The new iphone design confirmed

Started by Elantric, July 06, 2012, 10:38:41 AM

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Elantric

#25
Apple introduces MFi specs for Lightning cable headphones, support arriving in future iOS update

Beats-lightning

We've learned Apple has quietly introduced a new specification for manufacturers in its Made-For-iPhone/iPad/iPod (MFi) program that allows them to create headphones that connect to iOS devices using a Lightning connector instead of the usual 3.5mm headphone jack. Apple has not flipped the switch on the audio input support for Lightning cables and existing iOS devices, but it will release a software update in the future that will enable support in devices running iOS 7.1 or later.



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.

There are a few benefits of using the Lightning cable to send audio. Apple says the headphones will be able to draw power from an Apple device (even if the device is asleep), which for some products could eliminate cost associated with an internal battery. It could also work the other way around by providing power to an Apple device from an internal battery or external power source. That enables you to listen to music and also use a passthrough setup so you could charge the device simultaneously, much like you can with an audio dock that uses a Lightning connector. The headphones will also be capable of receiving firmware updates.

Apple will allow two configurations for the headphones. Standard Lightning Headphones are described by Apple as using minimum components when paired with a digital-to-analog converter supported by the Lightning Headphone Module. It also has an Advanced Lightning Headphones specification that allows digital audio processing features like active noise cancellation and uses a digital signal processor and digital/analog converter. Manufacturers building the Standard configuration have to use this Wolfson digital-to-analog converter.
http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/WM8533/

While everyone has been focusing on what Apple's purchase of Beats Electronics means for its audio and headphone business down the road, the news Apple is developing some innovative new headphone tech using its own proprietary Lightning connector is significant. If Apple does get partners on board and Lightning headphones prove to be popular with users, it's easy to see how Apple could push Lightning headphones as a big differentiating feature for iPhone and other Apple devices. A previous report claimed Apple was working on a version of its own in-ear EarPods using a Lightning connector and planned to enable higher-resolution audio playback in iOS 8.

I'm guessing we'll see a Lightning cable eventually make its way to a pair of Beats. Perhaps Apple will even use Beats as the first pair of Lightning cable headphones to help promote the new tech when it finally flips the switch on support.


Read more at http://9to5mac.com/2014/06/03/apple-introduces-mfi-specs-for-lightning-cable-headphones-support-arriving-in-future-ios-update/#xcy6x5IM6qpcktrF.99

mbenigni

#26
It seems like it would be sales-suicide to omit the 3.5mm output jack any time soon.  Yes, it would mean owners of the latest iPad etc. would be forced to buy Apple accessories, but it would also slow iPad sales to customers who already own previous versions.  The greater the cost of the accessories, the greater the aversion to upgrade.  The lower the cost of the accessory, the less reward Apple sees (by way of revenue from headphones sales etc.) for taking that risk.

I have to imagine there would be at least one generation of hardware where the user is at their own discretion to go with digital vs. analog headphones.  Otherwise, too many of us will dig our heels in with what we already have.  I know I would - it's only been a few months since I discovered (based on your feedback) that the existing DAC and 3.5mm output is sufficient for performance.  And I'm not ready to retire my iRig Pro, or start running splitters, adaptors, et al.  iPad finally won me over by being easy to integrate.  If it gets to be a hassle, I'll wind up back in laptop-land.

Kevin M

I think this is nothing more than speculation.  This would be a bad move.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

montyrivers

If it's true The value of my ipad mini is about to skyrocket lol

whippinpost91850

Not sure I like the sound of this ???

montyrivers

It has to be a hoax.  Not even apple would be this audacious, or stupid.

Elantric

#31
QuoteIt has to be a hoax.  Not even apple would be this audacious, or stupid.

think again.  I said something very similar 2 years ago when i heard Apple was abandoning the 30 pin dock port.


www.9to5mac.com/2014/06/03/apple-introduces-mfi-specs-for-lightning-cable-headphones-support-arriving-in-future-ios-update/#comments

If you doubt the misguided dumbing down of the general populace in regards to music,  read the comments on link above. Seems nobody knows musicians use IOS devices for live performance and care about minimum latency.
And remember the best Blue tooth 4.0 APT-X audio exhibits 80 milliseconds latency minimum.

And witness nobody has heard about using the Apple  USB Camera connection kit  (CCK) to connect external Audio DAC.

If this comes to pass, I might have to skip the larger iPhone 6  and buy an iPhone 5S, or just stay with my Android Galaxy Note2.

montyrivers

#32
I don't see anything other than speculation about removing 3.5mm output entirely.  If apple wants to make a digital host out of crappy overpriced headphones, then good for them, but they will only stand to lose big by making Beats lightning only and iPad trs free. 

As an ipad owner and audiophile I would never invest in Beats headphones and there is an army of peers who agree with me.

The target audience for beats doesn't usually go on about iphones and the target audience for iphones doesn't go on about beats.  What's worse the joe schmo business executives and cab drivers will flip out when they find out they need to get a hideous pair of designer ear muffs just to have a hands free device.


I'm not worried about this, even if it's real.  Apple will lose big customer base if they make it the exclusive way to get a wired speaker connection into an iOS device or if they turn Beats into a proprietary nightmare.


Also:  comments section in most sensationalist articles is made by a small but vocal minority. 
As musicians we are also a minority.  When apple instituted lightning connectors we got shafted because we had to deal with peripherals that no longer worked and hundreds of dollars in adapters and failed experiments whereas the average iphone user bought a new generic charge cable and forgot about it.

Removing 3.5mm jacks would be different in that it wouldn't just inconvenience us, the minority, it would be a kick in the face to every single iOS user across the board.  Trust me when I say that the idea of not being able to use your crappy 15 dollar earbuds on your new iphone will send users packing, new and old. 

It's also important to consider that Android phones are making huge gains against apple.  When you consider that the greater market share jumps back and fourth between the latest nexus, ipad, galaxy and iphone it becomes clear that apple isn't the all powerful tablet gods they appear to be.

aliensporebomb

#33
I use expensive very nice Sennheiser earbuds and another pair of nearly as nice Sony earbuds and I absolutely use my iRig interface to tune my guitars using the Peterson Strobotuner app.   All minijack devices.  The minijack "just works". 

Plus, I gotta tell you - I live in Minnesota, a place where it gets extremely cold in the winter. 

I had one lightning cable become useless because the things can't stand up to cold weather - the place where the cable connects to the jack gets cold and brittle and pretty soon you have a useless 19 dollar cable.  I was using a car-lighter to usb jack to lightning cable to charge my iPhone5 because someone dropped the ball and didn't have lightning equipped car chargers right away after the thing came out.  I eventually replaced it with a dedicated iPad lightning charger that works.

Stereo minijacks can hack cold weather and if I do need to replace them they're not 19 dollars.

I'm also annoyed at Apple in general because my iMac is forced to use a third party firewire 800 case (which decided to stop working this week taking about three terabytes of data with it).  If they'd produced a machine that actually allowed third party connection of external drives at reasonable speeds instead of that I wouldn't need an external case but I'm preaching to the choir.  Just mad at myself.  Some of that music isn't easily recoverable.


My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

Bill Ruppert

Wow that is horrid!
Todd that is frighting to hear what say about the plug in cold weather.
Can you imagine after all these years if someone has the power and says the 1/4 guitar cable is dead.
Is that next???

PS I have no interest in Dr Dre headphones.
I would not buy a set if it would save my life.




Quote from:  aliensporebomb on June 06, 2014, 09:02:09 PM
I use expensive very nice Sennheiser earbuds and another pair of nearly as nice Sony earbuds and I absolutely use my iRig interface to tune my guitars using the Peterson Strobotuner app.   All minijack devices.  The minijack "just works". 

Plus, I gotta tell you - I live in Minnesota, a place where it gets extremely cold in the winter. 

I had one lightning cable become useless because the things can't stand up to cold weather - the place where the cable connects to the jack gets cold and brittle and pretty soon you have a useless 19 dollar cable.  I was using a car-lighter to usb jack to lightning cable to charge my iPhone5 because someone dropped the ball and didn't have lightning equipped car chargers right away after the thing came out.  I eventually replaced it with a dedicated iPad lightning charger that works.

Stereo minijacks can hack cold weather and if I do need to replace them they're not 19 dollars.

I'm also annoyed at Apple in general because my iMac is forced to use a third party firewire 800 case (which decided to stop working this week taking about three terabytes of data with it).  If they'd produced a machine that actually allowed third party connection of external drives at reasonable speeds instead of that I wouldn't need an external case but I'm preaching to the choir.  Just mad at myself.  Some of that music isn't easily recoverable.

myksara

I hate apple for all this. First the 30 pin to lightening where you have to buy a stupid 2" convertor cable for INR 2500 (approx. USD 40) which is as much as a 5 meter Roland GK3 cable .
Then it also renders the gadgets like Behringer iStudio useless with the newer ipads (ipad air) unless you have that converter cable.

Now this headphone jack thing!!...
I really pray that Android steps up in terms of pro music apps and the underlying architecture so that they give Apple a run for their money.

I use ipad air only for music. All other tasks seem so simple on my samsung galaxy note 2- be it sat navigation, taking notes, bluetooth, sharing data with other mobiles, PCs etc.

Guitars: Ibanez Prestige S5470, Ibanez Jem 7v, Ibanez JS2410, PRS SE Custom24, Cort  Ltd G16, Ibanez RG370Ahmz,
MultiFX: Roland GR55, Zoom 1on, BOSS GT00
Loopers: Digitech trio+, Line 6 JM4
MIDI:, MAudio Axiom24 keyboard, Alesis IO Dock with iPad air 2

Bear

That would be just the sort of boost Neil Young's Pono music player needs.

(Is that thing dead yet?)

Kevin M

Remember folks....this is just speculation by a writer. No need to make any assumptions at this point.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

HAMERMAN409

There is another theory about the Beats acquisition that make s a lot of sense - that apple bought beats to have a store to sell music to the Android world. Makes sense to go after the market that isn't using iTunes. I hope this theory is the correct one! :-)

JolietJake

It all makes sense to me.
Remember, Apple is a company looking to make profits, they are not there for customers convenience.

aliensporebomb

#40
Steve - the cable was definetely not meant to be used as a charger in a car but at the time it was the only one you could get.  Now you can get tougher cabled chargers that are meant to be a car charger and that's what I've used since.

Beats is the worst sounding of the expensive headphones IMO.  They have a hard "thocky" plastic sound to them - yes they have huge bass but it's just in your face and every snare hit gives me a migraine headache.  I've heard less expensive headphones sound far better but they're going for what the kids will want to buy to be cool in school etc.

As far as Apple goes I've seen photos of the purported external case housings for the next iPhone on macrumors and the housings all have 3.5mm connectors.  So maybe it's something they were mulling around at one time.  I do recall that sometimes they release rumors to see who released them so they can silence (or terminate) a leak.  Plus, Pono is using 3.5mm analog stereo out for their player.

I believe what they really did here is acquire Beats to try and compete with Spotify because that's the service that Apple is going to be hard pressed to compete with.  And also to sell to the Android users.  Also a guy like Dre might school Apple in what is "cool" to the kids on the street. 

The "download a song for 99 cents" model is unfortunately failing in favor of the "pay a flat fee and get all the music you can stand" model.  Or "pay nothing and tolerate some ads, just like radio and get all the music you want." 

Never mind that there's a number of reports that some musicians won't be able to eat much less record albums in the future based on this.  If I sell my CD off iTunes I get 75% of the cost but if my music is streamed on Spotify I get pennies per month. 

I heard some major artists with mass play (Lady Gaga and her ilk) ended up getting a reasonable amount per month from them but she still won't be able to live off that cash.  Most below the radar guys such as myself would starve trying to live off just that.  Example: last month I made 2 cents USD.  The month before 19 cents.  I'm not a good example since I'm not above the radar at all.



My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

montyrivers

Great post Alien.  I hadn't considered that, but it makes a ton of sense.

GovernorSilver

I hope Gordon Kelly at Forbes is enjoying all the commotion he's stirred with his wildly speculative article.  It's rare you get an opportunity to write an article that goes viral. 

Here's TUAW's take:
http://www.tuaw.com/2014/06/09/apple-isnt-going-to-abandon-the-3-5mm-headphone-jack/

Also very telling is lack of a story on this topic at Mac Rumors - those folks are much more plugged in with what Apple is thinking than Gordon Kelly.  They're always right on top of what the next iPhone/iPad models will look like and such.


Elantric

I'm now convinced that the 3.5mm jack will remain for the time being, and this story (see 1st post in this thread) is just fluff
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2014/06/05/apple-to-abandon-headphone-jack-suddenly-beats-deal-makes-sense/
Quote[Editor's note: The original headline stated as fact that Apple was abandoning the headphone jack. This is informed opinion, so we added a question mark.]

aliensporebomb

In a somewhat related development:
http://www.tuaw.com/2014/06/03/os-x-yosemite-enables-lightning-video-capture-of-ios-8-devices/?ncid=rss_truncated&cps=gravity

I wonder if this means an audio interface that uses the standard isn't far off?  USB ports are precious and I think now I have ten to twelve USB devices coming to think of it.....a lightning audio interface (maybe with MIDI) would be interesting.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

Elantric

#45
QuoteI wonder if this means an audio interface that uses the [Apple Lightning] standard isn't far off?  USB ports are precious and I think now I have ten to twelve USB devices coming to think of it.....a lightning audio interface (maybe with MIDI) would be interesting.

FWIW - IOS Lightning Audio  / MIDI Interfaces exisit now and many more  have been announced and are due this summer

IK Multimedia iRig Pro

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=8291.msg71256#msg71256


Focusrite iTrack Dock

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=10364.msg74766#msg74766


Griffin Studioconnect HD
http://store.griffintechnology.com/studioconnect-hd

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=10310.msg74330#msg74330





Product Information
Multi-track recording dock for iPad and your Mac

StudioConnect HD is the easiest all-in-one, high-definition recording interface for iPad and Mac OS X. Now, with multi-tracking, StudioConnect HD is the best mobile recording rig, whether you're on the road, at rehearsal or at home.

Designed by pro-audio engineers for serious musicians and producers, StudioConnect HD provides up to 24-bit / 96k HD recording for mics, guitars, basses and keyboards in one compact device.

Two (2) combo XLR/instrument preamps open the doors to multi-tracking, no matter where you are. Each input has independent gain control, individual +48 V phantom power for condenser microphones, -20 dB pad, and input/clip LED indicators.

StudioConnect HD is built to work with any keyboard your rig requires. With MIDI in/out for both traditional 5-pin DIN-compatible keyboards and modern USB controllers, your favorite sounds from your keyboard rig are easily accessible.

For playback, plug your monitors into the balanced 1/4" outputs on the back of StudioConnect HD. A separate headphone input and level control is located on the front of StudioConnect HD.

Plug in. Play.

We've taken the guesswork out of set-up. Plug in your mic, instrument or keyboard using your industry standard XLR, 1/4" or MIDI cables. Then use one of the included cables to connect to your iPad or Mac. Launch your recording or other audio app and you're on your way. StudioConnect HD's weighted cabinet takes up minimal desktop space as it powers and charges your iPad, so you never need to worry about a dead battery while you're working.

We know that inspiration strikes anywhere and at any time. StudioConnect HD gives you the multi-tracking flexibility and studio-quality audio on your iPad and your Mac. That way, the technology stays out of your way and you stay focused on the important stuff: your riff, your lyrics, your song.

FEATURES
Up to 24-bit / 96k HD recording on your Mac or iPad
Inputs for mics, instruments, and MIDI devices
Outputs for monitors, MIDI devices, and headphones
Includes Apple Lightning Connector, Apple 30-pin Connector, and USB to mini USB cables
Dedicated monitor volume control
Charges your iPad while in use
Compatible apps:

GarageBand (iOS, Mac OS X)
Logic Pro X (Mac OS X)
Auria (iOS)
JamUp / BIAS (iOS)
SPECS
HD recording at up to 24-bit/96kHz
2 combo XLR/instrument inputs with independent gain control
USB MIDI in/out
5-pin MIDI in/out
+48 V phantom power
Balanced 1/4" TRS output for monitors
-20 dB pad
LED input/clip indicators
Compatible with OS X 10.8 and 10.9

montyrivers

Griffin HD sounds amazing on paper.  Just the inclusion of a midi-usb host on top of that is killer.

Elantric

#47
Just to update this old thread.

I've been using my Galaxy Note 2 since Nov 2012, it finally got an update to Android OS 4.2.2 last month.

But I'll switch back to an iPhone later this year, mostly because The Voicemail on my AT&T Note2 now is rather clobbered  - many aspects of usability have suffered thanks to the latest Android updates, and my battery life now barely gets through one day.

And now that I'm using many Macs at home, Apple really clobbers any Android phone USB data connection, and Samsung Kies is a major joke. So I must use a PC to move files off my Android phone.

Also Ive become better accustomed to navigating iTunes as my IOS device data manager

Looking forward to jumping back to a larger iPhone before 2015, probably wait for the 2nd 2014 larger than large release version due December 2014 

musicman65

#48
Quote from: Elantric on August 25, 2014, 06:23:52 PMSo I must use a PC to move files off my Android phone.
I've been using an FTPserver app on my Android devices which makes filesharing and management a snap. Even a webbrowser on any OS can browse files (read) from the phone. Any FTP client on any OS can read/write over WIFI to the phone. Phone to tablet or other phone is easy as well. Maybe that'll help til you get your replacement.

gumtown

#49
Quote from: Elantric on August 25, 2014, 06:23:52 PM
Samsung Kies is a major joke.
Couldn't agree more there.
When I updated my previous Samsung Ace2 to a latter version of android,
it became uselessly latent at everything (so I gave it to the Mrs), and got a submersible X-Cover2.

Now that one itself is a joke too. 1Gb of internal storage and unable to move apps to external storage card.
Forever giving messages of "insufficient memory available".

iPhone next,
one good thing about mac IOS is that it does what it's supposed to..
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/