SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Apple's 'courage' to remove the headphone jack has created a brave new world
It was barely two years ago when we lamented the loss of the headphone jack on the iPhone. The iPhone 7 had just arrived with a gorgeous jet black color, a solid-state home button, and a dongle in place of the 3.5mm headphone jack. At the iPhone 7 introduction, Apple VP Phil Schiller talked about having the "courage" to make the change, to leave the headphone jack behind.
At the time it was kind of cringe-worthy. Rather than try to convince the audience of the benefits of wireless charging or the annoyances of wired earphones, Schiller basically told the audience that they might not understand now, but one day they will. You could hear the snickers in the auidence when he said that removing the headphone jack required the "courage to move on and do something new that betters all of us." It sounded ridiculous. All we could see was the inconvenience ahead.
But you know what? He was right.
It might have sounded like the reality distortion field on steroids, but Apple's decision to remove the headphone jack from its most popular product wasn't a flippant design whim. It was the start of a new strategy that would bring convenience, simplicity, and downright delight.
The move led to courageous sales of AirPods.
See also: Poll: Looking back now, did Apple exhibit 'courage' in removing the headphone jack from iPhones?
Related: New Moto Z Omits Analog Headphone Jack; Adds Moto Mods
Bring Back the Headphone Jack: Why USB-C Audio Still Doesn't Work
Apple on the Decline
(Score: 3, Interesting) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Tuesday April 09 2019, @03:38PM
Oh, the irony.
Actually Apple can now start feeling the bite now and figure out in a couple of years how much courage they can stand. Last renewal, 2 years ago, I could still get another 6S. So I did. I am assured that this time I cannot. I survived the Newton Keyboard Dongle with my MessagePad. But I won't bite in to such a transparent ploy for money on their part and I'll be damned if I'm keeping track of their dongle when adding the headphone jack would not have added $5 to the cost of the phone.
I feel like I'm in Soviet Russia because this time around Apple can Bite Me.
(By the way, alternative phone suggestions that work with Verizon with a headphone jack greatly appreciated).
This sig for rent.