Catastrophic iPhone design FLAW!

6137 Views 62 Replies 27 Participants Last post by vancouverdave, Dec 23, 2008

Sean.Perrin

Discussion Starter · Aug 23, 2007

The other day I went to plug my Etymotic ER4P headphones (woth almost $500 CAN) into my friends iPhone to check out one of his songs. The included apple buds hurt my ears and being an audiophile, I refuse to listen to them due to the terrible sound quality. In fact, as I'm sure millions of other iPod users do, I always use my personal choice of headphones when listening to my iPod. What comes next is extremely upsetting: IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE! The iPhone has been designed so that other headphones do not work with the device! I know that the new cord has a microphone to answer calls but did apple ever think that many users would still prefer to use their own headphones and simply remove their earphones from their ears to answer the phone? This is what would do EVEN WITH the apple headset (which i would be VERY hard pressed to use in the first place.)

How does this flaw even get out of the design stages let alone become part of a "revolutionary" device. Moreso... how does this make the iPhone the best iPod ever? I'm not even sure I'll be buying one now, I'm VERY dissapointed in Apple.

What a joke...

1 - 20 of 63 Posts

Commodus

· #2 · Aug 24, 2007

This is a known problem with the iPhone - don't count on Apple fixing it (since it involves the ergonomics), but we're aware.

Shure has a Music Phone Adapter that will let you plug in most any earphone set and gives you a mic in the process.

milhaus

· #3 · Aug 24, 2007

Overract much? Geez . . . Not impossible, as already shown.

applebook

· #4 · Aug 24, 2007

Dood, where have you been? This problem was reported before the iPhone even officially hit the shelves.

Also, the ER-4P is now worth like $150, or at least one can easily get a new one for around that price.

HowEver

· #5 · Aug 24, 2007

Nokia has the "pop-port" for plugging in devices.

Sony Ericsson has the "fast-port."

What does Motorola have, the data port?

If it's a proprietary joke, it's certainly a joke told across manufacturers.

Some flaw.

SoyMac

· #6 · Aug 24, 2007

Whoa! Catastrophic!!

Sean.Perrin

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 24, 2007

applebook said:
Also, the ER-4P is now worth like $150, or at least one can easily get a new one for around that price.

Haha... maybe now... not when I bought them! :lmao:

Sean.Perrin

Discussion Starter · #8 · Aug 24, 2007

milhaus said:
Overract much? Geez . . . Not impossible, as already shown.

I wouldn't call my post an overreaction... and I havn't been here long, so that's where I've "been".

It is in my opinion that this was an incredibly stupid design move, and it is very sad that this company can get away with things like thissimply because they have a loyal (and sometimes brainwashed) clientel.

Demosthenes X

· #9 · Aug 24, 2007

Poor design, yes. Catastrophic? Not quite.

Everyone does it, and judging by the number of people who still use their earbuds, well...

Sean.Perrin

Discussion Starter · #10 · Aug 24, 2007

one of the definitions of catastrophic is "extremely unfortunate". This design flaw is definitely catastrophic with regards to this product's intended purpose.

messed_kid

· #11 · Aug 24, 2007

Sean.Perrin said:
I wouldn't call my post an overreaction... and I havn't been here long, so that's where I've "been".

It is in my opinion that this was an incredibly stupid design move, and it is very sad that this company can get away with things like thissimply because they have a loyal (and sometimes brainwashed) clientel.

The phrase "where have you been?" is more of a reference to..it being a well known issue, not just on ehmac..but all over the mac community. It doesn't refer to just not being part of ehmac, but more of implying that you've been living in a cave cut off from modern civilization. :lmao:

But I agree with the lack of the regular headphone port being less than acceptable. My cell...given it's a piece of ****, also only has the smaller port for a headset. My cell can only listen to the radio..when having a headset or small port headphones plugged in. So...**** that!

MannyP Design

· #12 · Aug 24, 2007

Losing one's hand in shop class is extremely unfortunate.

Not being able to use 3rd party headphones is just plain unfortunate. Unless you lose your hand whilst trying to use them.

applebook

· #13 · Aug 24, 2007

This is a design flaw but not a catastrophic one because the iPhone is primarily a phone. Its ability to function as an iPod is just a very sweet bonus. If the new iPod has the same jack, then the flaw would be unforgivable.

imachungry

· #14 · Aug 24, 2007

I agree with Sean that it's catastrophic design mistake on Apple's part. Apparently it had to be done to make sure that headsets worked okay.

The answer is to shave off a bit of the rubber on your headphone jack using a pairing knife and then they work fine. Sounds ridiculous, but it has to be done. Now my etymotics work fine.

TroutMaskReplica

· #15 · Aug 24, 2007

Losing one's hand in shop class is extremely unfortunate.

because it would then be impossible to use an iPhone?

Darien Red Sox

· #16 · Aug 24, 2007

Some one will probley develop an adapter soon which will solve this problem, and make a tun of money off of it.

imachungry

· #17 · Aug 24, 2007

Darien Red Sox said:
Some one will probley develop an adapter soon which will solve this problem, and make a tun of money off of it.

There is an adaptor from Belkin. ebay has 'em.

RunTheWorldOnMac

· #18 · Aug 24, 2007

HowEver said:
Nokia has the "pop-port" for plugging in devices.

Sony Ericsson has the "fast-port."

What does Motorola have, the data port?

If it's a proprietary joke, it's certainly a joke told across manufacturers.

Some flaw.

Motorola uses a mini-usb port...Now have a KRZR...their software is garbage...

hUssain

· #19 · Aug 24, 2007

RunTheWorldOnMac said:
Motorola uses a mini-usb port...Now have a KRZR...their software is garbage...

Nokia as well is moving to the mini-USB and 3.5 audio/mic jack (similar to the one in the iPhone)

guytoronto

· #20 · Aug 24, 2007

Definitely not a flaw. A flaw is an unforeseen design error. Since Apple intentionally made the jack like this, it is not a flaw. It's like saying a completely sealed unit is a flaw because you can't access the battery. It's just a design irritant.

1 - 20 of 63 Posts

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