New Xbox One Controllers May Feature Headphone Jack

[Conrad Zimmerman]

New Xbox One Controllers May Feature Headphone Jack

Accessory no longer necessary

Microsoft may be lining up a revision to the Xbox One controller. Eurogamer spotted a change [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-05-28-microsoft-to-launch-new-xbox-one-controller] to the "Get to know your Xbox One Wireless Controller" page on the Xbox Support website which indicates the presence of a 3.5-mm port on the bottom of the controller's feature diagram. The page (since reverted to its prior state) indicated that this port is only present in controllers released after June 2015.

The currently available Xbox One controller has no such port, though it is possible to add one with an accessory, the Xbox One Stereo Headset Adapter.

The description of the new port states that it is intended for "compatible 3.5-mm audio devices." Some brands of third-party headsets, notably those which meet "Made For iPhone" (or "MFi") specifications, are not fully compatible with the existing Xbox One Stereo Adapter, rendering their microphones useless for chat without a workaround. It is unknown if the presumed controller revision might address this issue.

If Microsoft is going to unveil an updated controller (and do it in such a way that has those controllers in stores next month), they will almost certainly be doing so as part of their Xbox E3 2015 Briefing event. That takes place June 15, starting at 12:30pm EDT.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-05-28-microsoft-to-launch-new-xbox-one-controller]

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[Lightknight]

Is it just me or is Microsoft really dragging ass with bringing their product up to basic consumer friendly standards of the industry?

It's like the next version of the controller won't randomly shock you unless you have their rubber glove attachment.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Is it just me or is Microsoft really dragging ass with bringing their product up to basic consumer friendly standards of the industry?

It's like the next version of the controller won't randomly shock you unless you have their rubber glove attachment.

What do you mean by that? Never touched a Xbone controller, so I have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[The Bucket]

I wanted this so often with the 360 controller

 

[Remus]

But I already have a PS4 controller. Oh wait...

 

[Lightknight]

Is it just me or is Microsoft really dragging ass with bringing their product up to basic consumer friendly standards of the industry?

It's like the next version of the controller won't randomly shock you unless you have their rubber glove attachment.

What do you mean by that? Never touched a Xbone controller, so I have no idea what you're talking about.

Microsoft's console started off being incredibly anti-consumer. They have inched back to the starting line ever since by re-adding lost consumer functionality they took away. From things as simple as being able to turn off the Kinect to not requiring constant online connection for even single player games.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Is it just me or is Microsoft really dragging ass with bringing their product up to basic consumer friendly standards of the industry?

I think it's a case of seeing what doesn't sell and removing it, after all you don't know which shit sticks until you've thrown it at the wall.

On a related note, I've never understood the draw of attaching headphones to a wireless controller, are people that desperate to change batteries that they have to run them down as fast as possible?

 

[MCerberus]

Is it just me or is Microsoft really dragging ass with bringing their product up to basic consumer friendly standards of the industry?

I think it's a case of seeing what doesn't sell and removing it, after all you don't know which shit sticks until you've thrown it at the wall.

On a related note, I've never understood the draw of attaching headphones to a wireless controller, are people that desperate to change batteries that they have to run them down as fast as possible?

The same exact reason you have a wireless controller to begin with, so you're not cabled to the console.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

Ah, Microsoft is continuing its tradition of slowly fixing hardware issues and anti-consumer BS with its consoles for the first few years of the life cycle. Let's recap what my poor memory can recall. Feel free to add in anything I missed.

The original Xbox (can't call it the Xbox 1, for some reason) had only those ginormous "duke" controllers for the first year (I didn't really mind them, even though my hands are'not that big.), and some of them had fire risk issues, so MS just sent a GFCI plug to use with em.

The 360 had the RRoD for the first 3 years, proprietary memory cards for saves until an update in 2008-9?(when Sony and Ninty let you transfer saves with generic USB drives and flash cards right from the start), proprietarys HDD that had a 250% markup, and proprietary (I've used that word a lot. Can you say "Vendor Lock-in?") charging cables and battery packs. I don't think they even fixed the HDD issue with the 360 Slim, and they definitely didn't drop the Play and Charge cables for basic USB ports.

Now, they fixed the dreaded DRM before sending the xbone out the door. They realized the Kinect is a waste of money for most people and finally released a Kinect free SKU over six months after launch. They are apparently fixing this issue with needing a $25 adapter for 3rd party headphones. I predict that both consoles will have bigger HDDs by the holiday shopping season this year, to combat the fact that maybe 10 games can fit on them (not counting the all of the DLC and other media they wish to sell to us).

Prices dropping (lack of games at launch,) and crap like all of the above is why I stopped being an early adopter for all three consoles.

 

[Baresark]

This is one of the best and most useful features of the PS4 controller, it's only natural that they would follow suit. Can't knock them for improving their product, that's for sure.

 

[Andy Shandy]

Great, if true. One of my favourite features of the PS4 controller, so I'd definitely this new Xbox One controller.

 

[MazokuRanma]

But I already have a PS4 controller. Oh wait...

I didn't even realize the PS4 controller supported this. Of course, that's because I was busying using my Logitech USB headset which plugs into the USB port and -just works- on my PS4. Using the same headset requires a ridiculous set of adapters on my XB1. This is one of the most epic fails of the system. Not quite as far up there as the hideous dashboard, though. I'm hopeful the Windows 10 integration is an improvement.

 

[WonkyWarmaiden]

I'm just imagining someone getting angry at a game and trying to throw their controller down in rage only to yank themselves forward by their headphones, haha.

 

[Strazdas]

Are they going to restrict usage to their own proprietary hardware like they did with 360? Though assuming analog 3.5mm they dont have a way to.

Some brands of third-party headsets, notably those which meet "Made For iPhone" (or "MFi") specifications, are not fully compatible with the existing Xbox One Stereo Adapter, rendering their microphones useless for chat without a workaround. It is unknown if the presumed controller revision might address this issue.

Yes, apple uses proprietary technology in theirs that supposedly gives extra functions but also makes them incompatible with everything else unless these devices account for apple changes.

On a related note, I've never understood the draw of attaching headphones to a wireless controller, are people that desperate to change batteries that they have to run them down as fast as possible?

Its because they want to use headphones but are sitting too far away from a console or dont want a wire (after all they would use wired controller to begin with otherwise). Also headphones are for the most part very easy to drive. the rumble motors are far more battery killers than headphones. a thumbnail sized music players do just fine for music for hours on end. Even my big over-the-ear headphones i bought last week are only 1.2W (though they sound better than my 60W speakers....)

I'm just imagining someone getting angry at a game and trying to throw their controller down in rage only to yank themselves forward by their headphones, haha.

Hah, happens. I once got frustrated by a game and tried to do the "flip your arms in the air" gesture. ended up breaking my headphones cable that happened to sit on my hand. luckily the jacks were fine so it was a simple fix.