iPhone7、イヤホンジャックがなくなるって本当?

ヘッドホン端子がなくなれば、iPhoneはより薄型化が可能になります。
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アップル関連情報サイト 9to5Mac が、アップルが次期 iPhone のためにワイヤレスイヤホンを用意していると伝えています。次期 iPhone には薄型化のために3.5mmヘッドホン端子を省略するという噂が出ており、このときは Lightning 接続のイヤホンが付属することになるとされていました。 9to5Mac によれば、アップルはこの秋に発売するであろう iPhone 7 にあわせて、Beats ブランドの Bluetooth イヤホンを開発中とのこと。

「AirPods」として商標出願もしているというこのイヤホンは完全ケーブルレス、つまり左右ユニットを結ぶケーブルもない耳栓タイプで、さらにノイズキャンセリング機能を搭載するとしています。

また AirPods のバッテリーは、専用キャリングケースが充電機能をそなえるため、収納すればそのまま充電が可能とのこと。

Beats はアップルによる買収後、既存の製品ラインナップに幾つかのバージョンアップを施したのみで目立った新製品を投入していません。AirPods は iPhone 用アクセサリーとして、もしかするとアップル買収後の Beats にとって初めてのメジャーな新製品リリースとなるかもしれません。

ただ AirPods は iPhone 7 に付属するのではなく、アクセサリーとして発売されることになりそうです。というのも、アップルは2014年に MFi 認証プログラムを拡張し、Lightning コネクターをヘッドホン端子として使えるようにしています。このため iPhone 7 には現行 EarPods の Lightning 接続版が付属するとされ、さらにイヤホンが Lightning コネクターを塞いでしまうため、iPhone 7 本体はワイヤレス充電機能を備えると噂されます。

ちなみに、純粋に音質を考えれば Bluetooth 接続よりも Lightning ケーブルで接続する有線方式のほうが良い音で音楽を楽しめます。iOS 9 は 192kHz/24bit のデジタル出力に正式に対応しており、さらに Apple Music も今年、96kHz/24bit のハイレゾ音質での配信を開始するとも言われています。

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