从iPhone7说起：为什么耳机接口必须死？

 　　To the surprise of exactly no one, Apple’s new generation of iPhones will not include a standard 3.5mm headphone input¹. The decision signals the demise² of an audio port that’s been used for more than 100 years—and honestly, it’s about time. The death of the headphone jack³ is a very good thing. Hear me out.

　　豪不令人惊讶的是，苹果的新一代手机将不再拥有标准的3.5毫米耳机接口。这一决定宣布已经被使用了一百多年的耳机死亡。说实话，这是迟早的事。耳机接口的死亡是一件好事情，听我慢慢道来。

　　The headphone jack is an analog⁴ connection originally designed for old-fashioned telephone switchboards in the early 20th century. It can’t transfer nearly as much data as a digital connection like a Bluetooth or Lightning connection. Plus, the headphone jack only sends information one way: from power source to speaker. But that’s all beside the point. The most obvious reason why the headphone jack had to die is simply because the new wave of wireless⁵ headphones will be more convenient and enjoyable to use for everyone. For most people, wires are obsolete⁶.

　　耳机接口这种模拟连接原本是20世纪初专为老式电话交换机所设计的。作为一种数字链接，它无法像蓝牙和闪电连接那样传输那么多的数据。另外，耳机接口只能单向发送信息：从电源到扬声器。但是这都脱离重点了。耳机接口死亡最明显的原因仅仅是新一波无线耳机将更方便，而且让人们使用起来更加享受。对于大部分的人来说，有线耳机早就过时了。

　　从iPhone7说起：为什么耳机接口必须死？

　　The headphone jack has been outmoded for decades. Built long before the advent⁷ of digital audio files—the predominant form of music today—the headphone jack was known for its simplicity⁸ and versatility⁹. Historians have traced its origins all the way back to 1878, when primitive¹⁰ versions of the technology were used by telephone operators. The audio port managed to survive a global economic crisis, two World Wars, and even the digital revolution. But enough is enough. New technology has arrived, and it’s undeniably better.

　　耳机接口已经过时几十年了。它早在数字音频文件之前就出现了——今天音乐的主要形式——耳机接口以简单和通用而被人所熟知。它的诞生源自1878年，当时电话接线员在使用原始版本的耳机接口。它成功地在全球经济危机中存活了下来，它历经了两次世界大战和数字革命。但这已经够了。新技术已经到来，毫无疑问新技术更好。

　　Audeze CEO Sankur was one of the first people to recognize the shortcomings of the 3.5mm headphone jack, and he decided¹¹ to bet big on the next generations of audio ports. The Audeze EL-8 Titanium headphones were the company’s first to use the lightning connector and contain a digital signal processor, digital-to-analog converter, and amplifier in the headphones, all of which are precisionused to make the music sound better before it hits your ear.

　　奥蒂兹CEO森克是最先了解到3.5毫米耳机接口缺点的人之一，他决定在下一代音频端口上赌一把。奥蒂兹EL-8 Titanium耳机是该公司第一次使用闪电接口，它包含一个数字信号处理器、数字-模拟转换器和扩音器，所有这些都能保证音乐在到达你的耳朵里之前能听起来更好。

　　To put it more simply: Everything is digital now. The music players, music files, and the equalizers—every step of the process is handled by computers. It makes absolutely no sense to have a dumb metal 3.5mm cable connected to advanced devices like the iPhone.

　　简而言之：一切都数字化了。音乐播放器，音乐文件和平衡器-程序的每一个步骤都由电脑来处理。它让像苹果这样等一批先进设备上的3.5毫米耳机接口变得毫无用处。

　　So the headphone jack is finally dead. And the saddest part? No one is going to miss it.

　　所以耳机接口终于死了。最悲伤的地方在哪儿？没人会想念它。

1 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。

2 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

3 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

4 analog   

n.类似物，模拟

参考例句：

• The analog signal contains high-frequency video information,which helps make up the picture.模拟信号包括有助于构成图像的高频视频信息。
• The analog computer measures continuously,without proceeding step by step.模拟计算机不是一步一步地进行，而是连续地进行量度。

5 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

6 obsolete   

adj.已废弃的，过时的

参考例句：

• These goods are obsolete and will not fetch much on the market.这些货品过时了，在市场上卖不了高价。
• They tried to hammer obsolete ideas into the young people's heads.他们竭力把陈旧思想灌输给青年。

7 advent   

n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临

参考例句：

• Swallows come by groups at the advent of spring. 春天来临时燕子成群飞来。
• The advent of the Euro will redefine Europe.欧元的出现将重新定义欧洲。

8 simplicity   

n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯

参考例句：

• She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
• The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

9 versatility   

n.多才多艺，多样性，多功能

参考例句：

• Versatility is another of your strong points,but don't overdo it by having too many irons in the fire.你还有一个长处是多才多艺，但不要揽事太多而太露锋芒。
• This versatility comes from a dual weather influence.这种多样性是由于双重的气候影响而形成的。

10 primitive   

adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物

参考例句：

• It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
• His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

11 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。