I wonder how many people have actually stopped buying iPhones due to the removal of the minijack. I bet it’s noise to Apple’s revenue. I also expect that they save more in the hardware simplification than they lose on sales.
I'm sure it's 100% worth it for them financially. Me not buying an iPhone because it doesn't have a headphone jack means nothing to them.
I think what will hurt them in the long run is their pattern of user-hostility will start to affect their image. For instance:
* Right to repair gaining steam (Apple now introducing some basic form of parts availability)
* Apple eroding their image as a Privacy company (Apple had to delay their "child safety" tools after public outcry)
* iMessage lock-in (Apple users "bullying" Android users due to Apple's hostile UI choices).
Those are just the recent examples that come to mind.
It'll all add up until Apple has a PR problem that actually does start affecting their bottom line, and then they'll have to make concessions that'll make people happy again.
Probably not a lot. But it's one of those "death by a thousand cuts" things I can't ignore in an iphone purchase. Between that and the fingerprint reader, I'm out. If they brought either back I could justify it.
I really do miss my headphone jack. Not being able to charge and listen to music at the same time is dumb as hell.
However, my 6 was proper dying, so once they bought out the SE or whatever with a sensible form factor and fingerprint scanner I was convinced it was better than trying to switch