Hacker News Comments on
Bringing BACK The iPhone Headphone Jack - in China
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All the comments and stories posted to Hacker News that reference this video.Yeah, well when they removed the headphone jack on iPhone 7, which has the same shape and dimensions as iPhone 6, it turned out they just put some piece of plastic in the place where previously the jack was. Youtube channel Strange Parts managed to implement working headphone jack on iphone7:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA
So I call BS on space constrains, I call BS on waterproofing (waterproofed phones with 3.5mm jack exist). Conveniently, when Apple released iPhone 7, they also released 1st gen AirPods :-)
> They needed the space for other things like the new generation Taptic engine on iPhone 7I mean, they didn't technically need the space - there was space for one guy to cram one into the bottom without removing the taptic thingy (although it did get shifted slightly) [1]
[1] super long video and not practical for an individual to do it, but shows that there was space and it could've been included. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA
⬐ diebeforei485I'm not claiming they couldn't have made it work, but having the port so close to the edge (on the curved corner) would create issues for mass production.⬐ bmitcExactly. There's no engineering reason, and if there was, it would be embarrassing. Apple is a marketing and advertising company at this point which makes hardware and software to support that mission. So they marketed that they wanted or needed to remove the jack because <reasons>, when the real reason was that they wanted to sell you overpriced bluetooth headphones and leave no option otherwise.⬐ modulusshiftThey added a more sensitive camera that year as well as a brighter display with more colors, found interference, moved the display circuitry and cabling to the other side of the phone to compensate, and then that interfered with the headphone jack instead. So they took the headphone jack out instead of compromising the quality of the audio output.If the guy who put the jack back in did any actual signal quality testing while playing video to stress the display, I'd be appreciative to have this theory put to rest, but I don't think he did.
He did add a headphone jack to an iPhone 7 tho: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA
Video showing someone adding the headphone jack back to an iPhone 7.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA
The headphone jack did not make space for the taptic engine; it made space for a piece of plastic.
> It would take at most two more tenths of a cubic centimeter more volumeI wonder how much empty space is in current gen iPhones, the 7 had so much that a YouTuber was able to squeeze the adapter Apple shipped with it convert analog audio to Lightning externally entirely into the phone (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LORsgF-fhgQ).
They replaced the headphone jack with a barometric vent which other phone manufacturers just put in a different location. Apple didn't have to get rid of the port. They decided to get rid of the port because they knew that their users would buy the phone anyway and then have more of a reason to buy AirPods. There is plenty of space in that corner though. Some guy wanted to see if he could add the headphone jack back and was pretty successful for a hand crafted solution.
⬐ dpkonofaThat is nonsense. He butchered that phone and definitely, 100% ruined the waterproofing function of the phone. Additionally, I'm curious which manufacturers you're speaking of because, the last time this type of comment came around, there was a distinct response of "most other phones don't include a barometric vent".⬐ tstrimpleAll waterproof phones with barometers would include similar technology. Phones like the Galaxy S7 which was also waterproof and which also had a headphone jack. The video is an individual messing around with a dremel and soldering gun. Of course it's not waterproof at that point, that was never his goal. It's ludicrous to believe that Apple had to remove the headphone jack when other companies showed it can be done just fine without and others have shown just how much space is still available in the phone. Your assertion that it had to be done isn't supported by evidence.
I've learnt it has a DAC after watching Strange Parts take 1 apart and put the components inside the iPhone 7 so he could have the 3.5 jack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA
A "random person" did fit a 1/8 audio jack back inside the iphone without having to modify the case (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA). It's all about a money grab for Apple...
⬐ OrgNetIf someone has a different point of view, pleaase let me know
It's not to save space. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA . There is just plastic sitting in its place and it is possible to add headphone jack, without making it thick.
https://youtu.be/utfbE3_uAMAvideo from "Strange Parts", which after multiple tries brought back a headphone jack on a iPhone 7. It is described as not ready for prime time (see at the end https://youtu.be/utfbE3_uAMA?t=1872 )
Not sure if I'd go with "little know-how" - but yes, he most certainly did it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMAIf nothing else it proves that the jack removal was not done for space-saving or anything other than business reasons.
However whilst I'm prepared to think ill of Apple under pretty much any circumstance - I'm utterly clueless why so many other vendors jumped in (as they don't have Beats to schill). Still convinced I'm missing something clutches onto OG Pixel
..although Apple did not use the space for anything else when they removed it from the iPhone 7.Whats the evidence? Scotty from strange parts actually managed to add a working headphone jack back to the iPhone, in the exact spot where it had been removed!
⬐ jsjohnstDid you miss the part of the video where he had to cut out parts of the iPhone to get the space needed?⬐ evvHe cut out one piece of plastic relating to barometric pressure, and moved the taptic engine a bit. And all of this was on the 7, so Apple surely had space for a headphone jack on the 7+, right?Maybe wired headphones are going the way of the DVD drive. But at this point, the change has felt very user-hostile. If they cared about their customers, iPhones would support USB-C and wired headphones.
⬐ jsjohnst> so Apple surely had space for a headphone jack on the 7+, rightThat’s easily answerable by heading over to iFixIt. You’ll see the Plus models are near identical to the non-Plus in available space, just the Plus has a bigger battery and even more circuitry (do to the dual camera). Apple doesn’t waste any space inside their devices typically.
Did you read peapicker's comment before posting your own? (It's older by an hour). Some people need wired headphones and if the port is used for something else then they can't.Also it's completely untrue that the iPhone is "thinner" without a headphone jack; this guy added a jack to an iPhone 7 without external modification:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA
The video has over 6M views.
Apple doesn't care much about their users -- but it's hard to blame them, since said users are apparently happy with it.
⬐ AnthonBergIs the modified phone as waterproof as before?⬐ justtopostI assume not, but a factory designed one would be. Several of my phones are waterproof and have 3.5mm plugs.⬐ AnthonBergI would so very much like to know how the design and engineering analysis was. For the original.From my limited knowledge it certainly seems easier to make it waterproof without a headphone jack.
The strange parts guy on youtube added a headphone jack to the iPhone 7. So, I think the stated reason for removing the headphone jack to make room for the battery is complete BS.Also, why are you responding to the question about limited RF spectrum? It's like you have an agenda in this thread.
>> 1. There's really no space for it, if you look at teardowns. So something took its place.This guy was able to add the headphone jack back into an iPhone (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfbE3_uAMA). The argument that there is really no space just isn't true.
⬐ dpkonofaBy breaking the seals that make the phone waterproof, removing a housing component, and breaking the Taptic Engine. He did nothing of the sort.⬐ saagarjha…by ruining the Taptic Engine, if I recall correctly, or by spending thousands of dollars on getting this to work. It's not like Apple just left a hole in that spot out of spite.⬐ dpkonofaPeople who have some kind of weird hate for Apple always assume that everything Apple does is out of spite.⬐ saagarjhaApple very rarely does things out of spite. And usually when that happens, it's a mistake rather than a conscious, malicious decision.
1. No. Teardowns have shown nothing of that sort. It's a marketing decision to push people to buy $170 airpods. In fact, there's a very popular tech blogger's video where he successfully adds in a headphone jack[1] to his iPhone 8.2. No. Samsung phones are far more water resistant than iPhones are with a jack on it. I would love to see your links to said research.
⬐ scarface74No. Teardowns have shown nothing of that sort. It's a marketing decision to push people to buy $170 airpods. In fact, there's a very popular tech blogger's video where he successfully adds in a headphone jack[1] to his iPhone 8.How are people being "pushed" to buy Airpods when they can use any Bluetooth headphone, the headphones that come bundled with the phone, or use their own headphones with a $9.99 adapter that they have included up until yesterday?
⬐ AndriyKunitsyn⬐ matt-attackSimple. There are multiple codecs in Bluetooth headphones, the most used one is proprietary aptX from Qualcomm. Apple has no problems licensing it for Macbooks and iMacs, but for iPhones they chose to reject Qualcomm, do their thing, and use AAC codec, which is supported only by small fraction of wireless headphones. https://darko.audio/2017/12/how-to-enable-aptx-hd-bluetooth-...So, if your headphones don't support AAC, they will (most likely) fallback to SBC encoding with a subpar sound quality. Don't want a subpar sound quality? Buy Airpods. Or Beats. Or some other overpriced thing that understands AAC. There was some 100 year-old industry standard regarding sound transmission, but apparently it's "obsolete" now, because Apple said so. And bundled headphones don't sound too good.
The removal of headphone jack was purely a political decision to spite Qualcomm and screwing over Apple's customers.
⬐ scarface74So now it’s a bad thing that Apple chose to support an industry standard (AAC) instead of a proprietary Qualcomm only protocol?But if you aren’t satisfied with the Apple wired headphones, up until the 12th Apple bundle an adapter, you could choose any wired headphones you wanted. After the 12” it would be $9.99. It’s still not forcing you to buy AirPods.
As far as Bluetooth, there are other non Apple/Beats Bluetooth AAC headphones. Nothing forcing anyone to buy them from Apple.
> It's a marketing decision to push people to buy $170 airpodsFWIW, my lack of headphone jack had nothing to do with me buying $170 airpods. The product sells itself. It literally felt like something out of the future when it launched. Opening and closing the lid makes me happy on a daily basis. I can't think of a better use for that $170. It's a product that is pure joy to use, and completely eliminates one of the biggest annoyance factor in my daily life: tangled headphones, and worse, that feeling on your ears when you accidentally tug earbuds that are in your ear. So frustrating!
⬐ dao-Re: water resistance – Sony is pretty good there too, but last time I plunged my phone, the headphone jack itself was acting up until it had dried out. I guess there's no way around that.Edit: Oh, and when I broke my older model with saltwater, they replaced it. Twice.
⬐ briandearThey cost $160, but you can use the included headphones without buying anything.⬐ matwood> It's a marketing decision to push people to buy $170 airpods.Earbuds that work with the iPhone come in the box (and prior to the just announced models even an adapter was included). I'm not sure how lack of a jack pushes someone to buy AirPods. Maybe it makes them think about buying bluetooth headphones over wired if they were already thinking about third party headphones? Maybe.
Also while you may disagree about the 'barometric vent', it was put in the space that the headphone jack would have taken.
As pictured above, you can see a piece of plastic sits behind the ingress protection (waterproofing!), right where the headphone jack would have been. And (update!) according to Apple it's a "barometric vent." Apparently adding all the waterproofing to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus meant that it was more of a sealed box, and so to be able to have an accurate and working barometer, Apple used that space. The barometer is the thing that allows a phone to measure altitude, and Apple points out that on the iPhone 7 it can measure even minor changes like climbing a flight of stairs.
https://www.theverge.com/2016/9/16/12941040/iphone-7-teardow...
⬐ freeone3000I would rather have a headphone jack than a barometer.⬐ reaperducerWires are so last century. Bluetooth headphones have been available for at least 20 years. (I had a pair for my SonyEricsson m600c, and I'm not an early adopter.)Knowing my altitude is something I need on at least a weekly basis. I'm OK with losing a port I haven't used in a couple of decades.
⬐ CamTin⬐ matwoodOut of curiosity, why do you frequently need to know your altitude? I don't think I've ever known my altitude except when driving past those "Welcome to Springdalevale, pop. 781. alt. 2,003 ft" signs you see when driving through small towns in mountainous areas.⬐ NoneNone⬐ AndriyKunitsynNice, and I'm not OK with that :) I have no intention of having another thing that requires recharging, I've already got my phone. Glad to see different people needing different features from a phone, though.⬐ asturaI don't want to have to charge my headphones or have them run out of battery.⬐ matwoodAnd that's fine, but if you do anything active while wearing headphones, wireless is so much better. Even my cheap bluetooth headphones last 10 hours on a short charge (and tell me when they need to be recharged). I couldn't imagine going back to wires at the gym or while doing yard work. I do use a wired pair at my desk, but then why would I plug into my phone?And AirPods? If you keep them in the case between uses they should always be charged.
You may disagree how the space was used, but I wanted to point out that it was in fact used. The poster I responded to said tear downs showed it not used. Even the video given as evidence showed the guy taking out the vent as the first step.
You're really asking why overpriced wireless devices with mediocre to atrocious battery life and substandard audio quality are not a sufficient replacement for devices you can literally buy in any convenience store around the world for tens of dollars? There is room for a headphone jack in these phones (video below). The only reason they removed them when they did is to push accessory sales.
⬐ kpxxx3> substandard audio quality > literally buy in any convenience store around the worldA substantial drop in audio quality is most likely completely psychological (not saying it isn't a real problem for some). But wired convenience store headphones typically are not great sound quality wise, the SBC codec of bluetooth likely has very little to do with sound quality at that point.
Maybe, if you're comparing actually good monitors. But to bitch about bluetooth sound quality when comparing to typical cheap earbuds is a bit silly.
⬐ threeseed> The only reason they removed them when they did is to push accessory salesThis is baseless and ridiculous.
They did it because people are expecting more out of their phones e.g. better cameras, better screen, battery life, TouchID, FaceID all whilst demanding the same thickness. Something has to give. First it was the 30-pin adapter, now it's headphone, next will be SIM.
And Apple makes so little from their accessory sales compared to everything else they do so it is illogical they would intentionally cripple their flagship device to make a few hundred million.
⬐ tstrimple> They did it because people are expecting more out of their phones e.g. better cameras, better screen, battery life, TouchID, FaceID all whilst demanding the same thickness. Something has to give. First it was the 30-pin adapter, now it's headphone, next will be SIM.Way to completely ignore the fact that there is room for a headphone jack in the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 8. It was not removed in order to make room for anything. See the video I posted above.
⬐ detaythis is just amazing.
⬐ jgrittyCan you charge and use the headphone at the same time?⬐ richardlitt⬐ nostrademonsLooks like it.From the guy who built his own iPhone from spare parts in China: