Should Apple kill the headphone jack?
Should Apple kill the headphone jack?
4:10

Should Apple kill the headphone jack?

Culture
[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

Did a Week With the Apple Watch Make Me Use My iPhone Less?
240419-site-does-having-an-apple-watch-make-me-use-my-iphone-less-4

Up Next

Did a Week With the Apple Watch Make Me Use My iPhone Less?

How Google Tests the Cameras in Its Pixel Phones
240417-site-google-pixel-lab-exclusive-1

How Google Tests the Cameras in Its Pixel Phones

Boston Dynamics Retires Its HD Atlas Robot
p1022506-00-00-01-20-still001

Boston Dynamics Retires Its HD Atlas Robot

What's the Future of Phones? Expert vs. AI
240412-site-what-is-the-future-of-phones-expert-vs-ai-v1

What's the Future of Phones? Expert vs. AI

I Touched Disney's HoloTile Floor: Behind the Scenes at Imagineering
disneyholotile-site

I Touched Disney's HoloTile Floor: Behind the Scenes at Imagineering

Can I Live With a Nokia Flip Phone in 2024?
pana3004

Can I Live With a Nokia Flip Phone in 2024?

How Google Captures 3D Images for Immersive View
240207-yt-google-map-immersive-view-v03

How Google Captures 3D Images for Immersive View

How to Get the Best Answers From an AI Chatbot
ai-prompts-seq-00-05-21-15-still006

How to Get the Best Answers From an AI Chatbot

It's Almost Here: My Big Questions for Vision Pro
231218-yt-omt-visionpro-v03

It's Almost Here: My Big Questions for Vision Pro

CNET's Best Smartphones From 2023
cnet01

CNET's Best Smartphones From 2023

Tech Shows

The Apple Core
apple-core-w

The Apple Core

Alphabet City
alphabet-city-w

Alphabet City

CNET Top 5
cnet-top-5-w

CNET Top 5

The Daily Charge
dc-site-1color-logo.png

The Daily Charge

What the Future
what-the-future-w

What the Future

Tech Today
tech-today-w

Tech Today

Latest News All latest news

Did a Week With the Apple Watch Make Me Use My iPhone Less?
240419-site-does-having-an-apple-watch-make-me-use-my-iphone-less-4

Did a Week With the Apple Watch Make Me Use My iPhone Less?

How Google Tests the Cameras in Its Pixel Phones
240417-site-google-pixel-lab-exclusive-1

How Google Tests the Cameras in Its Pixel Phones

Boston Dynamics' New Electric Atlas vs. Tesla's Optimus
240419-wtf-atlas-vs-optimus-v04

Boston Dynamics' New Electric Atlas vs. Tesla's Optimus

What is the Fediverse?
240418-fediverse-winged

What is the Fediverse?

The Missing Piece to Apple's Eco-Friendly Mission
240418-site-omt-the-core-problem-of-apples-green-goals-v1.jpg

The Missing Piece to Apple's Eco-Friendly Mission

First Drive in the All-Electric 2024 Fiat 500e
240417-site-fiat-500e-ev-drive-program-thumbnail-v3

First Drive in the All-Electric 2024 Fiat 500e

Most Popular All most popular

First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
innovation

First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
240123-site-samsung-galaxy-s24-ultra-review-4

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost

'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
circlesearchpic

'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-preces-00-00-25-11-still003

Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop

Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
samsung-galaxy-ring-clean

Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions

Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
240111-site-best-of-ces-2024-1

Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024

Latest Products All latest products

2025 Audi Q6, SQ6 E-Tron: Audi's Newest EV Is Its Most Compelling
cnet-audiq6

2025 Audi Q6, SQ6 E-Tron: Audi's Newest EV Is Its Most Compelling

Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter
pic3

Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter

Nuro R3 is an Adorable Self-Driving Snack Bar
240320-site-nuro-r3-first-look-v1

Nuro R3 is an Adorable Self-Driving Snack Bar

First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
240304-site-nothing-phone-2-first-look-v3

First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day

Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More
240229-site-best-of-show-at-mwc

Best of MWC 2024: Bendable Screens, AI Wearables and More

This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display
240225-site-lenovo-translucent-laptop-concept-v3

This Concept Laptop from Lenovo Has a Transparent Display

Latest How To All how to videos

Tips and Tricks for the AirPods Pro 2
airpods-pro-2

Tips and Tricks for the AirPods Pro 2

How to Watch the Solar Eclipse Safely From Your Phone
screenshot-2024-04-03-at-15-47-11.png

How to Watch the Solar Eclipse Safely From Your Phone

Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
240311-site-windows-11-hidden-tips-and-tricks-v2

Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features

Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
VisionOS 1.0.3

Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3

Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
240216-site-galaxy-s24-ultra-tips-and-hidden-features-2

Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra

TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro
tiktok-on-vision-pro-clean

TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro