> The port is data and charge. So I recon it's only a matter of time before there's a split plug for charge and audio.

When your[1] answer to a dongle problem is "add more dongles", you really need to rethink the situation.

1. The generic "you", not specifically you, Phillip.

It's not another dongle, but a dongle with two ports rather than one.

> It's not another dongle, but a dongle with two ports rather than one.

Sounds like another dongle to me! The last half of your sentence contradicts the first half.

When I said "It's not another dongle" I meant that if you buy a dongle with two ports, you can use it instead of Apple's dongle, not in addition to.

this is what "one" is for... (instead of generic "you")

Which is just as weird, one == everyone.

Ah yes, the double dongle. The kind of elegant, problem-solving design I expect from Apple.

Designed in California.

I laughed, because so many decisions in California are based on compromise.

They shipped with a double firewire/USB cord for one of the iPod generations!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6FT-Genuine-Apple-iPod-Dual-USB-Fire...

my pockets are going to be very full with all these things I need to buy/carry around for my iPhone

OK. Mine aren't. I already carry a small bag over my shoulder on the way to and from work; it has a spare battery in case I somehow need it (unusual, since I fully charge my phone every night while I'm asleep), plus my Kindle, sunglasses, and other daily useful things. My pockets tend to be used for keys and phone.

Am I that weird?

"It's European!"... lots of people carry bags, so I wouldn't say weird. I just don't want to start because of a phone.

I carry it regardless. I carry it because I have a commute of almost an hour and a half, much of it on a train, and I like having my Kindle and my sunglasses and other things, but don't carry my laptop to/from the office (thus no laptop bag). So I have a small shoulder bag that I put stuff in and bring with me.

So any time I'm going to be out long enough to have to theoretically carry full kit for my phone (in a hypothetical multiple-dongle world), I'm also going to have that bag with me, or some equivalent object for carrying things (i.e., extended outings not involving going to work), and not have to stuff everything in my pockets.

Apparently this is weird enough to be downvoted into negative-score territory.

Out of interest, is there a noticeable difference between the USA and Europe for bag use? Here in the UK, a bag is sensible and I could imagine going to work without one (for my lunch, spare USB cable, iPad etc).

I had never thought of it being a significant cultural difference.

I wouldn't say "weird", but I am curious how you manage to swap your iPhone battery to the spare you carry.

I'm sure GP means an external USB battery pack.

I don't understand your point.

Wouldn't the dongle just be permanently attached to your headphones ?

That's assuming I ever use only one pair of headphones and don't need connecting to aux cables / external speakers.

Or that my headphones are always used with just iPhones.

Basically, no more plug-and-play. This is exactly why 3.5mm was good: universal plug-and-play.

Naw, not if I want to get to work and then hook them up to my computer. Or I want to connect my phone to my car via an aux cable.

Thats ok, they made it so THIN

So if the lightning to audio dongle is $9, whats the double dongle gonna be? $20? $30?

...that begs the question, why not just do that in the first place though?