Ken Whittaker, Front Rush
Last Wednesday marked what us nerds call the “Quarterly-Apple-Head-Scratching-Event.” Okay, nobody calls it that (I just made it up, could you tell?). Now as a mobile developer, I obviously have an inherent interest in what the company has brewing, and what direction they’re taking the hardware and software they develop. Perhaps some of you also have a knack for technology, and streamed the event too. Others may have caught the highlights online or on the nightly news. The point is, as such a massive company, Apple has made it a habit of creating a buzz around their announcements. Now as you may have heard, the next generation iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have just been announced. However, there’s one piece missing from this generation that you may have taken for granted all these years…
The headphone jack. That’s right – Apple decided to remove the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 for a variety of reasons. Skeptics have kicked back and made comments about how this is just an excuse to sell their own headphones, or bolster their own technology (after all, they did acquire Beats a little over two years ago). Maybe the critics are right, but I think there’s a little more to the idea. As Phil Schiller (Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing) took the stage to announce 10 of the most prominent features of the iPhone 7, he made an interesting comment, ultimately stating that the decision “comes down to one word. Courage. The courage to move on, do something new, that betters all of us.” He went on to explain that “it makes no sense to tether ourselves with cables to our mobile devices.” It’s clear Apple has a vision for how they believe audio on a phone should work – and removing the headphone jack is the first major step in making that vision a reality.
Some may take these comments and be annoyed with them. Maybe you just invested in a new $200 pair of headphones or are a person of habit. However, I think that’s the point here. Phil mentioned how the Apple team has taken on challenges to achieve their goal. Obviously they would not have removed the headphone jack without feeling confident in their plan to replace it. That’s why they’ve developed new technology to pair a new generation of headphones wirelessly – without having to go through the complex motions of traditional device pairing. For the hold outs, they’re also including an adapter to connect analog headphones to the iPhone 7, as well as a new generation of their “standard” headphones that connect to the Lightning adapter (or charging port as you might call it). So – hope is not lost. They know the transition will take some time, and they’re willing to let people discover that change on their own.
Now, Apple could have taken the easy route by including the headphone jack on the iPhone 7. But they had the courage to try something different (queue company slogan “Think Different” circa 1997). And to their credit, they have the popularity that likely gave them the confidence to even suggest such a bold change. In reality, people will gripe about how they removed the headphone jack for a little while, but ultimately, they will be inclined to try the new pair of Lightning connected headphones included with the device. Or maybe they’ll give the new wireless AirPods a chance. Apple hopes we look back at the headphone jack like we do cassette tapes or VHS movies. If something can be done more efficiently, why wouldn’t they push towards that approach?
For now, they’ve covered their bases by including an analog headphone adapter. Basically, you can get the iPhone 7 and use it the exact same way you would with your older iPhone or any other mobile device by using that connector. However, this is just the first phase in what they hope is the beginning of a new way of thinking. As I mentioned, this isn’t a new concept, nor is it the first time they or any other company pushed to make a huge change – but it’s the most recent on a public scale.
When you’re out scouting new talent or recruiting the next superstar to your team, take a minute to think about your process. Are you recruiting a certain way because that’s what you’ve always done or because it’s easy? If so don’t be afraid to step outside the realm and try something new. As a heads up, if your main reason for not changing a process is “because it’s always been done that way” – you might want to at least consider branching out (or “going wireless,” to be super corny and relate it to Apple and the headphone jack). Remember that the “adapter is always in the box” for you to use if you need it. But unless you have the courage to try something new, you’ll always be a step or two behind the competition.
Now, I can’t help but put a shameless plug in for Coach Packet – since the relevance here cannot be overlooked. A few years ago, Coach Packet dared to replace the historic paper bundles by organizing all the information online. Today we’re proud this information can sit in your pocket (maybe on your shiny new iPhone 7?) and be accessible to you wherever you are. What ways can you use Coach Packet and other software with your current scouting processes to bolster your approach and get that head start on your recruiting game? As Neal said last week, we love learning what you do as coaches.