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The 3.5mm jack is great for me. It works with every device I own that uses audio. If it doesn't, there's a converter readily available. I agree fully with this

The 3.5mm jack is great for me. It works with every device I own that uses audio. If it doesn't, there's a converter readily available. I agree fully with this article: if you can't create something better, don't try to replace it. But I'd go one further: If you can't create something better and make it completely open and easy to adopt and modify, don't create it. Audio jacks are not something where total vendor lock-in is appropriate. This isn't the Thunderbolt cable for iPhones; this is USB 2.0/3.0, only ten times more primitive and ten times more ubiquitous. Here is a short list of things my 3.5mm headphones work with: My car, and everyone else's. My home AV system, and everyone else's. My computers, all of them, and everyone else's. Systems from the 70s and 80s up to now. And on and on. I have a very nice expensive pair of headphones, and many other pairs of earbuds, etc. I have zero incentive to replace them. In fact, if I had to choose between buying a new pair of headphones and not having the next generation of iPhone, I'd keep my headphones. I have brand loyalty and lock-in to the 3.5mm jack like nothing else I can think of. For me, that's what Apple is facing if they do this. I don't think I'm alone, either.

davidgerard 10y ago
Let's assume Apple aren't stupid and know all of this, and every objection raised in the linked article. Clearly they think, despite the obvious huge objections, that they can win this one. Can they? Can they make more money doing this than not? By how much? And what can we do to break that?
- ivraatiems 10y ago
  I don't think they think they can win this. I think they think, in my opinion wrongly, that customer loyalty to iProduct eclipses customer loyalty to 3.5mm. Remember, this is the company that thought the only phone everyone wanted was a bigger, more breakable one. Apple's good, but I just don't think they're as good as they think they are.
  - mixedCase 10y ago
    >that customer loyalty to iProduct eclipses customer loyalty to 3.5mm. I don't think that's wrong assumption. The people not willing to put up with Apple's bullshit have already changed to Android. The people using Apple devices for particular technical merits are infinitely small compared to the people using it for social reasons.
    - ivraatiems 10y ago
      Apple's bullshit so far is infinitesimally smaller than the bullshittiness of removing 3.5mm. I am certain more people would leave their products. But even disregarding that, I disagree with your assertion that people using Apple devices are using them for only social reasons. I love my iPhone SE. It's my ideal phone: fast, lots of storage, all interactions are smooth, long battery life. I've honestly yet to encounter an Android phone I liked more, though they are getting closer and closer. Social doesn't enter into it.

davidgerard 10y ago

Let's assume Apple aren't stupid and know all of this, and every objection raised in the linked article. Clearly they think, despite the obvious huge objections, that they can win this one. Can they? Can they make more money doing this than not? By how much? And what can we do to break that?

ivraatiems 10y ago
I don't think they think they can win this. I think they think, in my opinion wrongly, that customer loyalty to iProduct eclipses customer loyalty to 3.5mm. Remember, this is the company that thought the only phone everyone wanted was a bigger, more breakable one. Apple's good, but I just don't think they're as good as they think they are.
- mixedCase 10y ago
  >that customer loyalty to iProduct eclipses customer loyalty to 3.5mm. I don't think that's wrong assumption. The people not willing to put up with Apple's bullshit have already changed to Android. The people using Apple devices for particular technical merits are infinitely small compared to the people using it for social reasons.
  - ivraatiems 10y ago
    Apple's bullshit so far is infinitesimally smaller than the bullshittiness of removing 3.5mm. I am certain more people would leave their products. But even disregarding that, I disagree with your assertion that people using Apple devices are using them for only social reasons. I love my iPhone SE. It's my ideal phone: fast, lots of storage, all interactions are smooth, long battery life. I've honestly yet to encounter an Android phone I liked more, though they are getting closer and closer. Social doesn't enter into it.