Bringing BACK The iPhone Headphone Jack - in China

Strange Parts0 HN recommenders · 2017–2024
13.3M views · demo · evergreen · Uploaded 2017-09-06

Strange Parts spends four months, seven custom circuit boards and several disassembled iPhones adding a working headphone jack to an iPhone 7 in China. The build is documented in detail.

Cited as proof that space existed for a headphone jack in the iPhone.

Watch on YouTube

17 comments from Hacker News

@tstrimple2017 · in “Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL announced”

You're really asking why overpriced wireless devices with mediocre to atrocious battery life and substandard audio quality are not a sufficient replacement for devices you can literally buy in any convenience store around the world for tens of dollars? There is room for a headphone jack in these phones (video below). The only reason they removed them when they did is to push accessory sales. [VIDEO]

@harshalizee2018 · in “Apple's best product is now privacy”

1. No. Teardowns have shown nothing of that sort. It's a marketing decision to push people to buy $170 airpods. In fact, there's a very popular tech blogger's video where he successfully adds in a headphone jack[1] to his iPhone 8. 2. No. Samsung phones are far more water resistant than iPhones are with a jack on it. I would love to see your links to said research. [1] [VIDEO]

@dstryr2018 · in “Apple's best product is now privacy”

>> 1. There's really no space for it, if you look at teardowns. So something took its place. This guy was able to add the headphone jack back into an iPhone ( [VIDEO] ). The argument that there is really no space just isn't true.

@coupdejarnac2018 · in “Was ditching the headphone jack a good idea?”

The strange parts guy on youtube added a headphone jack to the iPhone 7. So, I think the stated reason for removing the headphone jack to make room for the battery is complete BS. [VIDEO] Also, why are you responding to the question about limited RF spectrum? It's like you have an agenda in this thread.

@bambax2018 · in “Was ditching the headphone jack a good idea?”

Did you read peapicker's comment before posting your own? (It's older by an hour). Some people need wired headphones and if the port is used for something else then they can't. Also it's completely untrue that the iPhone is "thinner" without a headphone jack; this guy added a jack to an iPhone 7 without external modification: [VIDEO] The video has over 6M views. Apple doesn't care much about their users -- but it's hard to blame them, since said users are apparently happy with it.

@evv2018 · in “Was ditching the headphone jack a good idea?”

..although Apple did not use the space for anything else when they removed it from the iPhone 7. Whats the evidence? Scotty from strange parts actually managed to add a working headphone jack back to the iPhone, in the exact spot where it had been removed! [VIDEO]

@goldcd2018 · in “I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back”

Not sure if I'd go with "little know-how" - but yes, he most certainly did it. [VIDEO] If nothing else it proves that the jack removal was not done for space-saving or anything other than business reasons. However whilst I'm prepared to think ill of Apple under pretty much any circumstance - I'm utterly clueless why so many other vendors jumped in (as they don't have Beats to schill). Still convinced I'm missing something clutches onto OG Pixel

@dalf2018 · in “I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back”

[VIDEO] video from "Strange Parts", which after multiple tries brought back a headphone jack on a iPhone 7. It is described as not ready for prime time (see at the end [VIDEO] )

@YetAnotherNick2018 · in “I still miss my headphone jack, and I want it back”

It's not to save space. See [VIDEO] . There is just plastic sitting in its place and it is possible to add headphone jack, without making it thick.

@OrgNet2019 · in “Apple’s $9 engineering marvel no one wants (2017)”

A "random person" did fit a 1/8 audio jack back inside the iphone without having to modify the case ( [VIDEO] ). It's all about a money grab for Apple...

@netsharc2019 · in “Apple’s $9 engineering marvel no one wants (2017)”

I've learnt it has a DAC after watching Strange Parts take 1 apart and put the components inside the iPhone 7 so he could have the 3.5 jack: [VIDEO]

@tstrimple2019 · in “New Mac Pro Tech Specs”

They replaced the headphone jack with a barometric vent which other phone manufacturers just put in a different location. Apple didn't have to get rid of the port. They decided to get rid of the port because they knew that their users would buy the phone anyway and then have more of a reason to buy AirPods. There is plenty of space in that corner though. Some guy wanted to see if he could add the headphone jack back and was pretty successful for a hand crafted solution. [VIDEO]

@boogies2020 · in “Tesla’s former CTO is building a giant lithium-ion battery recycling operation”

> It would take at most two more tenths of a cubic centimeter more volume I wonder how much empty space is in current gen iPhones, the 7 had so much that a YouTuber was able to squeeze the adapter Apple shipped with it convert analog audio to Lightning externally entirely into the phone ( [VIDEO] / [LINK] ).

@bkallus2021 · in “Tesla will not offer a regular steering wheel on new Model S/X”

Video showing someone adding the headphone jack back to an iPhone 7. [VIDEO] The headphone jack did not make space for the taptic engine; it made space for a piece of plastic.

@SECProto2021 · in “MacBook Pro 14-inch and MacBook Pro 16-inch”

> They needed the space for other things like the new generation Taptic engine on iPhone 7 I mean, they didn't technically need the space - there was space for one guy to cram one into the bottom without removing the taptic thingy (although it did get shifted slightly) [1] [1] super long video and not practical for an individual to do it, but shows that there was space and it could've been included. [VIDEO]

@vondro2022 · in “After roasting Apple about headphone jacks, Google dumps it from Pixel 6A”

Yeah, well when they removed the headphone jack on iPhone 7, which has the same shape and dimensions as iPhone 6, it turned out they just put some piece of plastic in the place where previously the jack was. Youtube channel Strange Parts managed to implement working headphone jack on iphone7: [VIDEO] So I call BS on space constrains, I call BS on waterproofing (waterproofed phones with 3.5mm jack exist). Conveniently, when Apple released iPhone 7, they also released 1st gen AirPods :-)

@evilai2024 · in “We've Been Treating Concussions All Wrong”

Very similar to the experience recounted by this engineer YouTuber[1], who is partly known for modifying his iPhone to add a headphone jack[2]. It's incredible the harmful effect that incorrect medical treatment can have. [1] [LINK] [2] [VIDEO]