Now that Apple has officially angered me ...

[mrochester]

That's fine they included the dongle- but personally I hate dongles and adapters. The problem I have with them in in many situations in real world use, they just aren't around when you need them. It's like having a pair of headphones with a 1/4 jack and everything I use has 1/8. Sure, sure, just use an adapter. But I know I won't- It'll end up NEVER being around when I need it and just want to pop the headphones on for a quick listen. This has been my experience with such things. "Just leave it on the headphones!" Sure- sounds good- until you go and use the headphones with another device that doesn't require the adapter... let me just set this needless dongle down somewhere... oops... next I need it, where the F is it?

I wouldn't want an iPhone anyway, but certainly not minus the headphone jack. As I said, it's iPhone owners I see pissed off about it- and as I also predicted... They'll come around! I can't really fault them, as I said for my own reasons, I've had to give up things I wanted for the phones I prefer. To me, a non-removable battery is a compromise I've had to accept. (Thankfully, lack of SD storage wasn't.)

This just makes you sound careless.

 

[mrochester]

Don't they have to invent it first?

Wireless charging already exists. It's been in electric toothbrushes for years and years.

 

[Megatomic]

Wireless charging already exists. It's been in electric toothbrushes for years and years.

I think you missed the invisible /s flag on his post.

 

[mrochester]

I think you missed the invisible /s flag on his post.

It doesn't even make sense as a sarcastic comment.

 

[Fingolfin269]

It doesn't even make sense as a sarcastic comment.

I think you must have missed a lot of internet message board discussion on Apple products.

 

[mrochester]

I think you must have missed a lot of internet message board discussion on Apple products.

No? Unless you're referring to the nonsense that just needs to be ignored.

 

[Megatomic]

It doesn't even make sense as a sarcastic comment.

Oh it does if you step out of the ARDF.

 

[mrochester]

Oh it does if you step out of the ARDF.

No it doesn't.

 

[Zaap]

This just makes you sound careless.

You're right in the sense I could care less about needing a stupid dongle with a 'smart'phone. (Or forced to use a standard I: a. already can use, but b. prefer the choice not to as different situations outlined in this thread dictate.)

 

[poofyhairguy]

I am kinda at a loss that Apple only fixed one side of the use for a headphone jack- headphones (mostly for working out it seems).

What about home audio? What about your car?

They should have also released a new car solution with that W1 chip and announced that as of today you can buy a BMW with it built in. Also they really needed a Chromecast Audio competitor with a W1 built it. That would give an Apple fan a full set of solutions.

Apple half assed it.

 

[Fingolfin269]

I am kinda at a loss that Apple only fixed one side of the use for a headphone jack- headphones (mostly for working out it seems)..

Apple half assed it.

What did they solve in the workout headphone realm? The plantronics backbeat bt headphones are still more versatile than anything Apple showed. Unless you're telling me you can swim in air pods...

 

[lopri]

Home button is indispensable for non-techie people though. It is going to be a confusing transition for those who are used to iPhones and Galaxy phones.

 

[Kazukian]

Home button is indispensable for non-techie people though. It is going to be a confusing transition for those who are used to iPhones and Galaxy phones.

It seems you'll just use the bottom 1/8th of the screen, pretty simple.

 

[lopri]

You lack empathy or have not seen seniors trying to use smartphones.

An off topic: what is going on with Apple's marketing department? I thought "Apple Watch Edition" was pretty bad. Now they have a "Fusion" CPU and "Telephoto"??

 

[Kazukian]

You lack empathy or have not seen seniors trying to use smartphones.

An off topic: what is going on with Apple's marketing department? I thought "Apple Watch Edition" was pretty bad. Now they have a "Fusion" CPU and "Telephoto"??

I think it'll be easier for them.

 

[Zaap]

I am kinda at a loss that Apple only fixed one side of the use for a headphone jack- headphones (mostly for working out it seems).

What about home audio? What about your car?

They should have also released a new car solution with that W1 chip and announced that as of today you can buy a BMW with it built in. Also they really needed a Chromecast Audio competitor with a W1 built it. That would give an Apple fan a full set of solutions.

Apple half assed it.

Im curious what else they need to do, as far as car audio.

Frankly, I find Bluetooth AND the headphone jack a bit outdated in the car. Newer cars (as I imagine Apple would cater to) have direct connections (mUSB, USB-C or Lightning) and use Android Auto or Car Play.

Android Auto in my 2016 Volt was a bit hit and miss previously, so I didn't think much about it, but ever since my Note 7 and Android 6... holy crap! Android Auto rocks. The phone is plugged in direct so the sound quality is top notch AND it charges- kills two birds with one cable- and as a bonus, I can actually still use the phone screen even with A.A. on the dash screen.

The AA interface allows full control of the phone from the wheel controls, touch screen, or direct voice command, something BT will never be as polished at.

I don't use Car Play (and it sucked ass when I borrowed my wife's older iPhone 5 to test it in my car, but then that might just be the vintage of iPhone, never tried it with her 6) but I'd imagine it works just as good with newer iPhones.

Anyway, I can't see why Apple wouldn't be pushing Car Play in newer cars, not some arcane BT pairing, even if their new BT pairing is supposed to somehow be superior to the last gen. (I personally never had a problem with any of my phones pairing with my car via BT the second it's near it, but I guess that's a huge issue somewhere.)

As for BT sound quality- I'm no audiophile, but I swear to my ears it always sounds just a touch on the shrill side compared to a direct connection, especially in bass response. I know there may be people who will swear up and down that it's just dandy, but to my ears it's inferior, ever-so-slightly to wired. (In the car that is.)

 

[zinfamous]

You lack empathy or have not seen seniors trying to use smartphones.

Of course I haven't..because they all use flip phones.

 

[core2slow]

Kind of funny to see Apple straddle between catering the iphone to the lowest common denominator/simplistic users, and at the same time, trying to move toward the future (not sure if removing headphone jack or removing physical home button qualify). I want to think that they're at the cusp of switching up the iphone (it's seriously the same design for almost a DECADE now) to refresh the brand, but they'll have to go at it with baby steps to transition their core users (kids, parents, grandparents, etc).

 

[openwheel]

Sad to see what the iPhone has become, but regardless my wife is getting one and I am sure it will sell very well. People will line up to buy crappy Beats headphone that plugs directly into the lightening port.

That dongle though....

LOL
LOL
LOL

I'll stick with my Audio Technica thank you very much.

 

[dainthomas]

Sad to see what the iPhone has become, but regardless my wife is getting one and I am sure it will sell very well. People will line up to buy crappy Beats headphone that plugs directly into the lightening port.

That dongle though....

LOL
LOL
LOL

I'll stick with my Audio Technica thank you very much.

I actually like the bluetooth Beats Studio 2.0 that I have.

 

[lxskllr]

(not sure if removing headphone jack or removing physical home button qualify). I want to think that they're at the cusp of switching up the iphone (it's seriously the same design for almost a DECADE now) to refresh the brand, but they'll have to go at it with baby steps to transition their core users (kids, parents, grandparents, etc).

I think they changed it up to be "clever". What else can you change on a smart phone? It's a finalized design. It's like changing up a keyboard. You can, but you're probably doing it wrong. Instead of improving, they're changing for change's sake.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I think they changed it up to be "clever". What else can you change on a smart phone?

A lot. Smartphones 5-10 years from now will look completely different than today, with flexible form factors (think of a folding smartphone or one that can bend to turn into a smartwatch on your wrist).

Just in the short term it is easy to imagine an iPhone with smaller bezels.

 

[quikah]

Just in the short term it is easy to imagine an iPhone with smaller bezels.

Woah, smaller bezels? Such innovation!

 

[Aikouka]

Frankly, I find Bluetooth AND the headphone jack a bit outdated in the car. Newer cars (as I imagine Apple would cater to) have direct connections (mUSB, USB-C or Lightning) and use Android Auto or Car Play.

What annoys me about auto audio is that most manufacturers do not offer upgrades, and given how intertwined things are, you cannot use an aftermarket unit without losing some serious features. For example, on my Ford, features such as heated/cooled seats or the heated steering wheel can only be controlled through the infotainment system. Also, as you adjust the temperature (via the infotainment system or the hardware buttons), the temperature readout is only on the screen. This is exacerbated by the fact that MyFord Touch is still a buggy mess. If I put my car into reverse a few seconds after turning the car on, it goes to a black screen for about 10-20 seconds where nothing works. I don't know about you, but to me, when so much crap is tied into the infotainment system, having a huge, repeatable failure like that isn't acceptable.

But what really annoys me is that Ford offers no official Sync 3 upgrades, which is frustrating given that it is functionally possible... especially if you already have the large screen MyFord Touch variant (the smaller screen requires a custom cable). Right now, you have to pay $2000 to some third party just for the hardware. Although, if you do that, you'll finally have CarPlay.

 

[Eug]

The LCD screen replacement for the multimedia system on my 2004 Toyota Prius was $3000. $3000! They offered me a refurb for $1200 after I said "uh, no", to which I said "uh, no" again. Eventually I found some Prius wrecker in the US who offered repairs or replacements for $300, so I bought one of those, and installed it myself. It took me about 1.5 hours to disassemble my dash, and about the same to reassemble it, but definitely worth it.

Essentially NO aftermarket units were available for that model.