'iPhone 7' might replace 3.5mm headphone jack with second speaker, analysts say

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in iPhone
Apple's next-generation iPhone -- expected to abandon a 3.5mm headphone jack -- will probably replace the part with a second speaker, according to a Barclays research memo obtained by AppleInsider.




To power the speaker, Apple will use a second amp built by supplier Cirrus Logic, said analysts Blayne Curtis and Christopher Hemmelgarn. The headphone jack on the iPhone 6s is located along the same edge as its single speaker, which might make it a natural location to expand into stereo.

A number of competing smartphones already offer stereo speakers. Sometimes these are located along the same edge, but in other cases they're on opposite ends of a device, enabling better panning when in landscape mode.

In contrast with a recent report, Curtis and Hemmelgarn argued that the next iPhone will not employ dynamic noise cancellation, but instead use a basic digital codec. Built-in noise cancellation might instead have to wait for an "iPhone 7s" in 2017.

The analysts added that the "iPhone 7" should, however, ship with its own Lightning-equipped headphones. In January a rumor indicated that Apple might also offer truly wireless Bluetooth headphones as an optional accessory, ditching not just a 3.5mm cable, but even a connecting wire between earpieces.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 35
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    This is the dumbest rumor yet. I'm all for removing the 3.5mm headphone jack unless it's for this. The quality of a speaker that small, and the lack of spatial separation makes this all but pointless for the customer. Barclay's is just speculating, and doing so badly. Did they bother to consult with any audio engineers first?


    edited February 2016 cnocbuijbdragon1983
  • Reply 2 of 35
    Yay! More speakers so that annoying ringtones will be even louder and more intrusive! I can't wait for more noise pollution and rudeness!!!!
  • Reply 3 of 35
    rob55rob55 Posts: 1,291member
    mac_128 said:
    This is the dumbest rumor yet. I'm all for removing the 3.5mm headphone jack unless it's for this. The quality of a speaker that small, and the lack of spatial separation makes this all but pointless for the customer. Barclay's is just speculating, and doing so badly. Did they bother to consult with any audio engineers first?


    Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. The stereo separation at 2" is going to be mind blowing! 
    jbdragoncornchip1983
  • Reply 4 of 35
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    If I want stereo separation from a phone I plug it into one of my HiFis or pjug in a good set of headphones - oh wait!
    jbdragonmichael scripcornchipargonaut
  • Reply 5 of 35
    Maybe they are to add audio to the annoying "Get on our Wavelength" Pop-Ups every time you click on radio by accident.
    edited February 2016 freshmaker1983hungover
  • Reply 6 of 35
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,192member
    rob55 said:
    Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. The stereo separation at 2" is going to be mind blowing! 
    Yes, iPhone and iPad speakers are so d@mn directional, the separation would be significant.
  • Reply 7 of 35
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    I already use my Beats Solo2 Wireless headphones with my iPhone 6 so I don’t care if the iPhone 7 has that 100+ year old jack technology or not.


    jony0pmzsuddenly newton
  • Reply 8 of 35
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    this rumor is about Cirrus Logic, The analysis is trying to drive up interest in Cirrus Logic, why by saying the phone will have a second chip, which mean Apple business with them will double. Idiots who believe this, the chip in the phone is most likely a stereo chip already, who make mono sound chip these days. Even if it was mono chip, apple would not add a second chip, they would got to stereo chip. Plus, most likely the chip that drives the speaker also drives the headphones which is stereo.
  • Reply 9 of 35
    knowitallknowitall Posts: 1,648member
    No noise cancellation, no wireless headphones?
    I didn't know it was possible to buy otherwise nowedays.
  • Reply 10 of 35
    Separation aside, having stereo speakers would reduce intermodulation distortion because the speakers aren't having to work as hard to reproduce disparate frequencies.  
    pmz
  • Reply 11 of 35
    Is that mean we won't be able to recharge iPhone while listening to music? And bluetooth headphones means they need recharging too, its getting harder to listen to music?
    cnocbui
  • Reply 12 of 35
    mac_128 said:
    This is the dumbest rumor yet. I'm all for removing the 3.5mm headphone jack unless it's for this. The quality of a speaker that small, and the lack of spatial separation makes this all but pointless for the customer. Barclay's is just speculating, and doing so badly. Did they bother to consult with any audio engineers first?


    Thanks for cheering me up by pointing out how vague the rumor is.  I wish Apple would internalize the notion that people really need at least TWO ports - power + other.  My common use case is to charge my phone in my car while listening to music.  My car's got an awesome stereo, but needs a physical connection.

    I wonder if it would be possible to make an adapter that not only has a headphone jack but a pass through lightning charger?  Then the issue would be moot. :)

    argonaut
  • Reply 13 of 35
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    knowitall said:
    No noise cancellation, no wireless headphones?
    I didn't know it was possible to buy otherwise nowedays.
    http://www.head-fi.org/

  • Reply 14 of 35
    SEngineer said:
    Is that mean we won't be able to recharge iPhone while listening to music? And bluetooth headphones means they need recharging too, its getting harder to listen to music?
    1) a pass-thru adapter is conceivable.

    2) i use BT headphones several days a week, i just have to charge them on occasion. its part of a routine like my other wireless devices.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 15 of 35
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    rob55 said:
    mac_128 said:
    This is the dumbest rumor yet. I'm all for removing the 3.5mm headphone jack unless it's for this. The quality of a speaker that small, and the lack of spatial separation makes this all but pointless for the customer. Barclay's is just speculating, and doing so badly. Did they bother to consult with any audio engineers first?


    Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. The stereo separation at 2" is going to be mind blowing! 
    It would be awesome and I'm sure that the stereo separation would be great if somebody's head was the size of a golfball.
    jony01983
  • Reply 16 of 35
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    Separation aside, having stereo speakers would reduce intermodulation distortion because the speakers aren't having to work as hard to reproduce disparate frequencies.  
    I suspect this is negligible as it is.
    jdiamond said:

    I wonder if it would be possible to make an adapter that not only has a headphone jack but a pass through lightning charger?  Then the issue would be moot. :)

    Of course, passthrough connectors have been around for decades, look no further than your grandparents christmas tree lights. Same concept.
  • Reply 17 of 35
    Why does the iPhone 5s have 2 speakers but the iPhone 6 does not?  Why was the headphone jack moved to the bottom of the phone when it was previously on top?
  • Reply 18 of 35
    jony0jony0 Posts: 378member
    rob55 said:
    mac_128 said:
    This is the dumbest rumor yet. I'm all for removing the 3.5mm headphone jack unless it's for this. The quality of a speaker that small, and the lack of spatial separation makes this all but pointless for the customer. Barclay's is just speculating, and doing so badly. Did they bother to consult with any audio engineers first?
    Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. The stereo separation at 2" is going to be mind blowing! 
    Indeed, 2 speakers on the bottom for portrait stereo is money well wasted and totally useless. However landscape stereo wouldn't be a bad idea for those who watch movies on their phone, something I would prefer not do, considering all the larger screen options, I would rather wait.
    Separation aside, having stereo speakers would reduce intermodulation distortion because the speakers aren't having to work as hard to reproduce disparate frequencies.  
    Disparate frequencies ? Stereo uses 2 different signals or channels but using the same frequency range. I'm not sure if you're thinking about a 2-way system with 2 speaker drivers, such as woofer & tweeter with a crossover in same enclosure, with different (or disparate) frequency ranges, in which case, is essentially not in the same discussion as stereo.
    However if it were a 2-way system rather than stereo, which I would think unlikely, it certainly would make much more sense to put them side by side at the bottom, although this would still produce a mono single channel output.
  • Reply 19 of 35
    bluefire1bluefire1 Posts: 1,301member
    The next iPhone has to distinguish itself much more then what was suggested in the article, or I, like many others, will be waiting for the iPhone 7s or iPhone 8.
    edited February 2016
  • Reply 20 of 35
    SEngineer said:
    Is that mean we won't be able to recharge iPhone while listening to music? And bluetooth headphones means they need recharging too, its getting harder to listen to music?
    1) a pass-thru adapter is conceivable.

    2) i use BT headphones several days a week, i just have to charge them on occasion. its part of a routine like my other wireless devices.
    Yeah That Means its harder to listen music, eg, I wont buy an apple watch, a watch  which I need to charge everyday and a watch that I  need to upgrade every year, bluetooth headphones are good options but if they r the only alternative its sucks, it makes u   listening to music less than before  pyshclogically...Those r bad ideas sorry...a pass tru adapter sucks too
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