons.
Lightning for people using old lightning accessories.
Micro USB for people with old Android devices and power banks.
USB C for people who want faster charging speeds and transfer files to PC faster.
Headphone jack for people with wired headphones, Micro SD card slot for expanding storage.
Voice assistant button for people using Bixby, Siri or Google Assistant.
Micro SD for people who want more storage
etc.
Most of the people who voted No are ones who don't have an iPhone without a headphone jack, you may still think it's wrong if you've never made the change, this poll should only be for people who have an iPhone 7 or later. If you still say no, with an iPhone 7 or later, why? it comes with a headphone jack adapter in the box so you could use that.
Fine for everyday use, but it does make it less use as a device for musicians to use, as bluetooth is too laggy to (say) play a guitar or keyboard through the iPhone and monitor through bluetooth headphones.
Although you can get a lightning audio adaptor, using that does limit what else you can plug in at the same time.