Apple kills the 3.5mm headphone jack (along with the iPhone)

lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I bought one apple product, an iPod Nano (g2) and don't plan on another. I'd rather stream from my android phone so the headphone jack going the route of the dinosaur part doesn't bother me but I don't use headphones at all nor want to use the headphone jack as an audio out. It seems those that want an iphone, and use it for music while the phone charges are now screwed, though....
 
H

herbu

Audioholic Samurai
It seems those that want an iphone, and use it for music while the phone charges are now screwed, though....
That's a real good point. Wonder how many people do that.

I'm not a power user. My first smart phone was an iphone. I upgraded once, when I had to. My next cellphone will also be when I have to. It took me some time to learn how to use the phone. I think it's like Windows in that I probably use less than 5% of its capability. I have no desire to learn a completely different OS. The only time I use earbuds is at the gym. I take my phone in the car in case I need to call AAA or my wife forgot to tell me to pick up milk. I don't answer it or look at it while I'm driving.

So I'm not an Apple fanboy. I just know how to use the functions I use on an iphone, and have no desire or reason to change. My next phone will be an iphone regardless of the connector on their earbuds.

Ignorance really is bliss sometimes.
 
MR.MAGOO

MR.MAGOO

Audioholic Field Marshall
I myself don't really like wiress as you have to charge them quite often and you have limited play time due to that. Not a huge fan of different adapters either and I would guess that you have to pay for adapter like this as it is Apple product.
Check the new iPhone 7 on the Apple site. It comes with an adapter.
 
Cos

Cos

Audioholic Samurai
I have been primarily a Android Phone user since the Original Sprint EVO phone. I have had various Apple phones (4s 6s Plus) I usually always go back to android.

In order to innovate, they need room, the 3.5mm slot takes up a lot of phone real estate, so it is a natural progression that you will soon see most cell phone companies go with.

That being said, I 100% disagree with people who claim Apple has gone downhill. I would describe it as more of as a bump in the road. I currently have the Samsung Note 7 (Exploding Battery Edition). I was going to go to the LG V20, but after watching the Launch video on Apple, they sold me.

1. Is it a huge advancement, no, but here is why I am buying it:
- Camera is a nice upgrade, I am going to Australia soon, so it will come in handy
- IOS 10 offers vast improvements over previous versions
- Finally some degree of waterproof in case it falls in a puddle or toilet :eek:
- Tight integration with Home Automation (IOT) is a welcome edition
- Revamped home button (touch sensitive)
- Improved brightness on their screen with wider color gamut

Since I use a Bluetooth headset 99% of the time, no 3.5mm jack is not an issue (not having aptx is however)

Their new wireless earbuds, while expensive (no more expensive than most better quality earbuds) have an integrated Apple Chipset that is supposed to improve the quality of wireless audio. This is innovative if it actually works.

Everyone expects Apple to completely innovate every single generation, I used to. The point it its pretty hard to do on an annual basis. In the 7 Plus they added enough to differentiate itself, end up with the fastest CPU/GPU to date, and integrate with my Nike Apple Watch 2 I just put on order. :rolleyes:
 
Hi Ho

Hi Ho

Audioholic Samurai
I preordered an iPhone 7 Plus in Jet Black and I really could not care less about the lack of a 3.5mm jack. I personally only use headphones to listen to podcasts while working and I had been thinking of getting some wireless ones for a while as the wire is just annoying. This will just make me do it sooner.

The camera upgrades alone made me want the new phone. I used to be a hardcore android and Windows user. I always thought Apple products were overpriced and not worth it. When I bought a MacBook Pro back in 2011 my whole perception changed. Apple really does have a way of making things "just work" and work well that no one else seems to be able to do. I was so sick of fiddling around with my Android phones to make them work well and they never really did. I've had my iPhone 6 since just a few days after launch day and it has been 100% reliable. I don't have to reboot it. I don't have to load new ROM's to fix stupid crap like Samsung's TouchWiz. I don't have to worry about a photo coming out good because the iPhone camera is simply the most consistent on any phone. I just can't imagine going back to Android at this point.
 
tyhjaarpa

tyhjaarpa

Audioholic Field Marshall
Many say iPhone is superior but when you directly compare specs I don't really see them so superior..
http://m.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8064&idPhone2=7821

7 Plus has dual camera, yes, only advantage on that I see if you take landscape photos and that is pretty much it. S7 camera is big improvement from earlier cameras as they have reworked the camera software as well to start with.
 
KenM10759

KenM10759

Audioholic Samurai
I've never considered a phone for it's ability to be a camera. None of them are ever going to replace a digital SLR camera for so many tasks. I'm a Luddite and still use a phone for....phone calls. OK, so I do a lot of texting these days too and admit it's handy to use the camera function for a lot of quick shots because it's always with me. I just don't depend upon it for real camera work when the primary job is taking photos. No phone camera has ever been able to mount a 300mm or longer lens, and I've yet to see one where I can select a shutter speed or adjust aperture.
 
tyhjaarpa

tyhjaarpa

Audioholic Field Marshall
I've never considered a phone for it's ability to be a camera. None of them are ever going to replace a digital SLR camera for so many tasks. I'm a Luddite and still use a phone for....phone calls. OK, so I do a lot of texting these days too and admit it's handy to use the camera function for a lot of quick shots because it's always with me. I just don't depend upon it for real camera work when the primary job is taking photos. No phone camera has ever been able to mount a 300mm or longer lens, and I've yet to see one where I can select a shutter speed or adjust aperture.
S7 has shutter speed, aperture and iso and many more settings available. Ofcourse it is not real DSLR and I'm not trying to replace my DSLR with it but I have managed to get some really nice photos with it when I have it on me always.
 
KenM10759

KenM10759

Audioholic Samurai
They may have those settings, but how intuitive are those controls to use as compared to a DLSR? Not even in the same league. We both know with a DSLR we can change shutter speed, aperture, and focus all without taking our eyes off the subject. The "decisive moment" is easily lost while fidgeting.

Yes, they can take some incredibly good photos and there's myriad examples seen every day. When I set my mind to photography, it's always going to be a DLSR in my hand and a bag of lenses and attachments on my shoulder.
 
Hi Ho

Hi Ho

Audioholic Samurai
Many say iPhone is superior but when you directly compare specs I don't really see them so superior..
http://m.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8064&idPhone2=7821

7 Plus has dual camera, yes, only advantage on that I see if you take landscape photos and that is pretty much it. S7 camera is big improvement from earlier cameras as they have reworked the camera software as well to start with.
It is not always the case but when it comes to comparing iOS products to others the specs really don't matter. Apple software and hardware is so tightly integrated that you really cannot compare the Apple products to Android devices based on specs. It really comes down to real world use. I have never used an Android phone that didn't have slowdowns and hiccups regardless of how fast the processor is. My iPhone is always smooth as butter. I'm not trying to sound like an Apple ad or a fanboy because I really am not but I all I can say is once you use an iPhone for an extended period of time (months) after using any Android device the differences in stability and just overall user friendliness are clear. Cameras fall into this category as well. There are plenty of Android cameras with similar or better specs but the fact remains that the iPhone camera is the most consistent because of the software and the dedicated processing chips behind the sensor. If you want to tweak every last bit and customize everything then iPhone is not for you. If you want a device that simply works every time you need it then iPhone is the only one I have found.
 
BoredSysAdmin

BoredSysAdmin

Audioholic Slumlord
They may have those settings, but how intuitive are those controls to use as compared to a DLSR? Not even in the same league. We both know with a DSLR we can change shutter speed, aperture, and focus all without taking our eyes off the subject. The "decisive moment" is easily lost while fidgeting.

Yes, they can take some incredibly good photos and there's myriad examples seen every day. When I set my mind to photography, it's always going to be a DLSR in my hand and a bag of lenses and attachments on my shoulder.
Best camera is one you have with you at the moment. Like ty mentioned - smartphone cameras nowadays offer both manual controls, RAW image and hdr.
While their tiny sensors are of course no match for massive DSLR sensors, but I my point is they already passed of point of "good enough" awhile ago.

See this image gallery shot with same phone as my:
http://www.colbybrownphotography.com/gear-review-a-photographers-take-on-the-lg-g4/

The point is - G4's camera is not even the best one. HTC 10/S7 Edge and Sony's Xperia X share that title (iphone 7 hasn't been measured just yet)
https://www.dxomark.com/Mobiles

So for me, camera on smartphone (for day shots) is already good enough. Unless I expect large size prints - G4's photos are perfectly decent.
Keep in mind that I do own Nikon D90 and selection of lens.
 
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BoredSysAdmin

BoredSysAdmin

Audioholic Slumlord
It is not always the case but when it comes to comparing iOS products to others the specs really don't matter. Apple software and hardware is so tightly integrated that you really cannot compare the Apple products to Android devices based on specs. It really comes down to real world use. I have never used an Android phone that didn't have slowdowns and hiccups regardless of how fast the processor is. My iPhone is always smooth as butter. I'm not trying to sound like an Apple ad or a fanboy because I really am not but I all I can say is once you use an iPhone for an extended period of time (months) after using any Android device the differences in stability and just overall user friendliness are clear. Cameras fall into this category as well. There are plenty of Android cameras with similar or better specs but the fact remains that the iPhone camera is the most consistent because of the software and the dedicated processing chips behind the sensor. If you want to tweak every last bit and customize everything then iPhone is not for you. If you want a device that simply works every time you need it then iPhone is the only one I have found.
For a change - I do agree and I don't hate apple's products. Their tight integration, smooth and easy to use interface, generally more secure than Android, but their walled garden is not for me. My next phone will likely to be next Google's phone (Pixel XL or whatever it will be called)
 
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KenM10759

KenM10759

Audioholic Samurai
One major thing about phone cameras that hasn't been solved yet (as far as I can tell) is the extraordinary lag time between touching the screen to take the photo and when it actually gets the photo. It's measured in milliseconds with a DSLR, exponentially longer with most phones.
 
Cos

Cos

Audioholic Samurai
Many say iPhone is superior but when you directly compare specs I don't really see them so superior..
http://m.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8064&idPhone2=7821

7 Plus has dual camera, yes, only advantage on that I see if you take landscape photos and that is pretty much it. S7 camera is big improvement from earlier cameras as they have reworked the camera software as well to start with.
It's hard to do an apples to apples. Comparison lol

Apple has its A10 vs the 820.
I had the s7 edge and the camera was quite good. Before you make judgement, do some research on the Apple camera. There is a lot more than you think
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
It's hard to do an apples to apples. Comparison lol

Apple has its A10 vs the 820.
I had the s7 edge and the camera was quite good. Before you make judgement, do some research on the Apple camera. There is a lot more than you think
I agree, and there's a lot more to it than hardware specs. Phones are integrated systems. Processor speeds, pixels counts (beyond a certain point), camera specs, whatever, are not things you can examine in isolation. Systems are about hardware-software integration and optimization. Modern phone processors are also more about hardware assists than CPU speeds. The latest Android phones I've used (and I use one for work) still don't have comparable hardware-software integration to what Apple does with IOS, though the gap has narrowed in the latest generation. Then there's also the app availability and quality issue (both are better on IOS), and the support issue. Apple's IOS support is still better than any Android phone maker's; I think it's just economics in Apple's favor that is the root cause for that.

 
Dan Madden

Dan Madden

Audioholic
Not quality, but innovation - sure.

This captures this well:

This is hilarious and demonstrates the average Apple Kool aid drinker quite well. And oh ya......we'll download U2's new album into your playlist without your permission because...........WE know what's best for you!!! Hehehe!
 
Cos

Cos

Audioholic Samurai
I laugh how much of a Love / Hate relationship there is with Apple, more so than either Microsoft or Android. I was watching their launch video and chatting with a co-worker and making fun of him for wanting to upgrade his IPhone 6S. As I watched the video, beyond the cheesy marketing pitch and looked at some of the improvements actually being made, I took it a little more seriously. I have the note 7 (Portable Grenade Edition) and was going to fully commit to getting it replaced that or the LG V20. The LG V20 underwhelmed me, and I found, in my very limited time, I was not using the pen features on the note 7. The edge screen still has to provide anything useful that I use (except calculator and Stocks). It made me to start wanting a flat screen again.

At the end of the day I buy the products that interest me and have features that I will find useful.

I use the Surfrace Pro 4 on a daily basis, to me it's much more functional and useful than any MacBook
- It's my new note taker (One note) and my go to travel laptop

As for the IPhone, Beyond its camera upgrade, which I would hardly call it minor, there has been a lot added to this years model for anyone who actually takes the time to investigate instead of band wagon bashing

New added features in this year's camera:
  • New Apple-designed Image Signal Processor, which processes over 100 billion operations on a single photo in as little as 25 milliseconds, resulting in incredible photos and videos;
  • New 7-megapixel FaceTime HD camera with wide color capture, advanced pixel technology and auto image stabilization for even better selfies;
  • New Quad-LED True Tone flash that is 50 percent brighter than iPhone 6s including an innovative sensor that detects the flickering in lights and compensates for it in videos and photos.
  • with its dual 12MP cameras it comes closer to being a portable DSLR Camera than any phone
Call it drinking the coolaide, but from everything I have read, its more than just a minor upgrade.

Yes they are trying to innovate with the loss of the 3.5mm Jack. I think you will feel the impact of this removal in future generations because they have opened up more space to inside the phone. If you look at any phone breakdown, it takes up real estate


This can potentially be used for a lot of other thanks, (more features, battery life, etc).

While there isn't a ton of innovation, there are quite a bit of new features added to this years phone:
  • Apple didn't really discuss their new chip inside their headsets and its impact improved wireless sound quality, but they did discuss it in their launch
  • Stereo Speakers now part of the IPhone 7
  • Improved Screen brightness and wider color gamut (still would like OLED 2k)
  • Water and dust resistance
  • Tight, secure integration of home automation (I.E. my Control4, EcoBee, MyQ Garage door)

I get it, for those whom the camera and these features are not important, it may not seem like much in upgrades, but while I am a huge techo-addict, I do my homework before I rush into getting the latest gadget :)

As for the U2 Album, its no different than all the bloatware, I detest, that manufacturers install on their phone (Samsung, HTC, Apple, etc) It is even worse with the cell providers themselves. In my case, I actually like U2, but still should be my choice.
 
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BoredSysAdmin

BoredSysAdmin

Audioholic Slumlord
One major thing about phone cameras that hasn't been solved yet (as far as I can tell) is the extraordinary lag time between touching the screen to take the photo and when it actually gets the photo. It's measured in milliseconds with a DSLR, exponentially longer with most phones.
Lets agree to disagree on that. Disable HDR on modern phone and you'll see what I mean.
 
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