Michal Ždanský After Apple allowed third-party manufacturers to use the Lightning connector to transmit audio signals digitally as part of the MFi program, speculation began that the next iPhone would no longer have a 3,5 mm jack connector due to the thickness and would be replaced by Lightning. This ultimately proved false, however, the way for Lightning headphones is still open. It was expected that the first swallow would be released by Apple, or rather by Beats Electronic, which Apple owns. But it was overtaken by Philips.
The new Philips Fidelio M2L headphones use a Lightning connector to transmit lossless audio in 24-bit quality. They thus bypass the DAC converters in the iOS device and rely on their own converters built into the headphones together with the amplifier. The overall sound quality is therefore completely under the thumb of the headphones, the iPhone only transmits the data stream. Due to Philips' experience with sound and audio products in general, this opens the way for users to better sound quality than conventional wired and Bluetooth headphones using the internal DAC converters of iPhone or iPod are able to provide.
Lightning headphones can theoretically charge the phone or, on the contrary, take energy from it, but Philips did not mention such a feature in the published specifications. Fidelio M2L, like other Lightning accessories, can also launch applications after connection, cooperate with them with extended functions or control playback similar to Bluetooth headphones. The Philips Fidelio M2L should hit the market during December at a price of €250.
