Man, you over trust tech industries... but your on Lemmy, weird IMO.

Apple doesn’t care about wired audio and neither does the average consumer.

That's a lie, customers do care. They weren't given a choice.

imo it was the right call to push the industry in this direction

Why? Because I cannot fathom a reason to remove a perfectly good option, especially since that option has existed for some decades.

I fully expect Apple to release a "premium" cabled option down the road. And why wouldn't they? Better audio quality and a whole new tech line to get money from. And if it's proprietary then they don't have to worry about those pesky non-Apple branded headphone from working.

Good for you you've been using Bluetooth. So have I. I also use cabled audio sometimes because I can or because it has fewer issues. I have headphones from the 80s and 90s that still work. I also have Bluetooth that gets flakey if I put the phone in the wrong pocket or I turn my head the 'wrong way'. Because Bluetooth is just a low powered radio.

People don’t like change but if you still want to use wired headphones you can. Use a USB-C/lightning adapter to headphone jack

The whole world had 3.5mm headphones. Then Bluetooth was an option. Now it's forced and the standard everyone had that any headphone or 3.5mm cable worked with doesn't. And lightning, is only Apple. And it's ignoring the myriad of problems...

And to make it perfectly clear, because I feel like people completely miss the point here (because every time this is brought up that seems to be the case). I'm not saying Bluetooth audio needs to go away. I'm saying, there was nothing gained from forcing people. Also, there's nothing gained from proprietary bullshit or things that cannot be repaired/maintained by people.

Lithium-ion batteries can last 10+ years. They can also last much shorter. They're not magic and it doesn't matter who makes them. It's science. They will fail. From over use, kept at the wrong amount of charge for too long, too hot\cold, somehow damaged, etc. They are going to fail and are all e-waste. I mean, find me someone who has any mobile phone that's from 2013 that still gets the full use of it like it was originally advertised. I mean, you're expecting to get 10 years maybe more out of a car... and you're not mad about that. I know people who drive cars that were built in the 60s. They've been able to repair/replace/maintained that vehicle for the life of it. Apple hates the idea of you repairing anything from them.