I'm betting that this may mean that the iWatch only has a lightning port and no traditional headphone jack in it. It would allow Apple to save some internal space.
Any ports on the iPhone make no sense. Having a headphone cable going from your wrist to your ear would be a bad idea.
Hi, first post. I don't think it's a big stretch to assume Beats headsets with a Lightning connector will be available with the next iPhone, and probably with a lossless option for songs on iTunes and/or Beats Music. All the pieces are starting to fit together.
I hope this doesn't mean the traditional 3.5mm jack will disappear from Apple devices. What percentage of headphones actually in use, or that will be, are powered or will require all this other stuff?
What they could do is have wireless headphones with a fully detachable cable that connects Lightning to the headphones. This would let the headphones charge using the iOS chargers but also allow you to use the headphones when the power has run out. To use 3rd party headphones, they can make a Lightning to 3.5mm adaptor, which could be like the HDMI adaptor with power on it:
Is there no reason one can't have a cable splitter or dock with a Lighnting port for headphones in the front?
I hope you don't mean anything like the dongle I used to need to plug standard headphones into my HTC something-or-other Windows Mobile phone. In practice I just never had it with me when I wanted it.
The lightning plug is useless when not charging. Using it for headphones makes sense. At the same time, I often listen to music while my iPhone or iPad are charging, and I wouldn't want it to go, even if it's to make the design simpler.
Does this mean that Macs will start having a lightning port too? Lightning headphones would only be useful if they are compatible with the whole ecosystem...
To all of you people bidding farewell to the 3.5mm jack, don't panic, Apple will make an adapter.
I suspect that the Beats headphones that use this new tech will have 2 female connections on 1 side so you can choose whether to use a 3.5mm male to male or a lightning male to male.
I think the most likely outcome is Apple will wait to see how this works out before making that jump. There are definitely benefits to this option, especially when you consider the higher data rates that may be needed for getting biometrics from in-ear phones to send back to the iPhone's Health app.
this... the 1/8th jack has been munged to do limited data back to the mother unit. Time to move on.. .and BT while a great technology, still has some bugs for the general public to handle.
This allows for:
1) a comprehensive digital audio out standard (hey... another one) that drives headphones, and small speaker/charger units at a higher fidelity
2) off loads about 3cc's of space that can be used for something else (that's a lot of battery), by making your 1/8' connector 'a dongle.'
If Apple gives you an enhanced airbud (better sound, better miccing, H/R and body Temp Monitor ... replacement $19.99), and you can buy a $19.99 dongle that splits a 1/8th out and allows for charging, to them, that's 'backward compatible' for them, and Apple history is one of doing exactly this (HDMI-out?)
3) better audio-in fidelity for facetime and speaker phone attachments (hook your phone up to a speaker/mic 'puck' system for a full conference room sound system, that does echo control and noise reduction).
4) as noted above, more data can be collected other than button clicks and audio. Biometrics, and Orientation (if your ears are here... calculate head orientation. direction, pitch, yaw.... so... your eyes are looking .... there) are likely stuff, but also better ambient noise detection, and 'other sensors' (cams).
5) more data can be sent out... low fidelity video. If they were ever to do a HUD (dare I say iGlasses), this cabling std is now driving digital data for an external display separate from the unit in your pocket.
6) HealthKit 2.0... Reliable telemetry for more medically exacting monitoring. Why not get an FDA approved device to collect data [ekg, B/P, PulseOx, invasive monitoring), and allow for R/T uploads of data to the phone which then monitors and alerts you/care-team of issues. BlueTooth would be a problem that can fail. Wires... less so.
7) Immersive VR. Beats + Oculus VR. I don't want to do that with BlueTooth.
if they do this it will be an instant switch to Android for me. I use bluetooth headphones a lot but for call clarity nothing beats wired and out of 10 bluetooth headsets I've used the voice quality is terrible. What if I want to listen to music when my bluetooth headphones run out of battery. I don't want a damned adapter for my phone to listen to music. For the iWatch - this would still be sub-optimal but I don't see music playing directly from the watch. iWatch will be a remote and relay device not a primary phone or MP3 player.
Just get rid of the cord altogether and make everyone buy Bluetooth. Just like Apple cut the cord to keyboards and mice. And just like Apple got rid of DVD drives in irder to gain thinness. Problem solved.
4) as noted above, more data can be collected other than button clicks and audio. Biometrics, and Orientation (if your ears are here... calculate head orientation. direction, pitch, yaw.... so... your eyes are looking .... there) are likely stuff, but also better ambient noise detection, and 'other sensors' (cams).
5) more data can be sent out... low fidelity video. If they were ever to do a HUD (dare I say iGlasses), this cabling std is now driving digital data for an external display separate from the unit in your pocket.
7) Immersive VR. Beats + Oculus VR. I don't want to do that with BlueTooth.
These. The things beyond sudio that the new "headphone" division is aimed at. Wearable interface of all kinds.
I was expecting something much smaller with in-ear phone. That size with only 40 hours doesn't seem like a lot to me.
If you think about how much you'd listen to music a day, even if it's 8 hours a day, that gives you 5 full work days without charging and if you had a habit of plugging them in when you stop using them, you'd never run out. Also the Sony ones are streaming the audio, like I say if Apple buffers the audio to internal hardware, it doesn't even need to use wireless except to fill the buffer so the battery could last even longer. The iPhone only lasts 40 hours for music playback so headphones that last over 40 hours will outlast the device playing the music.
Just get rid of the cord altogether and make everyone buy Bluetooth.
Just like Apple cut the cord to keyboards and mice.
And just like Apple got rid of DVD drives in irder to gain thinness.
Problem solved.
Cut the cord? How are you going to charge the device? Obviously you don't listen to music in your car using an iDevice where people prefer to plug in to the vehicle so the device is charged and listening to music without the battery dying. If they rid the headphone jack, now you have to remember to bring a dongle/splitter so you can keep your device charged while listening to music, as many do during work. Apple didn't exactly cut the cord with keyboards. Anyone who works with numbers, must buy the WIRED extended keyboard.
I think the most likely outcome is Apple will wait to see how this works out before making that jump. There are definitely benefits to this option, especially when you consider the higher data rates that may be needed for getting biometrics from in-ear phones to send back to the iPhone's Health app.
They could also make a device with 2 or even 3 Lightning ports and give everyone a special Lightning to 3.5mm adapter so that older headphones continue to function (ie: keeps consumers happy).
Suddenly the reason they found Beats so interesting becomes clearer. And they had to seal the deal before the announcement made the connector transition super clear.
Excellent ... of course there will be the proverbial rash of complainers ... but I don't care, nor does Apple who once again steps in and fixes a problem with an elegant solution that will improve the users experience.
Once more Apple tells the world what they want. Everyone run out and buy another set of headphones - the one you have just became obsolete - Thanks Apple.
Comments
I'm betting that this may mean that the iWatch only has a lightning port and no traditional headphone jack in it. It would allow Apple to save some internal space.
Any ports on the iPhone make no sense. Having a headphone cable going from your wrist to your ear would be a bad idea.
I don't think it's a big stretch to assume Beats headsets with a Lightning connector will be available with the next iPhone, and probably with a lossless option for songs on iTunes and/or Beats Music. All the pieces are starting to fit together.
What they could do is have wireless headphones with a fully detachable cable that connects Lightning to the headphones. This would let the headphones charge using the iOS chargers but also allow you to use the headphones when the power has run out. To use 3rd party headphones, they can make a Lightning to 3.5mm adaptor, which could be like the HDMI adaptor with power on it:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD826ZM/A/lightning-digital-av-adapter?
They wouldn't have to add power-in but some people might play music in an older dock.
Is there no reason one can't have a cable splitter or dock with a Lighnting port for headphones in the front?
I hope you don't mean anything like the dongle I used to need to plug standard headphones into my HTC something-or-other Windows Mobile phone. In practice I just never had it with me when I wanted it.
it took over 2 weeks for the china to deliver my ebay toslink adapter
At the same time, I often listen to music while my iPhone or iPad are charging, and I wouldn't want it to go, even if it's to make the design simpler.
Does this mean that Macs will start having a lightning port too? Lightning headphones would only be useful if they are compatible with the whole ecosystem...
To all of you people bidding farewell to the 3.5mm jack, don't panic, Apple will make an adapter.
I suspect that the Beats headphones that use this new tech will have 2 female connections on 1 side so you can choose whether to use a 3.5mm male to male or a lightning male to male.
I think the most likely outcome is Apple will wait to see how this works out before making that jump. There are definitely benefits to this option, especially when you consider the higher data rates that may be needed for getting biometrics from in-ear phones to send back to the iPhone's Health app.
this... the 1/8th jack has been munged to do limited data back to the mother unit. Time to move on.. .and BT while a great technology, still has some bugs for the general public to handle.
This allows for:
1) a comprehensive digital audio out standard (hey... another one) that drives headphones, and small speaker/charger units at a higher fidelity
2) off loads about 3cc's of space that can be used for something else (that's a lot of battery), by making your 1/8' connector 'a dongle.'
If Apple gives you an enhanced airbud (better sound, better miccing, H/R and body Temp Monitor ... replacement $19.99), and you can buy a $19.99 dongle that splits a 1/8th out and allows for charging, to them, that's 'backward compatible' for them, and Apple history is one of doing exactly this (HDMI-out?)
3) better audio-in fidelity for facetime and speaker phone attachments (hook your phone up to a speaker/mic 'puck' system for a full conference room sound system, that does echo control and noise reduction).
4) as noted above, more data can be collected other than button clicks and audio. Biometrics, and Orientation (if your ears are here... calculate head orientation. direction, pitch, yaw.... so... your eyes are looking .... there) are likely stuff, but also better ambient noise detection, and 'other sensors' (cams).
5) more data can be sent out... low fidelity video. If they were ever to do a HUD (dare I say iGlasses), this cabling std is now driving digital data for an external display separate from the unit in your pocket.
6) HealthKit 2.0... Reliable telemetry for more medically exacting monitoring. Why not get an FDA approved device to collect data [ekg, B/P, PulseOx, invasive monitoring), and allow for R/T uploads of data to the phone which then monitors and alerts you/care-team of issues. BlueTooth would be a problem that can fail. Wires... less so.
7) Immersive VR. Beats + Oculus VR. I don't want to do that with BlueTooth.
Just like Apple cut the cord to keyboards and mice.
And just like Apple got rid of DVD drives in irder to gain thinness.
Problem solved.
These. The things beyond sudio that the new "headphone" division is aimed at. Wearable interface of all kinds.
If you think about how much you'd listen to music a day, even if it's 8 hours a day, that gives you 5 full work days without charging and if you had a habit of plugging them in when you stop using them, you'd never run out. Also the Sony ones are streaming the audio, like I say if Apple buffers the audio to internal hardware, it doesn't even need to use wireless except to fill the buffer so the battery could last even longer. The iPhone only lasts 40 hours for music playback so headphones that last over 40 hours will outlast the device playing the music.
Just get rid of the cord altogether and make everyone buy Bluetooth.
Just like Apple cut the cord to keyboards and mice.
And just like Apple got rid of DVD drives in irder to gain thinness.
Problem solved.
Cut the cord? How are you going to charge the device? Obviously you don't listen to music in your car using an iDevice where people prefer to plug in to the vehicle so the device is charged and listening to music without the battery dying. If they rid the headphone jack, now you have to remember to bring a dongle/splitter so you can keep your device charged while listening to music, as many do during work. Apple didn't exactly cut the cord with keyboards. Anyone who works with numbers, must buy the WIRED extended keyboard.
I think the most likely outcome is Apple will wait to see how this works out before making that jump. There are definitely benefits to this option, especially when you consider the higher data rates that may be needed for getting biometrics from in-ear phones to send back to the iPhone's Health app.
They could also make a device with 2 or even 3 Lightning ports and give everyone a special Lightning to 3.5mm adapter so that older headphones continue to function (ie: keeps consumers happy).
Companies like Apogee are currently making high quality Lightning compatible headphone amps that charge iOS devices http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/one-dac.