Apple bets on a brave new audio world — and it is not alone
SAN FRANCISCO — The new Apple iPhone has something missing: the small socket millions of us have used for years to plug in headphones.While some fans opposed the widely anticipated move — one online petition urging Apple to keep the headphone jack drew more than 300,000 signatures — equipment suppliers and experts heralded a change in how users will interact with their devices.Axing the jack, they say, paves the way for discreet, bean-sized earbuds that can simultaneously translate, filter out unwanted noise or let us control other devices by voice — and drive up the value of the so-called "hearables" market to $16bn within five years.It’s the vision of the futuristic 2013 movie Her, where a human has a love affair with a disembodied voice in his ear. But some who follow the industry say it’s closer than many think, noting improvements in wireless technologies, materials, artificial intelligence and battery life."It’s surprisingly close," says Nick Hunn, a UK-based consultant who wo...
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