Qualcomm announces aptX Adaptive; plans to get rid of wired headphones

31 August 2018
Goodbye 3.5 mm audio jack, hello Bluetooth headphones.

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imRGZ, 02 Sep 2018I for one can say FLAC files do sound better than 320kbps f... moreThere have been a lot of people as cocky as you when it comes to their ability to tell FLAC apart from high-quality mp3. Blind tests always silences those people.

The actual scientific studies have been done in extremely controlled environments with studio quality gear. It didn't matter. People couldn't tell mp3 apart from FLAC anyway.

So please, go do the blind test. At worst you learn that you can save some storage space by not carrying around FLAC files wherever you go.

    S6 User, 02 Sep 2018"For the users that still need wired headphones, there's in... moreYes, so? There's literally not a single human alive that can hear the difference between 48 kHz and 192 kHz audio. Our hearing cuts off at 20 kHz in children, dropping to 15 kHz and lower as you age.

    The only thing higher sampling rates has been found to do, is risk introducing unwanted distortion as the speakers try to generate the ultrasonic sounds (which they can't do).

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • pj8
      • 02 Sep 2018

      imRGZ, 01 Sep 2018They are the top sellers at Apple Stores, because Apple fan... moreCan you get to the part where apple tried to stop you from buying a phone with a 3.5 jack? It sounds like you been traumatised by apple, im curios to know what happened to you?

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        • Anonymous
        • pj8
        • 02 Sep 2018

        Anonymous, 02 Sep 2018Spoken just like a typical BLIND Apple iSh**p / Tro** fanbo... moreAlso, i think you could learn how to speak without getting angry if you switch to iphone, when you have a phone that does everything you need without any problems you get less tressed, use less bad words and presumably live longer. Not trying to be rude, just you strike me as a not so happy person so you must be doing something wrong.

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • pj8
          • 02 Sep 2018

          Right now im listening to Kawaii metal music on my Apple Watch paired to some mid-end wireless headphones with active noise cancelling. I dont even need a phone to do this. WHY would i, a sensible thinking human being, want to scream "this is horrible, i want a big fat phone and a big fat wire going from it to my ears, and it HAS to be connected by a 3.5mm plus, no other plug will do!". Maybe i dont do that because i dont have rabies?

          Thank to some guys here for telling me that i am suffering, i wasnt aware of it, i keep trying to see what i am doing wrong but i still love this combo Apple Watch plus noisecancelling bluetooth headphones. I really cannot see whats so bad about it, can someone explain to me again what am i doing wrong?

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            • Anonymous
            • pj8
            • 02 Sep 2018

            Anonymous, 02 Sep 2018Spoken just like a typical BLIND Apple iSh**p / Tro** fanbo... moreYou dont know what you saying.
            - Noone who went wireless want to go back to wire.
            - Airpods dont fall out, because they have no wire that can be jacked.
            - Wireless have excellent audio quality.
            - Wireless had bad audio and bad battery life back when Jobs was the boss, hence he didnt introduce wireless headsets.
            Why dont you get a pair of the cheapest bluetooth headphones and see how great life we have with wireless? The Sony WH-CH500 cost less than a small evening out for one person and it doesnt feel or sound cheap at all, there is absolutely NO GOOD EXCUSES for not going wireless, youre just being a village original stuck in the old ways and being angry at people from the city (ie people who change for the better).
            Make the jump and you never look back.

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              • Anonymous
              • PGq
              • 02 Sep 2018

              FinnishInquisition, 02 Sep 2018If you think you are neutral, I have some very bad news for... moreSpoken just like a typical BLIND Apple iSh**p / Tro** fanboy who is stuck in Apple's "COURAGE" cult. You seem to be separated from reality. Let the Android Truthers "roast" you hard. Hope you wake up and smell the coffee, And after these "roastings", you will find out how "rotten" Apple has become under your master Tim C(r)ook with his bad business decisions such as removing the jack for PROFIT$$. Even your ex-master Steve Jobs DIDN'T DITCH the headphone jack on his created iPhones. He simply wants to create an easier experience for iPhone users without needing a dongle to add to the charging port for listening to music.

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                • S6 User
                • nFX
                • 02 Sep 2018

                FinnishInquisition, 02 Sep 2018Are you even listening to yourself? Can you not hear how in... more"For the users that still need wired headphones, there's included Lightning earbuds in the box and a 3.5 mm adapter if you want to use 3.5 mm headphones instead. It's literally the best of both worlds.".

                It's literally not the best of both Worlds,
                'If you’re listening to your iPhone using the Lightning connector, or the Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter that comes bundled with new iPhones, the output is limited to 48kHz. Even if the app is playing 192kHz.'
                https://www.whathifi.com/advice/how-to-play-hi-res-music-your-iphone-0

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                  • imRGZ
                  • s89
                  • 02 Sep 2018

                  FinnishInquisition, 02 Sep 2018Yes, I have listened to FLAC. And yes, I do have high-end a... moreI for one can say FLAC files do sound better than 320kbps files and i don't have to take a test you propose. How many of those who took your test have proper high quality earphones/headphones and other equipment to differentiate differences between a lossless file and lossy file? Select your test subjects in such a way that they all have proper audio gear and then do your research again and find yourself. Even in the links you had posted, there lot of comments against your ideology. How can one hear the differences if he doesn't have the proper equipment to go with? Majority of the people who would have participated in your research could have used normal earphones/headphones that come with their phones. Even in the link, which you proposed me to take a test, this has been mentioned "Many listeners cannot hear the difference between uncompressed audio files and MP3s, but when it comes to audio quality, the size of the file isn't (ahem) everything. There are plenty of other ingredients to consider, from the quality of your headphones to the size of the room you're sitting in to, well, your own ears." Quality of headphones. Right? Did you post these links in head-fi forums, where many audiophiles discuss things? This is my gear: Sennheiser HD6xx headphone from Massdrop, Schiit Magni 3 and Schiit Modi 2 as my desktop gear and FiiO X7 Mark II Digital Audio Player and FiiO f9 pro as my portable setup. And i have Audeze iSine10 to pair with iPhone 8 Plus. Majority of my music files are FLACs and DSDs. I do know few things, and i can say FLAC files do sound lot better than 320kbps mp3 file if you have high quality gear to play them. Can you please tell us your gear which makes you feel there is no difference between a lossless file and a lossy file?

                    dedoveca, 02 Sep 2018My friend if you had amplifier for $4000 you would hear the... more$400. And read the links. Check the blind tests. Test it for yourself.

                    Nobody can reliably tell the difference between 320 kbit/s mp3 and FLAC. The only use for FLAC is for the purpose of storing the music for later conversions into different formats.

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                      • dedoveca
                      • pV8
                      • 02 Sep 2018

                      FinnishInquisition, 02 Sep 2018Yes, I have listened to FLAC. And yes, I do have high-end a... moreMy friend if you had amplifier for $4000 you would hear the difference between flac and your mp3 files

                        imRGZ, 02 Sep 2018For Apple fanboys like you, even 10% improvement does look ... moreIf you think you are neutral, I have some very bad news for you.

                        The change in battery capacity between the iP6s and iP7 was 15 %. The Taptic Engine upgrade was significant in terms of level of haptic feedback from the iP6s to the iP7, but that difference required a significantly larger Taptic Engine.

                        The Note 9 has a notably larger volume than the Note 8, and got 20 % more battery out of it. Are you going to tell me 20 % is a lot, but 15 % is minute? Are you going to do that, right after you told me how neutral you are? I hope the humour in the absurdity of your statements doesn't elude you.

                        I'm also amazed that you think Apple can literally violate the laws of physics by adding two days of battery life in the space of a 3.5 mm port.

                        And waterproofing uses up internal volume. Waterproofing means adding gaskets, sealants and other waterproof components. If you think the difference between IP67 and IP68 would mean 50-100 g more in weight, you're actually insane. The only difference between the two are 0.5 m of water depth. Not exactly overwhelming or requiring atomic submarine levels of engineering materials. Real world tests between Samsung's and iPhone's have shown them both to be as over-engineered in their water resistance. They perform just as well as each other.

                        And that you still haven't understood the pointlessness of comparing two completely different brands and models is beyond me. The 3.5 mm port was considered as unnecessary as the 3.5" floppy disk drives on computers. Are you going to defend people who say they want 3.5" floppy disk drive in all laptops as well? It's the same thing. If you want a phone with a 3.5 mm port, buy a phone with a 3.5 mm port. Nobody, and I do mean NOBODY in the world needs to adhere to your demand that all phones should have a 3.5 mm port. I, for one, am thankful I can finally choose a phone that doesn't include it.

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                          • imRGZ
                          • DkQ
                          • 02 Sep 2018

                          FinnishInquisition, 02 Sep 2018Are you even listening to yourself? Can you not hear how in... moreFor Apple fanboys like you, even 10% improvement does look like 200% or complete changeover and is a MASSIVE upgrade. For those who are neutral, like me, the things you are mentioning are minute and doesnt warrant removal of any part. In my regular usage of 8 plus i didnt find those you mention as MASSIVE. That 15% more battery, it didnt give me neither two day battery life nor more than a single day, if it did, then i would consider it as MASSIVE. Regarding that taptic engine, it lived happily with the jack in 6s and sure it can in the present times also. Waterproofing doesnt add heft to devices, if so all the Android flagships who has better IP ratings than iPhones should be weighing north of 250g. S9 plus weighs 13g less than iPhone 8 plus, Note9 weighs same as iPhone 8 plus including that spen. Just for your comparison sake i am bringing S9 plus to show you that there is no need to remove jack to have bigger battery, bigger screen, and that taptic engine. And S9 plus has 1000mah more battery, weighs 13g lighter and just 1mm thicker than iPhone 8 Plus.

                          https://m.gsmarena.com/compare.php3?idPhone1=8967&idPhone2=8131

                            imRGZ, 02 Sep 2018Have you ever tried FLAC/DSDs? Try to download some. Use VO... moreYes, I have listened to FLAC. And yes, I do have high-end audio equipment, including a $400 amplifier for my higher-end headphones. There is absolutely no audible difference between 320 kbit/s mp3 files and FLAC.

                            You can read more here:
                            https://blog.codinghorror.com/concluding-the-great-mp3-bitrate-experiment/
                            https://lifehacker.com/5903625/mp3-or-lossless-see-if-you-can-hear-the-difference-with-this-test
                            https://imgur.com/a/lHnP3

                            And even test yourself here:
                            https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2015/06/02/411473508/how-well-can-you-hear-audio-quality

                              imRGZ, 02 Sep 2018"They didn't use the space beneficially? They used it excel... moreAre you even listening to yourself? Can you not hear how incredibly slanted your arguments sound?

                              A 15 % battery increase is MASSIVE when it's done without adding bulk to the device. The Taptic Engine has received incredibly positive reviews for its excellent haptic feedback. And waterproofing is seen as necessity in modern flagships. Those are the three things that were done to the iPhone 7 after removing the bulky 3.5 mm port, and they benefit ALL users.

                              For the users that still need wired headphones, there's included Lightning earbuds in the box and a 3.5 mm adapter if you want to use 3.5 mm headphones instead. It's literally the best of both worlds. All of us that don't care about the 3.5 mm port on our phones get to see the space put to better use, while those that do care about it are given a way to keep using it.

                              By the way, the iPhone X and even the Apple Watch have Taptic Engines inside them. Your claim that Apple removed it in later models is outright false.

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                                • imRGZ
                                • DkQ
                                • 02 Sep 2018

                                FinnishInquisition, 01 Sep 2018I'm an "audiophile" in the sense that I appreciate great so... moreHave you ever tried FLAC/DSDs? Try to download some. Use VOX audio player in your iPhone and buy yourself an Audeze iSine10(cipher cable version) or buy a portable DACAMP like FiiO Q1 Mark II or Topping NX4 and a really good IEM like FiiO f9 pro or FH5. Now you can say for sure, FLACs/DSDs sound a lot better than normal 320 kbps mp3 file. Without proper gear, no one can hear the difference in SQ of higher bitrate files.

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                                  • imRGZ
                                  • DkQ
                                  • 02 Sep 2018

                                  FinnishInquisition, 01 Sep 2018They didn't use the space beneficially? They used it excell... more"They didn't use the space beneficially? They used it excellently. They managed to cram in far more space-wise than the port even took up because they not only used the free space, but even took the time to rearrange the internals to free up additional space. And they used that space on things a lot of customers valued." You named just a bigger taptic engine and a meagre 245 mah battery increase as those which used the space released by removing the jack. Which, in my daily use didn't find any major change in how i use my 8 plus.

                                    Hope this will be adaptive throughout 2019 and beyond and this was established
                                    through porta-fi.com here's the link>>>> https://porta-fi.com/hi-res-wireless-audio-hwa-union-officially-established/

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                                      • imRGZ
                                      • DkQ
                                      • 02 Sep 2018

                                      Anonymous, 02 Sep 2018Pfft, sure, cause every android OEM in 2018, selling phones... moreWireless wasn't adopted before not because of presence of jack or something. It's just because they have poor sound quality, poor battery life, poor noise cancelling. Apt-x improved sound quality a bit and aptx hd a little more but still far less than equally or less priced wired headsets. Wireless has got better adoption now because phone manufacturers are forcing them to do so. Even now if you want good sound quality from wireless headsets you have to spend north of 200 usd. I am not android fanboy. But what Apple did was a business strategy and other OEMs followed suit. You people think like the moment Apple ditched the jack, wireless audio quality changed overnight.

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                                        • Anonymous
                                        • DRc
                                        • 02 Sep 2018

                                        imRGZ, 01 Sep 2018You should also understand my point: Is that Apple didn't r... morePfft, sure, cause every android OEM in 2018, selling phones with no 3.5mm jack while also selling their wireless headphones are saints and can do no wrong ya? they're only doing it for charity and good will ya? God forbid they make any profit or money like evil evil Apple right?

                                        Hey android fanboys, news flash: If Apple didn't start the trend, Aptx wouldn't be as advance or even popular as it is today. Mind you, Apt-x has been around long long before, and NOBODY KNEW/CARED about it!

                                        Cause why use new, expensive wireless headphones when old proven wired ones are still the majority eh? That was exactly what happened to the original company who invented Aptx years ago, nearly went bankrupt and had to sell out to Qualcomm.

                                        If all 2018 phones still have headphone jacks, you cheapskate android fanboys would probably never support the wireless codec anyway, leaving it to die.

                                        Ever since Apple started the trend, wireless will become the most prevalent form in the very near future. In fact, this whole article/discussion wouldn't even exist if Apple didn't start with removing the headphone jack. End of discussion.

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