Apple’s iPhone 7 has made a major splash and we’re still months away from its release. One of the latest surprises concerning the company’s predominant source of income, is a new speaker set-up, similar to the one used on the recently released iPad Pro. It is designed to have an optimized system for thin devices, giving better quality and louder audio output. It goes without saying that this should keep up with its ability to be thinner.
Apple describes its method for doing this as thus: “An audio chamber can be formed to assist in directing audio sound between an opening an outer housing and a flexible electronic substrate to which the audio element is mounted or coupled thereto.” It is said that as far as its size goes, it is aiming to slim the iPhone 7 down to a thickness of just 6mm. Apple’s pursuit is to achieve an over thinner iPhone which may even result in the headphone jack being removed from the next handset, in favour of using the Lightning port to dock headphones.
Also read: Apple to bring Beats wireless earbuds with the iPhone 7
The rumors about the removal of the headphone jack are not breaking news. However, people and especially head phone makers are unconcerned. In comparison to the outrage the whispers have sparked among some Apple consumers, the manufacturers don’t seem to be particularly influenced. There are two reasons for this: one is that almost every headphone manufacturer, major or minor, has some sort of wireless product to offer prospective iPhone 7 owners. Only the truly premium, audiophile-class vendors — whose products aren’t intended to be used with mobile devices anyway — don’t have a Bluetooth variant to offer. The big names like Sennheiser and Audio-Technica are already working on entire portfolios of high-end wireless headphones, and others like Bose have been developing the technology for years.
As to Apple’s motivation, dismissing an opening on the iPhone would make it simpler to waterproof the device, but more importantly, it vacates more space inside the device itself. The Apple iPhone 7 is due to launch in September 2016 and current rumors suggest that the next model will see Apple conduct a large overhaul of the iPhone formula.
