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Tag: would

  • Merging 3.5mm audio jack with the lightning port could be a disaster in iPhone 7

    Merging 3.5mm audio jack with the lightning port could be a disaster in iPhone 7

    The internet world is on fire with the rumors of Apple giving away the headphone jack to create a thinner version of iPhone 7. There are already many news in the media about Apple filing a patent for a headphone jack that is D-shaped. Also, there have also been rumors surrounding a lightning connector that serves the dual purpose of being used for charging as well as serving as a headphone jack.

    Apple giving away its 3.5mm jack

    With the growth in the trend of using Bluetooth headphones these days, the change in the headphone jacks would impact quite a few users. The thickness of the current iPhone 6s is 7.1mm.The 3.5mm headphone jack would be too round if Apple plans to bring down the thickness of its upcoming model.

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    Image Credit: Buamdesign

    Surprisingly, Apple is planning to ditch its 60-year-old innovation. The next generation device of Apple, iPhone 7, would be thinner than the current model by 1mm. The super slim design of the anticipated iPhone 7 would require Apple to get rid of its 3.5mm headphone jack. The rumors surrounding the use of a multipurpose lightning slot as a charger as well as a headphone port have already triggered anger amongst Apple users. There are also reports stating that Apple may start selling a converter that would let the users plug in their old headphones into their newer devices.

    The latest smartphone from Apple, the iPhone 6s, is 7.1mm thick and features a jack of 3.5mm. Apple plans to reduce the device’s size by 1mm in its upcoming model by avoiding this jack. This change would also imply to those stereo headphones that are larger and those, that run on an internal battery would be able to draw power from the iPhone and other devices. Less signal interference or crosstalk would be experienced with the use of lightning-based headphones.

    Third party manufacturers already sell lightning-connected earphones. Apple would want to monopolize the market by launching its accessory for its upcoming device. The company has the record of previously ditching its software and hardware support once they were believed to be obsolete.

    Apple has plans to release Ear pods that are lightning-equipped. They may be included along with the accessories being offered with iPhone 7. It would also be sold separately for using with other iOS devices. If this rumor turns out to be true, this decision by the company for using a single port for charging as well as for audio output will trigger a controversy.

    Ditching the 3.5mm jack would mean killing its history of 60 years

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    Killing the iPhone headphone jack in its upcoming new model would imply that the company is planning to ditch its history of 60 years. In the pursuit of thinness, the company is planning to lose its history. The 3.5mm jack has been there for as long as the transistor radio (which was developed during the mid-1950’s). Apple previously ditched its 30-pin connector in 2012 to bring in its the then brand new lightning plug. That shift resulted in the old charging cables not working with the new device and triggered anger among the iPhone users.

    The change that is being planned by Apple with its upcoming device may also trigger the same response. Running audio through the same port as lightning implies that the users may have to purchase new headphones. Once the new device is out, we would be aware of Apple NIL the actual changes in its latest device that has already managed to create headlines.

    Cover Image: Gigaom

  • Surface Pro 4: Things we wish Microsoft did right

    Surface Pro 4: Things we wish Microsoft did right

    Microsoft Surface Pro 4, a high-end portable hybrid tablet has been recently launched by Microsoft. It is the upgraded version of their current Surface Pro 3 and is currently creating a lot of buzzes, but considering that it is launched with a very high price tag and is specifically targeted for the high-end users, we feel a bit disappointed. Though specification wise Surface Pro 4 is very well loaded but we found that there are 4 features that could have made it a lot better.

    1 Windows Help/ Passport

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    Image Courtesy: Microsoft

    Edit: Windows Hello is actually present in Surface Pro 4, which allow users to seamlessly and securely log into their PCs. Windows Hello supports three types of biometric entry, which includes fingerprint recognition, iris, and facial recognition. Sorry for the wrong information. Thank you! “Andy_Elvis” for this tip.

    Windows 10 came out with some of the most magnificent features which are specifically designed to make operating easily. Microsoft has kept the marketing of Windows 10 around the proposition that Next Gen babies of today will grow in a password free world.

    There are many PC around the world which has the capacity of utilising windows Hello facial recognition software but with surface Pro 4 this feature is missing. Even if they were not able to fit in the Intel RealSense 3D camera they could have at least installed the fingerprint sensor which could have let users utilize the biometric authentication with the help of Microsoft Passport.

    2. USB Type-C

    USB Type-C is now making inroads into most of the high-end device which are available in the market. It has now become a norm for all high spec devices to use it because of its amazing variety and features. The omission of the USB Type-C is a huge disappointment considering that other devices of the same category have it.

    There are currently two USB ports in the Surface Pro 4, one of them could be easily devoted support the new tech if they were concerned about the legacy support and backward compatibility on the device. Maybe Microsoft would have thought that as there are not many devices currently in the market which have USB C types, but it would have made sense considering the future belongs to USB C and if not anything perception wise it would have given a good boost to the product.    

    3. 4G / LTE

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    Image Courtesy: Microsoft

    In this day and age its very difficult to imagine that a premium ranged hybrid PC is not equipped with 4G connectivity. 4G connectivity is something which for this kind of device was an absolute necessity as it would have been essential getting a better coverage in the area which lack the facilities of WiFi.

    4. Battery

    Battery backup is something which would have been compromised with 4G but having it as a feature was highly necessary for Microsoft. There is one thing that Microsoft got correct this time which is that it can utilize the same docking station of Surface Pro 3. When rumours began to fly that Microsoft was planning a larger Surface Pro it was a big cause of worry for the fate of docking station but Microsoft has remained true to their word and has retained the same docking station as the Surface Pro 3.

    But it must be said that even after considering all these flaws, the product line announced last week is very exciting. Microsoft is certainly making a valiant effort to rub shoulders against its age-old rival Apple with a good premium range Hybrid. They have certainly set a good platform for others to know the right way to build a premium Windows 10 device.