iPhone Headphones

iPhone headphones that are specially designed for the iPhone are different from regular headphones. If you examine an Apple iPhone headset jack and compare it to another regular headphone jack from a walkman or a CD player, you will notice that the Apple headphone jack has three rings compared to just two rings on other regular headphones.

This third ring is a big difference. This additional connection gives the iPhone some additional control over iPhone music and phone calls.

To take full advantage of the iPhone's audio jack, you will need to use either the Apple iPhone headphone or buy an iPhone earphones from other companies with three rings that is built in a microphone .

The iPhone headphone jack is capable of sending both iPhone music and phone calls from the phone to the iPhone headsets. It is also capable of receiving audio from a microphone.

The Apple iPhone headset allows you to control your iPhone music and video right from your headset itself by pressing some buttons.

For example, you can control the volume, and play and pause your iPhone music. You can also rewind and skip a song. Additionally, you can answer phone calls and end phone calls. It make hands free phone calls easy.

With some iPhone applications, you can even record a voice memos.

Those features are very convenient when you are listening to your music, and suddenly you get a phone call. You will be able to click a button on the headphone wire, and answer the phone call.

Without this feature, you would have to pull your iPhone from your pocket, bag or purse and tap the answer button on the screen which is inconvenient.

It is easy to tell if a headset is an iPhone compatible headset. In addition to the three ring jack shown in the picture above, you can look for a microphone and a button in the wire of the headset. visit the Apple site for more details about those types of headphones.

The Apple iPhone headphone is built-in a microphone and has three in line buttons that allow you to control you iPhone music volume and answer phone calls.

Many other third party iPhone earphones are designed for the iPhone and do the same thing. They have an additional microphone and inline buttons to take full advantage of the iPhone audio jack.

If you don't have one of those headphones, and have a headphone that you use and like. Then, you can still make that headphone compatible with the Apple iPhone jack audio capabilities.

This is done by using an iPhone headphone adapter that is built in a microphone and has iPhone music control buttons. Simply connect your regular headphone to the adapter and enjoy the full audio features of the iPhone.

Types of iPhone earphones:

There aren't many types of iPhone headsets available due to the special design of the jack required. Some companies, however, do make iPhone earphones that take advantage of the iphone jack. There are two types, the in-ear and the clip-on iPhone earphone.

In-Ear iPhone earphones:

Those iPhone headsets go inside the ear canal, and provide some kind of a seal to the ear. Since there is no way of holding those earphones in the ear, they can fall easily. However, they are small and can be stored in a purse or a in a pocket.

In ear iPhone headsets have some rounded rubber that help sealing and give comfort to the ear. Still with a little move or bump, the headphones can fall easily.

To avoid this problem, some of those iPhone earphones have some kind of a flexible rubber hook that attach and route the wire behind the ear in what is called clip-on iPhone earphones.

Hang or clip-on Headphones:

This type of iPhone headphones has a flexible rubber piece that is attached to the wire, the headsets can go inside the ear canal, while the rubber piece go behind the ear to hold them in place and prevent them from falling.

They work as a hook to get full grip to the ear. Some in-ear iPhone headsets come with this additional flexible rubber piece as an option. It can be installed or removed to the wire.

Once the clip-on headphone is hooked to the ear, it is firmly seated and difficult to fall or unhook from the ear. However, they can become uncomfortable if worn for long periods of time.

With those iPhone headsets you will enjoy all the features of the Apple iPhone headphone that was discussed earlier.

Things to consider:

There are so many iPhone headsets accessories available in stores. One of the most important things to look for besides the sound quality in iPhone earphones is the wire quality.

How easy it is for the wires to get scrambled. It is the worst thing to pull your iPhone earphones and find that the wires are all tied to each other, and then waste time trying to unhook them. With some quality wires this condition can be greatly reduced.

Generic iPhone Headphones

iPhone headphones are special headphones that are designed specially for the iPhone. They are usually built-in an in-line microphone to use as a hands free phone. Also they come with buttons to control your music.

Most expensive Generic headphones on the other side, don't come with such features. Therefore, a headphone adapter for the iPhone is needed.

An expensive headphone with an iPhone headphone adapter is a must have iPhone accessory specially if you use your iPhone heavily listen to music.

Although the iPhone comes with a headphone from Apple, the sound quality of the Apple iPhone headphone is not that great. Also, it is always a good idea to buy another set of iPhone headsets just for emergency cases.

For example, I have an iPhone headset in my car, and I have the original Apple iPhone headsets in a drawer next to my bed, and I have another iPhone bluetooth headset in my drawer in my office. Therefore, when I need a headphone, I can always find one next to me where ever I am.

If you use the iPod application a lot, you might need a nice iPhone headset that will give good sound, and that has a mic and control buttons.

It is not common to find high end expensive headphones with a microphone and control buttons simply because those features will add cost to non-iPhone users. If you don't care much about the quality of the sound and answering phone calls at the same time, then simple cheap headphones are available.

There are many different types and styles of headphones that work for the iPhone. However, if you have one of the first generation iPhone 2G, then you must have an iPhone headphone adapter.

Manufacturers of headphones have some creative styles and shapes, and also names to differentiate between the different types and styles of those headphones.

Bose for example, might call one type of headphone a different name than what Sony thinks. However, a naming scheme that covers almost every type of headphones can still be developed by just relying on the shape and style of the headphone.

Therefore, we can divide headphones into five different categories. In ear headphones, on the ear headphones, around the ear, clip-on type, and behind the nick headphones.

Types of headphones:

In Ear headphones:

Those headphones go inside the ear canal, and provide some seal with the ear to improve sound and eliminate outside noise. I personally don't like this type of earphones, as they can fall easily. However, they are small and can be stored in a purse, bag or a in a pocket.

The Apple iPhone headsets reside in this category. There are many headphones of this type that are designed for the iPhone. Some of them have both a microphone, and control buttons. Others might only have either a mic or one or more buttons.

In ear headsets usually have some rounded rubber feature to help sealing and holding the earphone in the ear. Still with a little move or bump, this type of headphones can fall easily.

To avoid this problem, some of those earphones have some kind of a rubber hook that attach to the cable and route the wire behind the ear.

It converts the in-ear type headphone to a clip-on type headset. Once the hard rubber piece is attached to the wire, the headsets can go inside the ear canal and hook to the ear. It hold them in place and prevent them from falling.

Those types of in-ear headphones seem to have high frequency sound and lack of base due to their small size. Since they are small and portable, they can be folded easily and stored in a carrying case.

On Ear headphones:

This type of headphones just sit on the ear and have some padding or foam for ear comfort. The two speakers are usually connected with flexible plastic that go around the top of the head.

This style has bigger speakers but still don't cover the whole ear. They usually have better base than the smaller in-ear headphones. If they are equipped with noise canceling technology, the atmosphere noise can dramatically be eliminated.

It is very difficult to find those type of headphones designed specially for the iPhone headphone jack. They can be too expensive to just be designed for the iPhone.

Therefore, to take advantage of the iPhone headphone jack, use an iPhone headphone adapter. Those iPhone headphone adapters are cheap and can be found from many online stores. They will allow your expensive headphone to control the music, so you can play, pause, forward and rewind your music, besides the ability to answer and end phone calls.

Around the Ear headphones:

This type of Headphones is big, and covers the whole ear. With noise canceling technology, you could eliminate outside noise almost completely.

They also seal the ear real good as they cover the whole ear. Due to the larger speakers of those headphones, the sound quality is one of the best you can get for headphones.

Use an iPhone headphone adapter with those type of headphones to take full advantage of the iPhone audio capability.

Hang or clip-on Headphones:

This type of headphones rotates around the ear to get full grip. This clip-on feature can be added to on-ear or in-ear headphones too.

They have a rubber or plastic piece that slides and hooks around the ear to hold it in place. You have to connect each speaker to your ear separately, which can be a little tricky with some designs.

Once the headphones are hooked to the ear, they are difficult to fall. However, they can become uncomfortable for long periods of times.

You can find many iPhone headphones of this style that are specially designed for the iPhone.

They will take advantage of the iPhone audio capability, such as controlling music and answering and making phone calls. See iPhone headphones page for more details.

Behind the neck:

This type of headphones is similar to the on-ear headphone. The speakers come in different sizes and shapes. They can be in-ears or on ear.

The two speakers are connected with a flexible plastic that not only keeps the ear phones firmly tight but also it makes it easy to wear and remove.

It routs behind and around the ear and then behind the neck giving a very nice and tidy appearance. This type of headphones isn't commonly available specially for the iPhone. However, you can always connect it to an iPhone headphone adapter and control music, and make phone conversation.

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