The iPhone 7 May Say Goodbye to its Headphone Jack

But your audio days aren’t necessarily over yet…

Everybody’s talking about Apple jacks. No, not the cereal or spirit, but the audio port on the next iPhone. Specifically, based on a “reliable source,” the Japanese blog Macotakara was first to share the rumor that, in the name of thinness and simplicity, the next iPhone won’t have a (previously and everywhere else) standard 3.5mm audio jack. Instead, the 7—expected to be announced in early September 2016—will output audio through its already multi-tasking Lightning connector.

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At least that’s what most are speculating (and some are calling stupid). We reached out to Apple directly for comment but haven’t heard back a confirmation or denial.


In particular, we’re wondering why, as long as they’re already totally disrupting audio hardware conventions, Apple doesn’t just go whole hog and make that single port a USB-C instead of Lightning. That’s what they did with their new MacBooks. And besides, they’re nearly as small, still reversible and able to carry audio and video.


Either way, earphone, accessory and adaptor makers do stand to gain the most. But keep in mind, nothing says you need to use a wired connection for audio anyway. After all, there’s always Bluetooth.

Photos by Justin Sullivan / Getty Images