It's Phitek versus iPhone at 25,000 feet as Apple's headphone jack rejects 'normal' 3.5mm headphone plugs.

It's Phitek versus iPhone at 25,000 feet as Apple's headphone jack rejects 'normal' 3.5mm headphone plugs.

I've been doing a fair bit of flying around the US in the last couple of weeks and have a trip across the continent and a long haul flight from San Francisco to Auckland and the short hop to Wellington still ahead of me.
So it's nice to have the iPhone loaded up with music and podcasts to stave off the boredom.
Still, I'm really annoyed that with it I can't use the Phitek noise-cancelling headphones I'm carrying or for that matter the Bose earbuds that are also floating around in my luggage.
Both deliver far better sound than the earphones that ship with the iPhone. But in Apple's wisdom, it decided to recess the 3.5 millimetre headphone jack on the phone so numerous headphone sets can't properly plug into it.
This problem quickly became obvious around the time of the iPhone launch but I expected there to me more of an outcry about it.
As well as the high-end headphones, I can't plug the iPhone into my stereo using the audio cable I currently own. What's the solution?
Well, I could pay US$19 while I'm here and pick up an Phone TTY adapter " which will allow the iPhone to connect to most headphones. But why should I have to spend extra just to use my own headphones?
I used to get pretty annoyed at mobile phone makers who put non-standard headphone jacks on their phones to force you to use the ones they supplied.
Apple had a standard connector from the very first iPod. But while the recessed housing for the headphones neatly hides away part of the connector of Apple's headphones you may be out of luck if you plan to get the best out of the iPhone by using better-quality earphones.
I'll have to get that adaptor, though it's going to make the iPhone look pretty ugly. The other option is to follow the advice of one Macrumours.com forum poster:
"Take an [Exacto] knife and trim the plastic around the end of the headphone jack - my QC3's fit perfectly now."
Has it really come to that? Apple's iPhone as Time magazine declared this week, is the invention of the year, but its recessed headphone jack is just plain stupid and an inconvenience for many loyal customers.

By Peter Griffin | Email Peter
  1. 34
    comments
  2. Rofl.
    01:06PM Friday, 09 Nov 2007
    Wait let me get this straight. You want good sound out of a apple product? Apple ipods etc etc have always been the lower to lowest end sound quality. High advertising and hype low overall quality. Why have they caught on so much? I have me a clix gen 2 with much better ba** and much more clarity when playing drum and ba** tracks etc. My opinion buy a decent brand mp3 player to listen to good quality stuff.
  3. Ak.
    04:07PM Friday, 09 Nov 2007
    Well that was an informative article ! How about telling us something we need to know. I can't believe you can find such a minor fault in such an amazing product and blow it into a 1 page article. (No I do not work for Apple nor do I have an iphone)

    Jeez wayne!
  4. James.
    04:07PM Friday, 09 Nov 2007
    You make it sound very one-sided - like Apple just did it just to annoy everyone. But they recessed the headphone jack as it is actually a slightly different connector now - it carries the microphone channel as well (you know, if you actually use it as a phone?).
  5. Cory.
    04:07PM Friday, 09 Nov 2007
    Soo true, i have just got a new nokia 6120. The quality of the headphones are rubbish. No upgrades or a jack to use others are avaliable. Very niggling
  6. Ryans.
    04:07PM Friday, 09 Nov 2007
    Umm, that's not a flaw, Apple did that on purpose so you'd have to buy more of their junk.
  7. Jono.
    04:07PM Friday, 09 Nov 2007
    The other feature I really think the iPhone (and for that matter iPod Touch) should have is Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP) support. Would be great for running and/or the gym.
  8. Post
    04:08PM Friday, 09 Nov 2007
    Get a bloody life. Rzihej
  9. M.
    04:08PM Friday, 09 Nov 2007
    Are you prepared to disclose to your readership the finacial (or any other) arrangements you have made with Apple or anyone connected to Apple, that may be material in allowing us to determine your neutrality (or otherwise) when "reporting" on it's products?



    The reason I ask is that I never see you refer to products from other manufacturers, or review product from other manufacturers. Apple are not the only providers of music plays, video playes and celluar telephones, which would be big surprise to readers of the Herald.
  10. Karl crompton.
    08:33AM Monday, 12 Nov 2007
    In all my life that must be the lamest column I have ever read from the Herald. You have been spoon fed these premade gadgets for to long and no longer have an ounce of creativeness in your body. Grow a practical brain and cut or file away the part of the plug of your better head phones so that the plug slides further into the recessed socket. Ohhh my goooddd!