How Apple Will Change the Game Yet Again

Apple as a company have always seemed to set trends, whether they invented the trends or not. The company has an almost cult-like following from the biggest tech fans to people who know nothing about tech, but having most of that spectrum of fans makes what they're about to do a lot easier. Apple's biggest trendy item is the iPhone. The iPhone was the combination of the greatest music playback device mixed with a touchscreen phone. Its simple, looks great, and many celebrities own iPhones which makes it a status symbol. Every phone cycle Apple tends to make the phones thinner which hasn't resulted in many compromises besides the battery. However, it is rumored this year that the tech giant will have to remove the headphone jack in order make the phone thinner. This can be a huge problem because the headphone market blew up over the past 5 years. Many of the headphones purchased were wired and cost upwards of $300. If the rumors are true and Apple decides to remove the headphone jack, then it allows them to break another barrier that was keeping the phone thicker than Apple would like. The only factor that matters is will consumers be able to adjust easily. The simple answer is YES!!! Apple have always introduced new products that make hundreds of accessories obsolete on their new platforms, but consumers have always put up with the changes because they love this company. Apple products will always be status symbols more than anything else so this change to the next phone will now force other companies into doing the same thing. The new 12" MacBook is the most recent example. Who would want a laptop with one port? Turns out, a lot of people want a laptop with one port and are willing to pay extra for adapters that allow for older accessories to work. The same thing will happen with the iPhone 7. The lightning port will most likely have an adapter that will look weird, but will allow users to use their $300 headphones. Some consumers may even go a step further and buy a pair of Bluetooth headphones if they don't care too much about sound quality. Apple's fan base is what makes these bold changes so easy. Technology and innovations can be a double edged sword because it enables some bittersweet compromises, but Apple products give people a feeling of status and power so who will care if the next phone is missing one thing?