Mob opinion is generally not the best gauge of reality.
Look at all the shit people are posting about Apple removing an ancient analog audio port, vs how many people are posting about Samsung the phone that self combusts.
Look at all the shit people are posting about Apple removing an ancient analog audio port, vs how many people are posting about Samsung the phone that self combusts.
Also, technology is not "ancient" just because it's 50 years old. Electric motor is over 180 years old, and that's not ancient. It's not ancient if it's used everywhere. If it's used everywhere, it's called modern.
Degree to which my life would be affected if my apartment burnt down - uh, lots.
Now, there are plenty of other great reasons why I refuse to buy Apple products and stick with the platform that at least gives me some level of Software Freedom. Getting rid of the headphones jack? Doesn't rate particularly highly there.
You may also appreciate that Samgsung's fiasco was unintentional, while Apple's choice was deliberate. One is a PR and product disaster, while the other is a cash grab. Conflating issues just because they happened to rival company with loud fan base is dubious.
iPhone 7 included adapter rate: 100%.
If a phone blowing up is not something to be concerned with (ignoring all the Airlines and government departments telling people to turn them off while flying), then a removed audio port shouldn't even factor into your consciousness when you consider that they give you the adapter for free.
> Also, technology is not "ancient" just because it's 50 years old.
In the world of consumer electronics, 50 years is ancient.
At the end of the day the way the 3.5mm jack is used in 2016 is the ultimate hack-on-a-hack-on-a-hack. The plugs are all the same size, but they could have anywhere from 2 to 5 contact points, depending on device type/manufacturer.
It worked for a while, but at some point you have to move on, and someone has to be the first to move. As I said in another comment, Apple has always been ahead of the pack when it comes to adopting new technology and dropping legacy technology.
> Electric motor is over 180 years old, and that's not ancient. It's not ancient if it's used everywhere. If it's used everywhere, it's called modern
No, if its used everywhere its called "popular" or "ubiquitous".
An electric motor can be modern, if it's a new/recent design. That doesn't make all electric motors modern.
iPhone 1-7 requires proprietary connector rate: 100%.
> It worked for a while, but at some point you have to move > on, and someone has to be the first to move. As I said in > another comment, Apple has always been ahead of the pack > when it comes to adopting new technology and dropping > legacy technology.
That'd be a great argument if what Apple was providing was objectively BETTER than the status quo. However, I'd wager that most people wouldn't call needing an adapter to utilize off the shelf headphones they already own or having to buy very expensive ones that will only work on SOME Apple products (not every Mac comes with a proprietary Lightning port) an improvement.
It's a pity too because I was seriously considering making the switch over to an iPhone next year, but then Apple goes and reminds how poorly they play with others.
EDIT: Oh and I almost forgot, want to charge your phone and use wired headphones at the same time? Better buy another adapter (not included).
Apple is only the latest company to remove the headphone jack.
The Le 2 range of devices from LeEco - http://www.androidauthority.com/first-phones-without-headpho...
Motorola Moto Z https://www.motorola.com/us/products/moto-z-droid-edition
And the Oppo R5 from 2014 http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/29/7091055/this-android-smar...
And there is no equivalent port on their laptops, so I can't even use the same headphones with my laptop?!
This is annoying, and the new usb spec is fine as a replacement for lightening. I am a very frustrated Apple customer, and it has me for the first time considering not buying another of their phones.
An ancient audio port being migrated to a $9 adapter is the end of days.
> Meanwhile, "the death of analog, open standards" is worth discussing.
Just like the death of the standard floppy disc. And the death of the standard optical disc. And the death of the standard parallel and serial ports. The death of the standard PS2 port.
Motorola released a phone earlier this year with no analog 3.5mm jack. Where was the overreaction, the ridiculous petitions and bullshit we see whenever Apple does something?
Nobody is taking the stance that Samsung batteries exploding is a Good Thing. And it's not as if the story doesn't have traction - I'm seeing jokes all over the place about exploding Samsungs. Until someone unearths a story about wilfil negligence (such as when Capacitor Plague was being caused by failed industrial espionage), there's just not much to discuss. We already had the Chinese Batteries discussion recently with the hoverboards.
> Where was the overreaction, the ridiculous petitions and bullshit we see whenever Apple does something
I addressed this - Apple's marketing is to create massive buzz and expectations with marketing like "perfection" and "magical". Of course there's going to be backlash. They revel in it. They used to market themselves as "the crazy ones".
edit: also, Apple also has far bigger market mindshare than Motorola. They alone have the power to bifurcate a market into proprietary standards. With the Motorola phone, people just go "eh" and buy a Samsung. With the Apple, they're still breaking sales records.
My point was that Apple dropped all of those things while the "mainstream PC" industry was still shipping them as standard items.
> most new headphones sold still have a cable
cough "Bluetooth headphones account for 54 percent of U.S. dollar sales in the category, according to NPD"
https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/news/press-releases/20...
Seriously if it is by revenue that means there are at least a hundred times more people using $10 quite decent wired headphones.
Me included. I don't want blue tooth headphones. Ever!! Can I make it more clear?
There is no comparison possible between a bad battery problem in one particular phone and headphone jack removal.
The fact is Apple has a very long tradition of making every part of their ecosystem more proprietary over time and fucking their own customers over along the way.
Just consider the lightning port. As if it wasn't bad enough they refused to use the ancient industry standard micro USB in the first place, they then went on to screw over their own customers by changing their own connector
As far as the floppy drive, a lot of us had long since dropped it in the PC industry even if charitable vendors were courageous enough to offer long term to support to customers who may still have had a legacy requirement at the time.
I think in all those situations an alternative newer option was made and existed in parallel gradually gaining support until the other older tech wasn't needed.
Personally I don't think I've ever seen anyone using wireless earbuds despite Bluetooth having been around a long time. Bluetooth earpieces for phone calls were common for a while, but more recently I've seen more people use a wired mic on their earphone cable.
It does seem likely to me that we'll move wireless with ear-buds but this transition seems much more forced than the others you've cited.
hides headphones that don't require charging in drawer
There is a real risk of the Samsung causing a great deal of damage and/or injury. It's been fucking banned by most major airlines because of the risk, and after much typical Samsung fucking about, have issued a full recall.
> vs making me have to buy new headphones if I get the latest iPhone.
Why. Why do you need to buy new headphones?
Either you
a) genuinely aren't aware they include a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter in the box, but somehow feel the need to comment about an aspect you've apparently spent 0 seconds researching; or
b) you know damn well they include an adapter and you're being disingenuous.
This type of thing is exactly what I'm talking about. You downplay a literal health and safety risk "eh, it won't happen to me" but trump up complaints about "i can't use my headphones" which are not even accurate.
I know its "cool" to be anti-Apple, but you're clutching at straws.
I sincerely doubt that someone would be anti-Apple on HN just because it's cool. What Apple is doing is a conscious choice of direction, which has a lot of potential for discussion.
What Samsung did is catastrophic, yes. However, it doesn't have any depth for discussion. Yes they messed up big time, and yes the situation has been down-played, but in the end, it affects Samsung market share and the health of the poor people who got affected. Discussing the market-share of Samsung and their policies doesn't have any meaning, and for the people, you can only hope that the authorities take enough precautions.
On the other hand, Apple has been making decisions, which, in the end, can affect far more many people, regardless of their usage of Apple products, in a good or bad way, for a far longer term. It is a statement, at the very least.
Or maybe I'm exaggerating, that's also possible.
Isn't it just Bluetooth?
To me, that's the real magic. Pairing is obviously very slick, but being able to seamlessly transition between host devices is huge.
You've posted about the adapter multiple times now, but unless the adapter has the 3.5mm jack and a power connector allowing a person to use their head phones and charge the phone simultaneously it's not equivalent of the existing functionality.