iPhone 8 will NOT have THIS brilliant feature, Apple all-but confirms

Apple iPhone 8 – Leaked photos, concept images, and renders Sun, January 1, 2017

iPhone 8 is shaping up to be one of the most impressive Apple smartphones to date, with glass panels on the front and rear of the device, a curved borderless OLED display and no Home Button

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Apple iPhone 8 will debut a brand-new all-glass look, with a curved OLED display and no physical Home Button

iPhone 8 is represent a dramatic change of pace for Apple.

The next-generation iPhone will mark the 10th anniversary of the iconic smartphone range when it launches in mid-September 2017.

The Apple iPhone 8, which some sources believe will be marketed as iPhone X, is rumoured to arrive with a dual-curved OLED display, new all-glass design, improved dual-camera set-up, and no physical Home Button – a first for the device.

Earlier this month, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted at the scale of the blockbuster upgrade coming to the iPhone range later this year.

However, a revelation from Apple earlier this week has safely extinguished hopes of one particular feature – USB-C.

The iPhone manufacturer is a strong proponent of the universal, reversible connector.

For example, the latest generation MacBook Pro ditched a slew of different ports (including its iconic MagSafe charger) in favour of USB-C.

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Apple's purported new dongle spells an end to USB-C rumours for the iPhone 8

But despite the advantages of USB-C, which Apple helped to develop alongside a number of other technology companies in the consortium, it appears to the universal port will not make the jump to the Apple iPhone.

Apple is planning to launch a new Ultra Accessory Connector (UAC) this summer, 9to5Mac revealed this week.

This new dongle is designed to alleviate some of the frustration of owning both Lightning and USB-enabled devices.

As it stands, Lightning headphones cannot be made cross-compatible with USB-C devices, and by the same token, USB-C headphones are only compatible with USB-C audio sources.

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Apple's latest laptops all favour USB-C over a melange of other single-function ports

But with the new Ultra Accessory Connector acting as a middleman, users will be able to swap between Lightning-to-UAC and USB-C-to-UAC cables with the same headphones.

UAC will enable your headphones’ firmware to work-out whether it is receiving audio from a Lightning or USB-C connection – and adjust accordingly.

Unfortunately, the existence of the Ultra Accessory Connector is the final nail in the coffin for a USB-C enabled iPhone set for launch in September.

That's a shame, since the existence of both Lightning and USB-C within the Apple ecosystem can create a few inconsistencies and headaches for Apple customers.

For example, Apple bundles its latest smartphones – iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus – with a Lightning-to-USB A charging cable.

That’s clearly an admission that most users are not yet onboard with the new USB standard.

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The Apple Store is being populated with an ever-growing number of dongles for these use-cases

Sadly, it also means MacBook Pro owners who want to charge or sync their new iPhone to the laptop over a wired connection will require a £25 USB-C to Lightning cable or a £19 USB-C to USB adapter.

It’s one of a number of inconsistencies that runs throughout Apple’s product line-up at the moment. Last year, customers who bought the latest iPhone and MacBook were able to connect the two devices without the need for a dongle.

Those same customers were also able to use their Apple EarPod headphones across the MacBook Pro and iPhone. Today, that also requires an adapter.

Although the MacBook Pro carries a 3.5mm headphone port, the latest iteration of the iPhone does not.

Apple said the decision to drop this ageing technology took “courage” and will accelerate the development of wireless headphones – where it sees the future of personal audio.

And in fairness, the proliferation of wireless audio technology would solve a number of these inconsistencies.

APPLE

Apple's AirPods automatically connect when you pop-open the case by an iPhone

Apple launched its next-generation wireless headphones, Apple AirPods, late last year following a number of delays.

These new Bluetooth headphones boast high-quality audio playback and are designed to harness the power of the cloud to automatically pair with all of your Apple devices.

Simply place the AirPods close to your iPhone and with one tap, they are immediately set-up with all the devices signed into your iCloud account, including your iPad and Mac.

AirPods will intelligently switch between iPhone, Apple Watch and your MacBook as you move between gadgets.

Apple iPhone 7 – you won't believe these pictures have been taken on a smartphone Mon, January 30, 2017

APPLE'S iPhone 7 has an all-new camera and these pictures show off its stunning low light abilities.

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One Night Campaign shot on iPhone

Beam-forming directional microphones in the stem also let you use voice assistant Siri while wearing the headphones, who can be summoned with a double-tap.

Siri lets you select and control your music, change the volume, check your battery life, as well as the other standard queries the virtual assistant is used to fielding from iPhone owners.

An accelerometer built into each AirPod detects when you’re speaking, enabling the microphones to focus on the sound of your voice, filtering out external noise.

Express.co.uk will have an in-depth review of the AirPods this weekend. Stay tuned.

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