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Mark Gurman on Apple: Ports’ days are numbered
“In fact, his report notes that Apple designers eventually hope to "remove most of the external ports and buttons on the iPhone," although this is likely multiple years away.”
I know this is old news, but they are moving as fast as they can if they considered no lightning on the iPhone X!
Of course iPad will be behind iPhone, but it’s sad to realize that they doubtless don’t care that pro audio shows no sign of ever being wireless. Whereas if you think about all the other uses for the data connection and audio ports, it is feasible to use Bluetooth and WiFi for most everything. But pro audio? The latency and reliability, right? It’s just not gonna work, right?
So do we think the entire iOS music revolution (so to say), Apple is willing to just burn to the ground in 5 years because they like the look of no ports??
Comments
Whether they're going to do it, we don't know. Whether they care enough about Pro-Audio in iOS to make it a factor in the design/architecture of their devices? I'm fairly certain they don't care enough about our niche little micro-cosmos.
The Pro-Audio world is tiny compared to the visual pro-artist scene (e.g. illustrators, modellers, photographers, designers etc.). And the pro-artist scene itself is dwarfed by the masses of consumers who use these devices for social media, picture snapping, gaming and as a fashion accessory.
Perfectly spot on. We audio dudes are a drop in their ocean...
Unfortunately I lost the link, but a couple of weeks ago it was published by a reliable source that Apple transferred a billion (!) amount of revenues from appstore sales to just Swiss developers last year.
Which music app is made in Switzerland ?
So then what for you and I?
Back to MacBook and hardware?
Android?
Interesting.
For me (personally) there are two factors:
I can live without the latter (as I do most things 100% 'inside the box' anyway), but the headphone connectivity worries me.
Make me think to practice on laptop! And keep some iDevices with lightning port and apps. After all Ableton Live is almost never updated and music still can be made. And we will see if new music platforms are created at this moment, perhaps android will be viable.
Maybe that will force some great iOS only developers to do "real" multi-touch apps for windows 10. I mean it would be possible right now. There are really some awesome 2-1 hybrid which could combine best of both worlds.
But the market decide what will survive of course.
But you can´t say Apple don´t care. There is still Logic Pro X getting huge updates every few months. Logic is as pro audio as i could imagine (if you like the workflow). Not perfect but you won´t get a more complete package for audio production for less anywhere else yet.
It´s more that iOS developers often don´t think "pro" enough
I was reading somewhere that the new IPad might have USB C, not sure about the headphone thing.
Yes indeed. That’s the relevant fact. I’m sure they’re happy for the good will of audio users but it would be insane to think that they would consider our interests in any larger calculus.
It hurts because as good as the visual stuff is, I think the audio stuff is the best match for the tech in terms of getting the most out of ipad—and thus has some sort of “natural right” to be preserved. Dreamin’
Exactly. Not enough to influence such design desicions.
That's the thing. Bluetooth audio has too much latency and is too flaky when in an environment with too many bluetooth devices nearby. Apple might invent another new standard that barely works with anything non-Apple, just to throw it away 3 years later ... again.
My only positive vision is that the group of iPad users with its hope to completely replace their go-to laptop one day will somewhat be an argument good enough to keep enough connectivity on the iPad.
If Apple decides go USB-C there's a lot more USB-C -> 3.5" dongles to choose from compared to Lightning.
Sure there are USB-DACs & Audio Interfaces but I do wonder if it is indeed loss of sales of the CCK-Dongles that makes Apple stick with the Ligtning port. I mean wohoo we can sell an dongle so people can use standard USB ports...
I absolutely need both, for low latency headphones monitoring and condenser mic recording. iPads and iPhones without any port will kill the platform for music production.
Amen. We better keep our laptops. They're cheaper than iPads, so what
We don’t talk often about this, but that kind of evolution sucks for hardware products developers too. All those iRig products for example will perhaps not work on usb-c wires, and we’ll be good to buy something else. Same thing with some latest macs.
Err............Ableton 10 came out on Feb 6th this year, and the first update for that, was about a month ago!
I'd be perfectly happy with a standard USB-C port since when needed I already hook up everything to a USB-Hub.
My desk would be a lot less messy if I could use a USB-C hub to power my iPad without having to use a CCK3...
I’m talking about big features updates aka new versions, Ableton 9 was released in 2013. I still use 9, still a great performer.
Good point!! But I like to use my iRig Pro IO on the go with lightning wire, and keep USB one and CCK3 for home. If no new usb-c optional wire, I will be good to buy another interface with next iDevice just for mobile use. I already buyed at first a wired Nanokey for my iPhone 5 and was forced to buy a BT Nanokey studio when buyed my 7 Plus three months later. Become expensive, there are no that kind of issues as often on W10 laptops.
Never understand the lightning nor the magnetic thingie for the iPad keyboard.
They just should include USB-C with thunderbolt 3 on all their devices. In theory you could connect everything to it....from external GPU´s to audio interfaces and SSD´s etc.
Apple´s proprietary connections are the worst shit since we walk on 2 feets
If i recall correctly most of IK's iRig products ship with a detachable cables already.
All the IK stuff I've bought over the years apart from iRig Mic Field ship with multiple cables with either USB or Lightning in the other end. The iRig Mic HD has a standard Micro/Mini USB at one end and those cables (Micro/Mini-USB -> USB-C can be found just about anywhere for a few bucks).
The iRig Keys and iRig Pads I have have both the proprietary 'circle' connection and 'standard' USB ports.
I do admit I'm NOT a fan of Apple removing ports, but if they at least could use standard ports instead of proprietary stuff I'd be happy.
And that they even make it often hard or impossible to use their own tools across devices is the next joke.
F.e. i would buy the pencil if it had mac support long ago.
Of course at the end they want to us to buy iPhone, iPad and mac at best. At the end they let mac die and focus especially on iPhones and gimmicks like the animojis since there is their main market now.
But there are still a lot pro things about audio happening beside Apple.....so we, the customers, decide what we want.
IRig Pro io uses proprietary mini din to usb/lightning wires. They give very good connection, but I don’t know if there is already usb-c wire version?
Using only one wire is more mobile that a wire + usb hub.
Édit: I haven’t seen mini din to usb-c wire on IKM website. Also don’t know if new wire will need firmware update if the port protocol is different? I noticed IKM always create (too much) new products when there are some evolution on iDevices ports. Also, think about devices like Shure motiv 88 without any monitoring jack: useless since iPhone 7!
I'm pretty sure that if Apple goes with USB-C there will be cables for sale from IK.
If not there are these few buck 'bricks' that can be used to convert the USB-A port to a USB-C port.
I know it's not the optimum solution but hey we're already flooded with dongles for everything
If you had to read the complete update history of Live 9 alone, you'd be busy for quite a while:
https://www.ableton.com/en/release-notes/live-9/
You're right, an app does not necessarily have to be updated frequently to be usable.
I'd even go as far as to state that sometimes it's easier to purchase and try out new apps than to actually be creative with what I have
You will need to update to 10........Ableton 9 will not be receiving any new updates......Ableton 10 has many new features & improvements, well worth upgrading in my opinion
Apologies for diverting the thread..........just wanted to set the facts straight!
As for ports, i think lightening/usb c is essential going forward for people who want to integrate ios into a hardware/desktop DAW environment, & for multiple outs in a live situation.. I can't see wireless being able to do that any time soon...........hmmm.... maybe i should scale back my spending on ios apps for the time being until apple make their intentions clearer.........
Nice found thanks @samu!!
+1 and thanks for the link!!
Totally agree with that and I will certainly get Live 10. I just wanted to do some comparison if we lost any port on iDevices. I will still use my lightning legacy iPhone to do some music for some years, as I still use Live 9. But at some point my phone and apps will become truly obsolete when I’ll still be able to upgrade to Live 10 and perhaps even 11 on my Lenovo laptop, that’s also true. There is some wanted obsolescence on Apple devices which is quite annoying to be honest.
When I hear things like Apple R&D contemplating a future with no ports or buttons on iDevices it makes me think of all the money they've no doubt made over the recent past with 30 pin to Lightning adapters, CCK's (both versions), 3.5mm to Lightning headphone adapters, etc.
Not saying it's a colossal amount but the sales certainly have shown Apple that if they strip away features but also provide the solution for the workaround they'll win either way. Those that want super sleek buttonless, seamless devices will be happy & those who want ports, wired charging etc. will buy the Apple branded work around even if there's a bad taste in their mouths in doing so.
They will make cck4 wireless dongle!!
Who knows, maybe Apple will copy Samsung and create a 'revolutionary docking station' with USB-C, Ethernet & HDMI ports, 3,5mm Jack etc.
I could see myself replacing my AppleTV with such a dock
If you think about it, desktops in 2000 years needed to be upgraded often, perhaps every years or two years even for musicians. This is not true anymore you can keep laptop/desktop at least 5 years or even more and get the music job done, at least on Windows rigs, and if you’re not a gamer. iPhone and iPad have now reached some power efficiency, performance don’t improve as much as before, and you can keep your device much longer IMO. So they still have ports removing for market stimulation!! Don’t know if it’s a good strategy at all.
Could be good for sure!! There still will be audio latency/quality issues going wireless route, don’t know if this can really be improved. BTLE midi is good, but it’s not the same amount of data. Also, iPhone with a dock don’t make sense for music making IMO, even if it’s a near zero market in Apple music ecosystem. For everyday use, I can tolerate lightning to jack dongle, but nothing bigger. Even using Belkin charger rockstar kills my inspiration at times, especially if I don’t have it with me!!!
Kind of thing which has made me lost some nice musical ideas