Stereo sound on iPhone 7 uses standard speaker plus earpiece in landscape mode
Apple's new stereo sound implementation on the iPhone 7 series of phones utilizes the bottom speaker in conjunction with a balanced earphone on the device, instead of a second edge-mounted speaker.
With the iPhone 7 family, Apple has implemented stereo on-device for the first time. Apple hasn't published full speaker specifications yet, but claims that the new speakers deliver two times the volume of the iPhone 6s, and "increased dynamic range."
AppleInsider has spoken with several audio engineers, and all of them agree that Apple's implementation of on-device stereo will be good enough for close listening, but the stereo channels will be indistinguishable at a range of greater than about four feet from the device.
"From what I've seen, Apple looks to have worked out the balance issue with the little iPhone speakers," one engineer told us. "If you want consistent stereo channel separation from any phone, though, stick with headphones."
The iPhone 7 Plus has a slightly wider distance between the speakers than the iPhone 7. We were told by the engineers we asked that it would make no appreciable increase in the maximum range from the phone that users would still be able to pick out discrete stereo channels.
AppleInsider will be examining the stereo performance as soon as possible.
The iPhone 7 has not included the legacy headphone jack, causing some consternation by consumers post-release. A post-release interview by Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller and Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering Dan Riccio explained the shift to the Lightning connector, and focused on wireless streaming and engineering considerations.
Beyond just internal space considerations on the iPhone, reliance on the Lightning connector for audio out opens up possibilities for higher bitrate audio, and lossless streaming to external devices. Legacy Bluetooth devices are supported by the new W1 wireless chip, and vice versa -- a W1-equipped speaker set can sync to conventional Bluetooth phones as well.
"Most Bluetooth speakers are compact, with decent sound, but lack channel separation," we were told by the same engineer. "If you're listening to your music on any phone's speakers or most Bluetooth streamers, you're not that concerned about audio quality, generally."
With the iPhone 7 family, Apple has implemented stereo on-device for the first time. Apple hasn't published full speaker specifications yet, but claims that the new speakers deliver two times the volume of the iPhone 6s, and "increased dynamic range."
AppleInsider has spoken with several audio engineers, and all of them agree that Apple's implementation of on-device stereo will be good enough for close listening, but the stereo channels will be indistinguishable at a range of greater than about four feet from the device.
"From what I've seen, Apple looks to have worked out the balance issue with the little iPhone speakers," one engineer told us. "If you want consistent stereo channel separation from any phone, though, stick with headphones."
The iPhone 7 Plus has a slightly wider distance between the speakers than the iPhone 7. We were told by the engineers we asked that it would make no appreciable increase in the maximum range from the phone that users would still be able to pick out discrete stereo channels.
AppleInsider will be examining the stereo performance as soon as possible.
"If you're listening to your music on any phone's speakers or most Bluetooth streamers, you're not that concerned about audio quality, generally."
The iPhone 7 has not included the legacy headphone jack, causing some consternation by consumers post-release. A post-release interview by Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller and Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering Dan Riccio explained the shift to the Lightning connector, and focused on wireless streaming and engineering considerations.
Beyond just internal space considerations on the iPhone, reliance on the Lightning connector for audio out opens up possibilities for higher bitrate audio, and lossless streaming to external devices. Legacy Bluetooth devices are supported by the new W1 wireless chip, and vice versa -- a W1-equipped speaker set can sync to conventional Bluetooth phones as well.
"Most Bluetooth speakers are compact, with decent sound, but lack channel separation," we were told by the same engineer. "If you're listening to your music on any phone's speakers or most Bluetooth streamers, you're not that concerned about audio quality, generally."
Comments
If this makes the speakerphone be able to be twice as loud, that's an awesome improvement.
I dont consider adding a second speaker, even if only making the iPhone speakers louder to be a valid exchange for the headphone jack. But I'm going to wait for the tear downs to see how this was accomplished. I'm dissapointed Phil did not go into the technology to make it possible, but rumors are that they haven't really added much to do it, so this isn't the primary culprit. The Taptic Engine seems to be the biggest reason for removing the headphone jack.
in the end, nobody was complaining about how poor the iPhone speaker was, and stereo is not really practical on a device with such poor speakers so close together. As long as they actually innovated here and didn't just ditch the headphone jack, then more power to them.
This would have been the PERFECT time for Apple to announce in house game development or acquire Nintendo or a different studio.
Is it possible to use the new home button for gaming now? If so it would be amazing playing games like Mario Run by tapping the home button and have the entire screen open and free from fingers.
seems to be a derogatory choice of adverb, given the fact that you can have wired and wireless options as well. This is the 8th choice of sound options that I can see
1) portrait dual bottom speaker
2) airplay to external sound system
3) wireless to Apple ear pods
4) wireless to non-apple BT earpods
5) wireless to BT sound system
6) wired to lightning earpods
7) wired to external USB connected sound system
8) landscape mode with software sound balancing.
I think it's almost overkill (although this is apple sweating the details it can sweat), and not an 'Institutionalized segregation of a minority class to an economically depressed geography' of sound solution...
Thanks
Honestly, you would have thought Apple killed someone's puppy yesterday, with all the ceaseless wailing and gnashing of teeth, and promises to forego all things Apple until the end of time.
Early reviews from the hands-on are very positive, for what that's worth. Not that that will matter to anyone.
Got that right.
Also, while the software is going to have to do a lot of heavy lifting, including muting the volume when you raise the phone to your ear, I'm not sure there's any way to make the earpiece and bottom speaker sound the same. Both speakers are of such low quality that it may not make a difference, but sound is going to be reflected differently if the right is facing front, and the left is facing the side.
I think it's a cool solution, and worthy of Apple's heritage, but I'm curious to see how it actually sounds. As long as they didn't take up a lot of extra space to do it, then why not.
It's a phone and a headphone jack for cryin' out corn!