It’s over, ladies & gentlemen. With the roaring success of the iPhone 7, Apple is stream-rolling ahead into a wireless audio future. Bye bye, 3.5mm headphone jack!
Wireless headphone technology leaves a lot to be desired. Bluetooth can be dodgy, and constant recharging a headache. Add the risk of losing a wireless AirPod, and it’s safe to say wireless headphones are a few years away from perfection.
Either way, it now looks like Apple is cutting the cord for good. After the stunning sales success of its iPhone 7, the company is now emboldened to continue pushing the envelope on jack-free devices. Sure, ditching the 3.5mm jack was a bold move, but a bold move that paid off.
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Enter the iPhone 7s and even the iPhone 8, both of which are actively in development. And both of which are solidly 3.5mm jack-less.
And, Apple’s headphone ecosystem is definitely going wireless. Just this week, Apple has just released its BeatsX wireless earbuds after considerable delay. The $149 pair follow earlier releases of the Powerbeats 3 Wireless, Solo 3 Wireless, Studio Wireless, Beats Pill+, and the Apple AirPods, part of an onslaught in wireless technology.
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All of those headphones and earbuds tie into iPhones with Apple’s W1 wireless technology. Which, of course, Apple claims is the best wireless headphone technology around (and they may be right).
iPhone 7s, iPhone 8
Back to the iPhone itself, reports of more headphone-less iPhones are surfacing. Research group KGI is pointing to a spectacularly-different iPhone 8, which not only features wireless headphone connectivity, but wireless recharging. And you can kiss that ‘home’ button away, as well. Sounds intense, and part of a radically redesigned iPhone that definitely won’t play nice with anything 3.5mm.
Of course, if you still want a 3.5mm jack on your iPhone 7 or iPhone 8, there’s hope. Just follow this quick tutorial, and you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds.
Or, if that doesn’t work out for you, there seem to be plenty of wired Android options in the future. Already, we’re seeing manufacturers like LG and HTC ditching the headphone jack entirely. But not everyone is convinced, including Samsung. For example, the upcoming Galaxy S8 will have a standard jack, and plenty of buyers will thank them.
Still on this? Let it go.
Apple can suck my tip, ring, and sleeve.
Exactly how much thinner, lighter and easier to use did removing the 3.5mm headphone jack make the iPhone 7? Crickets.
Actually, I have yet to find ANY Bluetooth device that works the minute I turn on my phone. Wireless charging needs to become more ubiquitous, fast and inexpensive. I’ve only seen a few cars that include it but it will be years before it becomes standard. It’s been around for several years along with multi-device charging but support and adaption rates have been extremely poor.
I get that Apple is trying to be the leader for the future but this is one area where they can’t force technology to catch up when they don’t control everything surrounding their whims. I’m glad i-Folks have the money to piss down the drain every year for a new i-Whatever Apple forces them to purchase to remain in their eco-system but that’s just not the norm (albeit a very nice piece of the pie).
Meanwhile, I’ll continue to enjoy my awesome Sennheiser Momentum headphones for my DJ sets and phone listening music pleasure for several more years. I’m not in a hurry to be an early adopting pioneer. Let all the BS (pricing, connectivity, quality, etc) get worked out first so that my participation is as frustration-free (as possible).
Next up; overpriced insurance for headphones that refuses coverage once your pricey wireless headphones are lost; stolen or broken due to some technicality.
Restricting audio output to a purely digital connection means that music publishers and streaming companies can start to insist on digital copyright enforcement mechanisms. We moved our video systems to HDMI and got HDCP, remember? Copyright enforcement technology never stops piracy and always hurts the people who most rely on legal fair use, but you can bet the music industry is going to start cracking down on “unauthorized” playback and recording devices anyway