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“Aw, stop your whining already!”

“Wireless is the future!”

“Buy an Android”

I hear you. My first smart phone was an Android. I am not an Android basher, but I had reasons to make the switch to Apple years ago upon the release of the iPhone 5. It integrated better with one of my desktop lcomputers, which was an iMac.

When work provided a iPad, continuing to stick with Apple and upgrade to iPhones 6, and later the 6s+ was a no-brainer, and with photography and social media a large part of my personal and professional life, I was extremely happy with my choice. My updates were based on memory and physical size increases.  When the iPhone 7 promised a much improved camera, I eagerly awaited the opportunity to upgrade. That is, until I saw the iPhone 7 was not equipped with a headphone jack.


Removing the headphone jack, Apple tells us, is courageous innovation, a nod to the desire to cut cords, make the iPhone a few millimeters thinner, and move the device forward in the direction of a waterproof model.  I along with legions of iPhone enthusiasts, are not happy and did not purchase the shiny new iPhone 7.

Would you look at that adorable, useful headphone jack!

Here’s why:

  • The iPhone 6 was thin enough.
  • I love my current (and expensive) headphones.
  • Dongles and adapters are expensive. Third party dongles and cords are a complete waste of money. I have been burned so many times by off-brand gizmos and gadgets. If you must by an adapter, it needs to come from (the more expensive) Apple.
  • Dongles are easy to lose. For me, very easy.
  • I travel a lot. I like to charge my phone while I listen to music on my headphones.
  • Wireless puts an extra drain on a battery that is already challenged for longevity.
  • I live stream a good deal, which drastically drains battery life. I often plug in a portable battery via lightning port. Battery power declines rapidly as it is. I often disable wireless and Bluetooth to preserve power.
  • I use an auxillary microphone to reduce wind shear noise. This plugs into the iPhone jack. This nifty iphone mic add-on overrides Apple’s built in microphone. With it, I can record high quality videos and live stream without that awful blustering wind noise. It’s been a lifesaver. I can’t use this on the current iPhone 7.

This headphone jack plug-in device has been a godsend for videotaping and live streaming outside! I don’t want to give it up!

I am all for innovation. I know the future means changes. When I whine online, commentators tell me to shut up and accept the inevitable. I dream of the days when my screen won’t scratch, when my battery will last a day, and god forbid if my phone slid out of my pocket and splashed into my backyard pond, I could retrieve a functioning device. True innovation means Apple engineers could do this with a headphone jack.

Apple gives us choices of color and memory options. For those of us who’ve invested in headphone jack-dependent equipment, give us the choice of keeping this beloved and useful feature. My wish for 2017 – the  iPhone 8-hj.