Apple might ditch the headphone jack on the iPhone 7

[Shawn Knight]

Next year’s iPhone may ditch a piece of legacy technology that’s been around since Sony introduced it in 1979: the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Japanese tech site Mac Otakara claims Apple is planning to ship the iPhone 7 without the trusty headphone jack found on millions of electronic devices. In its absence, Apple would rely on its Lightning port as the physical audio interface and include a set of Lighting-ready EarPods with each new phone.

Eliminating the port would allow Apple to slim down the next iPhone by a full millimeter, the rumor claims.

As far as iPhone rumors go, this one isn’t as far-fetched as it may seem for a few reasons.

Around this time last year, word got out that Apple was opening its Lightning port to third-party accessory manufacturers. Since that time, we’ve seen a number of headphones hit the market with Lightning connectors such as the Philips Fidelio M2Ls.

Those not yet ready to make the jump to Lightning-based headphones will need to use some sort of 3.5mm-to-Lightning adapter. People that exclusively use wireless Bluetooth headphones won’t be impacted by the change.

Apple has a history of dropping legacy technology from its products, spurring the industry to follow suit. The original iMac didn’t include a floppy drive which meant more people turned to USB; the same can be said about ditching the optical drive when things started moving to digital delivery. And most recently, Apple has done away with nearly all ports on the 12-inch MacBook in favor of a single USB Type-C connection.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/62953-apple-might-ditch-headphone-jack-iphone-7.html

 

[m4a4]

This is going to piss off a lot of people... especially the companies that use the 3.5mm for their hardware adaptations...

 

[VitalyT]

Apple is the biggest in the world manufacturer of pointless adapters.

If Apple were into bathroom accessories, they would be making square toilets, with rounded seats as adapters.

Oh look, another adapter on the way! Throw away all your expensive headphones!

 

[Nobina]

I would say majority of people would rather have a thicker phone than a slim phone without 3.5mm jack and thinner battery. People who don't know what they want will get an iPhone anyway.

 

[oldikes]

This is literally the dumbest thing I've seen in weeks.

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

This is going to piss off a lot of people... especially the companies that use the 3.5mm for their hardware adaptations...

I'm sure they're more than willing to make every user of SQUARE buy a shiny new, overpriced Apple adapter. And anyone else that doesn't buy headphones with Apple proprietary technology. Lightning capable headphones would already be giving Apple a cut for the licensing fee, this would just force more people to use them.

I'm pretty sure every news story about Apple makes me happy that I'm an Android user.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Well if you've heard the sound quality from their Beats headthings then it's easy to understand.

 

[Musician]

I don't need my phone to be paper thin, I need it to be function with all my earphones and headphones. I'd bid l Apple goodbye if they ditch the 3.5mm.

 

[Camikazi]

I don't need another thing with a battery to monitor and don't want to spend $40 on a new adapter just to get my already working headphones to work with a new phone.

 

[tonylukac]

It's just called greed. How much proprietary money do they wanna make?

 

[poohbear]

Meh, I've been using bluetooth since 2012. No need for wires anymore especially when I workout.

 

[Wagan8r]

Why can't you guys see how awesome this is?

You get this magical experience of listening to your headphones while NOT charging your iPhone. You're going to love it.

 

[RzmmDX]

Well, if only it stops lint from accumulating in my jack... and if the adapter is cheap.

Sure.

 

[treetops]

No usb, now no head phone jack? Fan boys charge! I really don't get why you pick a "side" for xbox, ps or android apple. It must be the same element corporations use via their political puppets to confuse people with right vs left politics. Perhaps I should move to the forest and build a shack haha.

Next I'd be complaining about the brown squirrels feuding with the grey squirrels. Never ends.

 

[aMerkuri]

Next thing Apple should remove is charger plug!

 

[lripplinger]

Apple is the biggest in the world manufacturer of pointless adapters.

If Apple were into bathroom accessories, they would be making square toilets, with rounded seats as adapters.

Oh look, another adapter on the way! Throw away all your expensive headphones!

LOL!

 

[JamesandBennie]

So I have to buy and carry a dongle everywhere? Or keep one with every device? What a pain...I don't really mind using a thicker iPhone.

 

[Zahid Iqbal1]

Its just another example of Apple monopoly. Just like Apple Bluetooth

 

[Mandark]

I am going to wait and see. They may not drop it. As it is, I rarely use headphones with it anyway, but we'll see

 

[Killis]

That would be stupid. So if you need to charge up while playing music over a non Bluetooth speaker or a PA system you are SOL. Why the obsession with thinness? It's plenty thin enough already. Why try to make the phone the size of a credit card??

 

[Killis]

This is going to piss off a lot of people... especially the companies that use the 3.5mm for their hardware adaptations...

It would be a deal breaker for me.

 

[Killis]

This is literally the dumbest thing I've seen in weeks.

Agreed. Complete foolishness.

 

[Killis]

I don't need my phone to be paper thin, I need it to be function with all my earphones and headphones. I'd bid l Apple goodbye if they ditch the 3.5mm.

Me too. I rely on the 3.5" line out almost daily.

 

[OortCloud]

All that functionality over form - its not the Apple way.

Product user acceptance test transcript....

Looks nice? Check.
Expensive? Check.
Apple logo? Check.
Non-upgradeable? Check.
Non-repairable? Check.
Non-functional? Check.

Ok - its good to go.

 

[Elit3ia]

This is great, now you'll no longer be able to use headphones while the device is charging.