Should Apple kill the headphone jack?
[MUSIC]
Rumor is that the iPhone 7 which is expected to make an appearance in the next few weeks will not have a headphone jack.
Exactly.
As to that the facts suffer Intel has been talking this week about how I think USB type C could be the future of headphone ports and not the traditional 3.5 millimeter jack and it's looking like maybe This little faithful little bug we've relied on for decades might be going away.
Now I know that Andrew, you feel quite positively about this.
I am quite positive about this.
I'll give you a chance to explain yourself.
Okay.
That's only fair.
All right.
Well, you said yourself, this 3.5 mill headphone jack, the standard headphone jack as we know in all phones and Walkmans, whatever, Have been around for decades.
This is the longest lasting piece of tech that I think we're probably all still using on a daily basis.
I think that's probably fair to say, yeah.
Look, the iPhone, we had the long connector, now we have the lightening one.
We've changed from USBC.
We've had so many different things, and that still is there, and what's that's doing is making our phones fatter than they could be.
We could get rid of that, it takes up a lot of space, that connector.
It's also a very old, analog connection that's based on old technologies from decades ago.
Get rid of that.
We move on, we get used to it, and in a year's time we won't even remember the old headphone jack.
I mean to address those points in terms of how much fatter the headphone port is making phones, could they be thinner if they lost it?
I mean, possibly yes but-
Definitely yes!
Yeah, sure, Okay.
Let's say that they get 2 millimeters thinner.
Is that really going to make much of a difference?
If people really cared about portability of their phones then they wouldn't have been getting bigger and bigger and bigger over the last few years.
Clearly we don't care.
I live and die on that 2 millimeters, Luke.
I don't believe that for a second.
As for the digital audio thing, yes You are right, there are some potentially very interesting things that could be done with the move away from the limitations of the port we have now.
But I mean, let's be honest, most people were just using the sort of straight out the box Apple earphones.
Lots of people, they go a step up and don't want to spend more than maybe a sort of 100 pounds, $100 on something that they're probably going to lose or something going to break.
So I don't believe that sort of minor audio Audio file grade increases the sound quality are really worth the trace.
You can't blame people.
Some people are still feature phones and listen to ocean color scene like it doesn't necessarily mean that other people won't take advantage of this tech.
But, with also seen massive increase bluetooth technology, like bluetooth headphones, a few years ago.
What all four and it was this terrible tiny sound And the new generation things from ACG have got some amazing ones.
Even in these Beats have got brilliant Bluetooth audio.
I don't know what future you're living in where Bluetooth is good enough now, and has reached an acceptable level of quality, but it's not my universe.
[UNKNOWN] Charging up your headphones, I don't think that's what people want.
At the moment their headphone jack is one of the very few pieces of technology on the smart phone that you know is gonna be reliable.
It's being reliable.
Is it reliable?
Yes.
Mine breaks all the time and most of my devices, not discounting my current phone from this, the headphone jack is the first thing to go and ends up being like you have to wiggle the cable and sometimes one channel will cut out and one won't.
And you think it's the headphone that's at play or is it the phone <<is it="" a="" problem="" with="" the="" port="" or="" is="" connector="" because="" sounds="" like="" your="" headphones="">> I think it's both it's the problem because they are both fragile, old fashioned types of technology <<i completely="" disagree,="" it's="" an="" old="" reliable="" technology="" that="" for="" decades="" has="" been="" doing="" a="" very="" simple="" job,="" extremely="" effectively="">> what other pieces taken your phone is decades old?</i></is> Old.
Well, I'm-
Yes, there's no other piece of tech in my phone that's decades old.
Exactly, there shouldn't be.
Because only one piece of tech that's decades old is still doing its job.
But a perfectly-
It's not doing its job decent level.
[INAUDIBLE] You're so anti-future.
I'm not anti-future, I'm just anti-change for the sake of it.
Get on board with the change train.
This isn't Apple Electrode.
They're trying to stage a-
[LAUGH]
September Apple launch.
No.
I think it's a good port and I hope it stays around.
[LAUGH]
Choo choo.
I hope it stays around forever.
Anyhow, Andy and I will have to agree to disagree but as always, let us know what you think.
[MUSIC]
Up Next
Can I Live With a Nokia Flip Phone in 2024?
Up Next
Can I Live With a Nokia Flip Phone in 2024?
How Google Captures 3D Images for Immersive View
How Google Captures 3D Images for Immersive View
How to Get Good Answers From an AI Chatbot
How to Get Good Answers From an AI Chatbot
It's Almost Here: My Big Questions for Vision Pro
It's Almost Here: My Big Questions for Vision Pro
CNET's Best Smartphones From 2023
CNET's Best Smartphones From 2023
Why I Don't Regret Ditching My Android for an iPhone
Why I Don't Regret Ditching My Android for an iPhone
Coolest Toys With a Tech Twist
Coolest Toys With a Tech Twist
CNET's Pro Photographers React to AI Photos
CNET's Pro Photographers React to AI Photos
How Dolby Atmos Makes You Feel Immersed in Movies and Music
How Dolby Atmos Makes You Feel Immersed in Movies and Music
One Month Check-In: We Tested the iPhone 15 Pro's and Pro Max's Batteries
One Month Check-In: We Tested the iPhone 15 Pro's and Pro Max's Batteries
Tech Shows
Latest News All latest news
PlayStation 5 Pro Leaked: Everything We Know
PlayStation 5 Pro Leaked: Everything We Know
Everything Just Revealed at Nvidia's GTC AI Conference
Everything Just Revealed at Nvidia's GTC AI Conference
Nvidia Reveals Omniverse Cloud Streams to the Vision Pro
Nvidia Reveals Omniverse Cloud Streams to the Vision Pro
Nvidia Shows Project GROOT and Disney Bots at GTC Conference
Nvidia Shows Project GROOT and Disney Bots at GTC Conference
Expert vs. AI: Is Now the Time to Buy an EV?
Expert vs. AI: Is Now the Time to Buy an EV?
The PlayStation Portal Built-In Volume Is too Loud: Here's How to Keep It Low
The PlayStation Portal Built-In Volume Is too Loud: Here's How to Keep It Low
Most Popular All most popular
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Latest Products All latest products
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
Motorola's Rollable Concept Phone Wraps on Your Wrist
See Adobe Lightroom on the Apple Vision Pro
See Adobe Lightroom on the Apple Vision Pro
This $400 Cane Has a Built-In Phone
This $400 Cane Has a Built-In Phone
Latest How To All how to videos
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
Get Your TV Ready for the Big Game: Super Bowl Setup Tips
How to Use a Quest 3 Like the Vision Pro