[whatisjitter]

I just read this article and haven't found anything similar in this section:
 
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2014/06/05/apple-to-abandon-headphone-jack-suddenly-beats-deal-makes-sense/
 
So rumors are that Apple is going to introduce a new headphone jack standard for its iPhone in the future. It will use the
Lightning connector as a headphone output which is supposed to be licensed with the MFi standard (Made For i). Every
other company fabricating headphone needs to license their headphone for iPhone use, needs to pay license fees and so on.
Additionally, they need to send prototypes of their headphone prior to release to Apples headquarter for licensing.
Some people suspect that the iPhone 6 will abandon the headphone jack completely giving Apple all power over the headphones
used with its product.
 
Suddenly the Beats buy seems to make sense ...

 

[HiFiAudio]

We been discussing this in the other thread
 
see http://www.head-fi.org/t/717965/news-apple-acquires-beats-for-3-billion-update-full-interview-on-recode-net/255
 
There really is no advantage to this, except to remove a connector from a iPad or iPhone.    Problem is that you can't convince consumers that all their 3.5 MM earphones and comparable headphones are not worthy to being used with a future iPad or iPhone.     More likely this is increased flexibility with mobile (automobile for example) setups, but even that with current Bluetooth abilities makes this rumor essentially toothless.    Really who wants wires in a car or on a plane for example?   There is no appreciable audio quality improvement either to be gained.

 

[Mambosenior]

If this headphone jack business turns out to be true—blow me, Apple....and I am a stock owner.

 

[eugenius]

Yes, they are secretly planning Thunderbolt headphones, with much better bandwidth. Adapters will be cheap at $99.

 

[whatisjitter]

  We been discussing this in the other thread
 
see http://www.head-fi.org/t/717965/news-apple-acquires-beats-for-3-billion-update-full-interview-on-recode-net/255
 

 
Yes indeed, I found it now. I read into the thread but not too carefully so I didn't see post #239 by Redcarmoose which links the initial article to this rumor.
 

  This out 16 hours ago. New mfi specs!
 
http://9to5mac.com/2014/06/03/apple-introduces-mfi-specs-for-lightning-cable-headphones-support-arriving-in-future-ios-update/
 
 
The Lightning headphones will be capable of receiving lossless stereo 48 kHz digital audio output from Apple devices and sending mono 48 kHz digital audio input. The input means that the headphones will also support a microphone for audio input following Apple’s upcoming update. Manufacturers will be able to take advantage of Apple Headphone Remote controls like Volume Up/Down/etc, as well as other buttons for launching specific apps such as iTunes Radio or initiating playback controls on iOS. In addition, the headphones can be made to work specifically with a companion iOS app and launch a specific app when connected to an iOS device.

 
I thought it might be worth to be a separate thread but I can close the thread if it is not relevant. Just PM me.
 
I think it is super disturbing to see Apple forcing users into using separate DAC with their product instead of
integrating a proper one. Especially in the MacBooks which are pretty expensive: I have an old and a quite new MacBook
and in the new one the headphone jack is unusable because of an extremely loud humming coming from the poweradapter.
If Apple was about improving their sound quality they hadn't have bought Beats but 3 different companies (headphones,
DAC company, streaming service) as has been discussed before. Now it kind of makes sense to me because if you want
to force the average Apple customer into buying a certain headphone brand Beats is probably the easiest way ...
Other companies will have to increase the prices to their products in order to integrate DACs and licensing fees. Another
disturbing fact is that they have to present their product prior to release to their competitor in order to get licensing.

 

[Xeculus]

I've been waiting for the new iPhone 6 for some time now but if they remove the 3.5mm jack, I swear I will buy my first Android.

 

[Wildgift]

  I've been waiting for the new iPhone 6 for some time now but if they remove the 3.5mm jack, I swear I will buy my first Android.

God, agreed.

 

[vantt1]

My prediction in November 2012 was a bit off. 2.5 mm is too standard for Apple. The adapters part was right though!
 

 
I wonder what's going to happen with the bundled earphone? It's not like they're going to be good enough to fully utilize digital audio, and I doubt Apple's going to scrap the EarPods.

 

[Hapster]

Posted in other thread:
...Not always, dac chips are small and they can not only easily produce their own circuitry, they can develop ways to make it smaller. Though I can't imagine it being done in little IEMS maybe they'll have like a headband and it could be inside there, but who knows.

Personally I think it's a cool idea, but it seems like they really want to isolate themselves, which would explain why they bought beats recently, so that only beats will work with iphones.

 

[AUDIOBREEDER]

With much of the population on this planet having already invested so much money on their headphones, this has to be a big move in their part.

 

[StoneJack]

iWatch is said to debut in Fall. 
Now with iWatch, full of biosensors, it will be impossible to connect to headhones. So expect Apple bluetooth headphones, designed exclusively for sport activities and maybe jogging. Might be also good for calls and must have remote. With all this, you can't have a physical connection to iWatch on the wrist. 
 
Ergo, bluetooth only iWatch and Apple iWatch. But all Bluetooth cans can be used too. My take. 

 

[Silent Xaxal]

They're already losing market share to Android. They don't need to lose even more of it, especially since the current best music listening smartphone (Going solely by the speaker placement, though) is the HTC One.
 
And with Apple's design philosophy, I'm seriously doubting that they'll be the first to make an audiophile-grade smartphone.

 

[TMRaven]

I always thought lightning connectors were digital...
 
I guess it can't be though if they use it to charge their products.

 

[vantt1]

  I always thought lightning connectors were digital...
 
I guess it can't be though if they use it to charge their products.

They are digital. What Apple did with the Lightning connector was remove the integrated analog audio/video out capabilities that the 30-pin had, so technically it is all digital.
 
Being analog or digital only depends on the type of data it transfers, and not whether it charges a device or not.

 

[TMRaven]

What I was getting it was I thought they didn't have any analog component whatsoever, but they have to because there'd be no other way to carry an analog electrical signal to charge something-- similar to usb.  I was thinking they were more akin to an hdmi or optical cord, but I guess not.  I don't use any modern apple iDevices.