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Someone pointed out on Reddit last night - that it seemed obvious to him that Apple likely removed the headphone in the iPhone 7 to get the controversy out of t

by Aloha 9y ago

Someone pointed out on Reddit last night - that it seemed obvious to him that Apple likely removed the headphone in the iPhone 7 to get the controversy out of the way ahead of the iPhone 8, which wouldn't have any room in it for a headphone jack - and for which said controversy would be a distraction against launching a new flagship device.

Someone 9y ago
It also could be that quite a few of their designers managed to stay below their volume budgets, and they didn't want to risk a redesign, given their (presumably) strict deadlines. Alternatively, the space was set apart as a hedge against the AirPods not being ready at he time of the launch of the iPhone 7 (yes, they were late, but not _that_ late. Presumably (again) they knew they could make them when they made the decision to remove the headphone from the iPhone 7)
- seanmcdirmid 9y ago
  There are plenty of Bluetooth headphones beyond AirPods. I'm sure they aren't even the most popular ones used with iPhones.
  - btreesOfSpring 9y ago
    the hedging might have something to do with the W1 chip[0] improvements in the AirPods that provided for fast and consistent bluetooth pairing that Apple cared about more so than relying upon 3rd party bluetooth experience in a headphone connector-less flagship phone. [0] https://9to5mac.com/2016/09/12/apple-w1-chip-how-it-works/ https://9to5mac.com/2016/09/12/apple-w1-chip-how-it-works/
  - ramzyo 9y ago
    What makes you so sure?
  - Someone 9y ago
    Yes, there are, and no, they may not be (1) However, chances are they are the Bluetooth headphones Apple makes the most money on, and that early adopters of the new iPhone are the most likely to buy them. Inducing (extra) demand for Bluetooth headphones and then leaving the market for such headphones to others in a period where your most 'able and willing to spend' customers enter your shop isn't the best of ideas. (1) (nitpicking) it wouldn't completely surprise me if they were, though, because Apple has exactly one product, whereas its competition tends to create zillions of 'different' products.
    - seanmcdirmid 9y ago
      I've seen plenty of iPhone 7s, and very few air pods. They don't even seem like a good idea. I personally got conductive wireless headphones and really like them. Not Apple, of course.
      - matt-attack 9y ago
        I find AirPods to be one of the most amazing devices I've owned. Using them is a pure joy. No joke. From the feeling of the case opening and closing, to the sound of them dropping into the case, to the instant pairing when you put them in your ear.
        seanmcdirmid 9y ago
        Nice to know. I've still not seen many in the wild, while I've seen plenty of misc brand wireless headphones. Conductive is the future I think, I'm never sticking anything in my ear again.
spuz 9y ago
I don't understand this. Why would the controversy be any less when releasing the iPhone 7 without a headphone jack vs the iPhone 8? Aren't they both new flagship models?
- hbosch 9y ago
  Because the iPhone 7 was released a year ago, and people are generally over it now. I say people, not enthusiasts. Now, the feature can be released in the iPhone 8 and it's not a big deal.
  - spuz 9y ago
    But that doesn't explain why it would be preferable to remove the headphone jack in 2016 and have people be used to it by 2017, rather than the same but a year later. Whether there is technically room for a headphone jack means nothing to a consumer who would like to have one on their iPhone. As far as I can see there is no difference from the consumer's point of view which year the change happens in.
    - SerLava 9y ago
      There is. The iPhone 7 is the no headphone jack phone. The iPhone 8 will be the 100% screen phone. It also won't have a headphone jack. Big difference for how people think about that and how it gets talked about.
    - khedoros1 9y ago
      > But that doesn't explain why it would be preferable to remove the headphone jack in 2016 and have people be used to it by 2017, rather than the same but a year later. Perception. People focus on something more when it changes, and there's only so much focus to go around. Remove the headphone jack a year earlier, and it's not a "change" that it's still missing from the next model. So focus/attention can be more concentrated on new features that Apple brings to the newer "10th anniversary" iPhone. "Yeah, but it still doesn't have a headphone jack" is a rational reaction, but not the one that most people will have. It's irrelevant background noise, compared to the shouts of "Look at all the new shiny!", which is the reaction that Apple's going for.

by Aloha 9y ago

Someone 9y ago

It also could be that quite a few of their designers managed to stay below their volume budgets, and they didn't want to risk a redesign, given their (presumably) strict deadlines. Alternatively, the space was set apart as a hedge against the AirPods not being ready at he time of the launch of the iPhone 7 (yes, they were late, but not _that_ late. Presumably (again) they knew they could make them when they made the decision to remove the headphone from the iPhone 7)

seanmcdirmid 9y ago
There are plenty of Bluetooth headphones beyond AirPods. I'm sure they aren't even the most popular ones used with iPhones.
- btreesOfSpring 9y ago
  the hedging might have something to do with the W1 chip[0] improvements in the AirPods that provided for fast and consistent bluetooth pairing that Apple cared about more so than relying upon 3rd party bluetooth experience in a headphone connector-less flagship phone. [0] https://9to5mac.com/2016/09/12/apple-w1-chip-how-it-works/ https://9to5mac.com/2016/09/12/apple-w1-chip-how-it-works/
- ramzyo 9y ago
  What makes you so sure?
- Someone 9y ago
  Yes, there are, and no, they may not be (1) However, chances are they are the Bluetooth headphones Apple makes the most money on, and that early adopters of the new iPhone are the most likely to buy them. Inducing (extra) demand for Bluetooth headphones and then leaving the market for such headphones to others in a period where your most 'able and willing to spend' customers enter your shop isn't the best of ideas. (1) (nitpicking) it wouldn't completely surprise me if they were, though, because Apple has exactly one product, whereas its competition tends to create zillions of 'different' products.
  - seanmcdirmid 9y ago
    I've seen plenty of iPhone 7s, and very few air pods. They don't even seem like a good idea. I personally got conductive wireless headphones and really like them. Not Apple, of course.
    - matt-attack 9y ago
      I find AirPods to be one of the most amazing devices I've owned. Using them is a pure joy. No joke. From the feeling of the case opening and closing, to the sound of them dropping into the case, to the instant pairing when you put them in your ear.
      - seanmcdirmid 9y ago
        Nice to know. I've still not seen many in the wild, while I've seen plenty of misc brand wireless headphones. Conductive is the future I think, I'm never sticking anything in my ear again.

spuz 9y ago

I don't understand this. Why would the controversy be any less when releasing the iPhone 7 without a headphone jack vs the iPhone 8? Aren't they both new flagship models?

hbosch 9y ago
Because the iPhone 7 was released a year ago, and people are generally over it now. I say people, not enthusiasts. Now, the feature can be released in the iPhone 8 and it's not a big deal.
- spuz 9y ago
  But that doesn't explain why it would be preferable to remove the headphone jack in 2016 and have people be used to it by 2017, rather than the same but a year later. Whether there is technically room for a headphone jack means nothing to a consumer who would like to have one on their iPhone. As far as I can see there is no difference from the consumer's point of view which year the change happens in.
  - SerLava 9y ago
    There is. The iPhone 7 is the no headphone jack phone. The iPhone 8 will be the 100% screen phone. It also won't have a headphone jack. Big difference for how people think about that and how it gets talked about.
  - khedoros1 9y ago
    > But that doesn't explain why it would be preferable to remove the headphone jack in 2016 and have people be used to it by 2017, rather than the same but a year later. Perception. People focus on something more when it changes, and there's only so much focus to go around. Remove the headphone jack a year earlier, and it's not a "change" that it's still missing from the next model. So focus/attention can be more concentrated on new features that Apple brings to the newer "10th anniversary" iPhone. "Yeah, but it still doesn't have a headphone jack" is a rational reaction, but not the one that most people will have. It's irrelevant background noise, compared to the shouts of "Look at all the new shiny!", which is the reaction that Apple's going for.