One small thing to remember when traveling. You can't use wireless devices on an airplane.
Absolutely not true. You can use BT headphones without exception. Check the regulations. I've been flying for more than a year using my BT ANC headphones.
Only issue I can see is that you can't charge the phone, and listen with headphones at once?
I'm sure there will be some third party adapters for this appearing quite soon. Just be wary of unknown manufactures when you are plugging your headphones into something also plugged into the mains...ear today, gone tomorrow!
Apple should have done this years ago, seems to be the perfect way of culling customers who are nothing but the whiniest fucking, melodramatic babies on the internet. Bye-bye! Well done, Apple!
Sadly, I'm probably going to wait till next year to upgrade my phone, my current 6+ is still so fucking good there's really no reason, but I am curious to see how earphone offerings change in the next year or so, I'd expect some exciting new developments in that area being offered. Fun days ahead in tech.
People, Apple is *still* shipping wired earbuds with the iPhone 7. They are just lightning-plugged.
Very few people will care one iota about *how* their white earbuds connect. Seeing the number of people with Apple's earbuds in use on any city street, subway, bus, etc shows just how few people use anything aftermarket, so how small the crowd of complainers will be.
Let's look at this from a different angle. You can quickly pop only one pod in for hands-free talk while driving. You can also use one pod while having video conferencing and still be present in the room. 5 hours later, if the battery is low, swap it out for the other pod. That is 10 hours, plus the first pod is recharging while using the second pod....etc. We now have the freedom to walk around a room, talk with (what is allegedly) pristine audio and microphone with a built in backup, plus they are including wired lightning earbuds and a lightning to 3.5 converter and people are still complaining? The ease of using Siri alone is huge. No more "press and hold" or triple tapping microscopic buttons to pair. Sure, there are flaws, but the benefits outweigh the negatives.
I'm keeping the wireless headphones I have because they have cord so I can wear them around my neck.
This is my main concern. While I LOVE the idea of these AirPods, two separate tiny objects that just sit in my ears would concern me on the train or Underground or in a crowded environment, where a cord between them might make more sense so they don't pop out singly or I drop one by accident. But I still do love these AirPods, the tech in them is rather impressive. Personally, like the author of that article you linked, I've never been an earpod fan, they always feel like they will fall out of my ears, but maybe the weight distribution of these is different? I'd love to try them and see. More excitingly, though, I'm sure there'll be loads of new variations of earphones, earbuds and earpods being released over the coming months from other manufacturers to please anyone's particular tastes.
Looks like iPhone 7 is the impetus for a rapidly expanding market for Bluetooth headphones and EarPods.
Most people will move on from wired and never look back.
yepp it s said to become a 16 billion USD market over the next few years *read the article on fortune) Apple did this not because it was time to do that but because it will generate additional revenue - anything else is just noise
I'm an audio engineer and iOS developer. I can say that digital audio has taken over the live production and recording space. However, those pesky headphone jacks and bulky XLR cables still remain. While we have this incredible technology that can fit into a shoe box, we are limited by the size of these connectors. If everything were digital, the technology and ease of use would advance immeasurably. It's my hope that this change will push this process forward.
For instance, there are now microphones and pickups that plug into a network router with a standard CAT5 or CAT6 cable. From there, you can route the audio of that device, run it through effects and everything and route it back out to an amp. There is precisely ZERO reason to switch back and forth between analog and digital and back again (sometimes multiple times). That all adds signal noise and another point of failure.
What's really missing is something better than standard, kinky, CAT5 cable. It needs to be a heavy duty cable with a great connector that stays in place. Also all of the analog devices (mics, guitar pickups, amps, etc) need to output digital audio natively.
There are tons of reasons that this is a good thing for the consumer. It will drive prices of digital and wireless headphones down while advancing the technology that is possible. It will reduce the price of headphones that have features like active noise cancelation or VR, 3D sound capabilities. The Lightning connector is great and more reliable and proven than USB-C at this point. I think we all need to move on and work with the adapter until we can get the new functionality we want in the market.
Nice and balanced perspective. No doubt that the world needs to move beyond the 3.5 mm analog jack but I'd argue that the proprietary Lightning connector is going to turn out to be an interim solution because of its proprietary nature. As an Apple afficianado I'm cool with Lightning but if I was a headphone manufacturer I'd be a little less enthusiastic. The premier solution for Apple devices is going to be Lightning sans dongle so responsive headphone manufacturers who want to capture the premier market are going to do Lightning directly which will add cost for consumers. This should not be a big deal, especially for headphone manufacturers who already have modular removable cords.
Apple could encourage Lightning adoption and make it less of an interim solution by releasing the Lightning specs to an open standards body like the IEC or ISO. While this would demonstrate goodwill it doesn't stop the eventual move to a totally open IP based standard for audio connectivity, which will probably follow the same trend as other IoT devices, whether using wireless or wired media. Perhaps the Lightning connector could be moved to an IP based protocol and serve as the functional equivalent to the analog phone jack for the next 50 years. But ultimately it's more important to define a standard for the underlying audio communication protocol than it is to put all of the focus on connectors and media. Once everyone is aligned around a standard protocol the media can be adapted to fit whatever use cases are required.
I'm surprised that people aren't quoting the part about how these were designed with the watch in mind. I think that Apple's long term vision is that the watch is eventually going to be the next iPod and phone as well as a fitness device (and watch). They can already hold songs in memory. But being small and on the wrist there was no way that they were going to put in an audio jack or lightning port. So, Bluetooth only. Now that they added in GPS, people will use their Applewatch even more without their iPhone - and the airpod makes a nice accessory for that; seemlessly switching from iPhone to Applewatch to iPhone. So, I think a lot of these will sell to people with Applewatch who want to listen to music while they exercise without needing the iPhone. Next step will be cellular data in next version of Applewatch to allow for music streaming. Stay ahead of the puck! Finally, since these are a custom apple Bluetooth implementation (added secret sauce to standard Bluetooth) it wouldn't surprise me if they are using something akin to what will be Bluetooth 5 standards for higher data rates and distance. Similarly, perhaps the same with the new Applewatches and iPhones?
Letting 3.5mm jack go is not revolutionary but evolutionary. With fast development in tech field, time already came(few years back) but Apple just did it. Now watch as others will follow fast behind and so many after market air-pods will come out at cheaper price that no one will care to miss wired earpods.
Take the number of times an ear bud fell out of my ear and was saved by the wire attached to it and multiply it by the cost of AirPods that will get lost or run over by a lawn mower when they fall out and you got a huge number. But I guess Apple is counting on that to increase sales and profits. I've had ear buds and headphones that have lasted years. I bet I'm not going to be able to hold on to something as small as AirPods for over a month. These things are asking to be lost. And I really don't want to have to buy a new Bluetooth equipped car just so I can listen to music and charge the darn device at the same time. Bottom line is if Apple is correct about all this wireless interaction, I'll be glad that I'll be dead and those that are left can enjoy their "Brave New World" where all their thoughts and words are being monitored by corporations and governments 24/7/365. You will never see Alexa in my house. Call me paranoid, if you so desire. I've been called worse.
Looks like iPhone 7 is the impetus for a rapidly expanding market for Bluetooth headphones and EarPods.
Most people will move on from wired and never look back.
yepp it s said to become a 16 billion USD market over the next few years *read the article on fortune) Apple did this not because it was time to do that but because it will generate additional revenue - anything else is just noise
That's the result, not the cause. Apple could have left the audio connector in and provided the wireless accessories with much less risk and would still have made a lot of revenue, but they also provided all buyers with an interim solution as well of a Lightning connected set of EarPods and a dongle for all others at no charge. Hardy the profitability you imagine.
Me, I agree with the meme that it is to repurpose the volume of the removed audio connector, mostly air, and use it to provide improved packaging of the camera module(s) and the taptic engine. Wireless headphones are also a necessity for listening to wearables such as the Apple Watch, and as Mac's support BT, it makes an elegant solution all around.
Take the number of times an ear bud fell out of my ear and was saved by the wire attached to it and multiply it by the cost of AirPods that will get lost or run over by a lawn mower when they fall out and you got a huge number. But I guess Apple is counting on that to increase sales and profits. I've had ear buds and headphones that have lasted years. I bet I'm not going to be able to hold on to something as small as AirPods for over a month. These things are asking to be lost. And I really don't want to have to buy a new Bluetooth equipped car just so I can listen to music and charge the darn device at the same time. Bottom line is if Apple is correct about all this wireless interaction, I'll be glad that I'll be dead and those that are left can enjoy their "Brave New World" where all their thoughts and words are being monitored by corporations and governments 24/7/365. You will never see Alexa in my house. Call me paranoid, if you so desire. I've been called worse.
Who the hell told you that you had to buy wireless earbuds, in the first place?
So you listen to music through your headphones while driving?
What about the amount of times where earbuds fall because the WIRE was stuck on something?
I won't call you paranoid, I will call you a troll. 1/10 troll attempt.
I'm sure the strange look has something to do with function (e.g. getting the mic close enough to your mouth) - we'll get used to it... And I really doubt they'll be lost very often - I believe we'll treat them like anything else we paid $159 for, and develop muscle-memory to deal with it, and we'll just get used to it...and after we do, something else will come along. I'd expect this sort of resistance from subscribers to 'Luddites & Troglodytes Monthly'...but, here? You aren't still cooking in a fire pit in the middle of your cave floor, are you? Well, it seems like some people are - and they shouldn't be bothering with Apple, or, for that matter, with any company with an imagination.
I'm sure the strange look has something to do with function (e.g. getting the mic close enough to your mouth) - we'll get used to it... And I really doubt they'll be lost very often - I believe we'll treat them like anything else we paid $159 for, and develop muscle-memory to deal with it, and we'll just get used to it...and after we do, something else will come along. I'd expect this sort of resistance from subscribers to 'Luddites & Troglodytes Monthly'...but, here? You aren't still cooking in a fire pit in the middle of your cave floor, are you? Well, it seems like some people are - and they shouldn't be bothering with Apple, or, for that matter, with any company with an imagination.
There’s a certain segment of the population that simply cannot be satisfied with anything. They will find SOMETHING to bitch about no matter what. You run into these people everywhere, at work, at the gym, at church. They are downers through and through. Ignore them because they will drag you down with them. If you say it’s a beautiful blue sky today they will say that blue skies suck and grey is better.
Comments
Sadly, I'm probably going to wait till next year to upgrade my phone, my current 6+ is still so fucking good there's really no reason, but I am curious to see how earphone offerings change in the next year or so, I'd expect some exciting new developments in that area being offered. Fun days ahead in tech.
Very few people will care one iota about *how* their white earbuds connect. Seeing the number of people with Apple's earbuds in use on any city street, subway, bus, etc shows just how few people use anything aftermarket, so how small the crowd of complainers will be.
http://www.macworld.com/article/3117706/headphones/airpods-hands-on-they-stayed-in-my-ears-and-sounded-awesome.html
I'm keeping the wireless headphones I have because they have cord so I can wear them around my neck.
Apple could encourage Lightning adoption and make it less of an interim solution by releasing the Lightning specs to an open standards body like the IEC or ISO. While this would demonstrate goodwill it doesn't stop the eventual move to a totally open IP based standard for audio connectivity, which will probably follow the same trend as other IoT devices, whether using wireless or wired media. Perhaps the Lightning connector could be moved to an IP based protocol and serve as the functional equivalent to the analog phone jack for the next 50 years. But ultimately it's more important to define a standard for the underlying audio communication protocol than it is to put all of the focus on connectors and media. Once everyone is aligned around a standard protocol the media can be adapted to fit whatever use cases are required.
So, I think a lot of these will sell to people with Applewatch who want to listen to music while they exercise without needing the iPhone. Next step will be cellular data in next version of Applewatch to allow for music streaming. Stay ahead of the puck!
Finally, since these are a custom apple Bluetooth implementation (added secret sauce to standard Bluetooth) it wouldn't surprise me if they are using something akin to what will be Bluetooth 5 standards for higher data rates and distance. Similarly, perhaps the same with the new Applewatches and iPhones?
Me, I agree with the meme that it is to repurpose the volume of the removed audio connector, mostly air, and use it to provide improved packaging of the camera module(s) and the taptic engine. Wireless headphones are also a necessity for listening to wearables such as the Apple Watch, and as Mac's support BT, it makes an elegant solution all around.
And I really doubt they'll be lost very often - I believe we'll treat them like anything else we paid $159 for,
and develop muscle-memory to deal with it, and we'll just get used to it...and after we do, something else will come along.
I'd expect this sort of resistance from subscribers to 'Luddites & Troglodytes Monthly'...but, here?
You aren't still cooking in a fire pit in the middle of your cave floor, are you?
Well, it seems like some people are - and they shouldn't be bothering with Apple, or, for that matter, with any company with an imagination.