If you wanted to replace the headphone jack with your "new thing" the most effective way to do that would have to involve as many audio hardware companies as possible also producing headphones that work with your "new thing". You would want to pre-announce it along with specs and make it an open standard that other companies can utilise without paying royalties.
The GBA still wouldn't have had anywhere near enough market share to pull it off. Apple definitely could've, I think. I haven't followed closely enough, but are other accessory manufacturers able to produce headphones for the new iPhone, or is it completely limited to whatever Apple release?
No shit. Regular cabled earbuds sell for $2 in every gas station and CVS in the US. Just the Bluetooth components cost more than that, not to mention batteries.
> I haven't followed closely enough, but are other accessory manufacturers able to produce headphones for the new iPhone, or is it completely limited to whatever Apple release?
I cannot fathom the amount of (legitimate) outrage that would follow Apple's decision to limit audio output to Apple-branded products.
Several companies already make Lightning-connected headphones, and you can still connect whichever Bluetooth headphones/speakers you want.
The thought process would be "Apple want to own the peripherals market for their devices and their fans won't be perturbed by such a buyer hostile approach".
IIRC from a previous comment here Apple are charging about $5 per lightning connector that a 3rd party makes. They presumably designed it exactly for the purpose of getting money from every sale in "their" product space.
Other accessory manufacturers can produce Lightning headphones (what the new iPhone uses, and older ones can use them too) and they are starting to. A quick search reveals a decent selection, although of course tiny in comparison to what's out there with the standard connector. Some of them are in stock right now, which implies that Apple gave them information in advance. A royalty-free open standard probably isn't happening, though.
The GBA still wouldn't have had anywhere near enough market share to pull it off. Apple definitely could've, I think. I haven't followed closely enough, but are other accessory manufacturers able to produce headphones for the new iPhone, or is it completely limited to whatever Apple release?