The Apple Discussion Thread

[GreenFrog]

Interestingly aapl stock is up too. Stock tends to drop during and after the announcements.

Honestly expectations were so low going into this that they actually surprised to the upside!

 

[venividivicibj]

GreenFrog is to Apple as Ramu is to Tesla.

 

[UnFacconable]



Also the AirPods look like they use the same general shape of the current Apple headphones. While I find them super comfortable, I am not at all sure I would trust them to stay in my ears during a run or bike ride. With the wired headphones you know it's safe if one falls out. These wireless ones? Not so much. Quick way to be out $159...

AirPods are quite literally the only earbuds I've ever found to be uncomfortable. They also don't stay in my ears at all in contrast to every other one I've tried (including previous Apple earbuds).

Overall I guess the announced products mildly exceeded my expectations only because my expectations were pretty low.

Here's what I was pleased to see:

• A10 fusion - it's a different approach to scaling power usage and I look forward to greatly reduced battery drain when phone isn't in active use
• Cameras - looking forward to OIS on the 7 and the 7plus dual camera setup gives both zoom + depth of field.
• GPS on watch - the number one thing that I want from a smart watch is the ability to have GPS work independently because I run without my phone. I still use an old ipod nano with nike+ to measure my distance because my fitbit isn't that accurate. May just buy the watch for running.
• Jet Black - too soon to tell, but if this finish is actually scratch resistant it might result in a lot more case-less iphones. Interestingly there was no discussion of the front glass which I had assumed would be another one of those "40% more shatter-resistant" etc. slides. [EDIT: *Scratch* this one off the list. If Apple is recommending a case, what is the point of even offering it?]
• Mario - I don't play games on my phone, but maybe Mario will change that.

Not all positives though - still disappointed with the removal of the 3.5mm jack and overall feels like a me too product launch. Other than the low power cores and perhaps the improvement in the 7 plus camera, I don't know if there is any true innovation. This is just a bunch of catch up or incremental improvements.

 

[otc]

So how many broken lightning ports are we going to see?

People jog with their phone in their pocket and ****.

The apple headphone plug doesn't stick out very far, and many third party ones are the L shaped plug. The L shaped plugs don't stick out very far on one axis, and they rotate freely on the other axis, so there's not a lot of leverage in the system.

Lighting connectors stick out a bit and are fairly rigid...lighting adapters plus headphones even more so. Even if they made a lighting adapter that was bent 90 degrees, it would still respond poorly to twisting forces.

 

[Jr Mouse]

@otc I'm sure it will be an issue. I have commented on Lightening not being as durable as it should be, in the past.

Neither the included headphones or adapter allow you to charge your phone while in use. It was rumored that at least the adapter would. Guess that means more adapters for us to buy!

 

[Jr Mouse]

Hands on with the AirPods. Interesting point Nilay brings up that Apple didn't talk about sound quality. Now it's just a guess but he believes they will end up sounding comparable to the current earpods Apple provides. If that's so... Holy **** these are a fail. No way I am going to spend that kind of cash on stereo headphones that sound that low of quality. Wireless or not.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/9/7/12838810/apple-airpods-wireless-headphones-hands-on-first-look

 

[otc]

The case has a Lightning port on the bottom for charging

Oh good, better make sure you have some more lightning cables around because now you need them to charge peripherals as well as your phone.

But if you have a macbook, then you need USB-C.

I know at this point...that is just a minor dig at apple. But if they truly wanted to show "Courage", then maybe dropping their silly lightning port for a true standard (that they support on other devices) would have been a better way to do that.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Oh good, better make sure you have some more lightning cables around because now you need them to charge peripherals as well as your phone.

But if you have a macbook, then you need USB-C.

I know at this point...that is just a minor dig at apple. But if they truly wanted to show "Courage", then maybe dropping their silly lightning port for a true standard (that they support on other devices) would have been a better way to do that.

That's not the Apple way. They have to introduce proprietary hardware. They just can't help themselves

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

So how many broken lightning ports are we going to see?

People jog with their phone in their pocket and ****.

The apple headphone plug doesn't stick out very far, and many third party ones are the L shaped plug. The L shaped plugs don't stick out very far on one axis, and they rotate freely on the other axis, so there's not a lot of leverage in the system.

Lighting connectors stick out a bit and are fairly rigid...lighting adapters plus headphones even more so. Even if they made a lighting adapter that was bent 90 degrees, it would still respond poorly to twisting forces.

 

[UnFacconable]

Yeah well the other thing is that if Apple wanted to reduce the number of cables, I'd rather part with the lightning cable in favor of wireless charging rather than give up my 3.5mm headphones. Getting rid of lightning would break a lot of existing interfaces (including 100% of currently operational carplay applications) but would actually be more convenient since most people only use lightning to charge. On the other hand most people rely on wired headphones and have long had the option of wireless headphones.

 

[Jr Mouse]

Ha! Apple's product page warns that the Jet Black model scratches.

http://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2016/9/7/12836762/iphone-7-announced-black-scratch

 

[venividivicibj]

Well I guess people hate change just as much as always.

 

[otc]



Getting rid of lightning would break a lot of existing interfaces (including 100% of currently operational carplay applications) but would actually be more convenient since most people only use lightning to charge.

Seems like it would be easier to release a lightning to usb-c dongle than a headphone dongle.

Unlike the headphone jack, killing the lightning cable would be incredibly easy. After 2 years, the devices would basically be gone from the marketplace...and almost all lightning items out there are just cables. I don't know anyone who uses lightning accessories (although they are out there)...only lightning-to-USB cables which could be replaced with usb-c cables for a couple of bucks. Literally every single person I know uses headphones with a 3.5mm jack--many of them owning and using multiple sets, almost all of which cost more than a usb-c cable.

 

[ramuman]

#monoprice or #newegg for the win

 

[Nil]

The AirPods are a total fail for me. 5 hour battery life doesn't cut it for me. I use my headphones extensively while traveling and that often times takes longer than 5 hours. I'm not carrying multiple sets around. Plus if they really do feel like the standard Apple earbuds, I can't see buying them at all. Those don't fit me particularly well and the sound quality was always **** on them.