We’ll Find Out Today If the iPhone’s Headphone Jack is Going Away

The big question: when we get our first look at the iPhone 7 later today, will it come with a headphone jack? Or will the 3.5 mm jack–a technology that has been with us since the late 1800s–disappear?

My money is on “disappear.” There’s been just too much smoke surrounding this rumour for their not to be fire. Like when Apple removed the optical drive from the iMac and the ethernet jack from some of its laptops, the company has a way of forcing the issue when it comes to dropping old technologies.

No headphone jack will mean (a) new headphones that can be plugged into the Lightning port and woe to anyone who wants to charge their device and listen at the same time; (b) a move to wireless headphones; and/or (c) annoying adapters and dongles. Let’s look at each of these things.

New Headphones

Apple owns Beats, remember? This could be a slow-motion windfall for them as people buy Lightning-ready Beats gear. And here’s a question: if other manufacturers make Lightning headphones, will they have to pay a license to Apple? I somehow I think so.

Wireless Headphones

I’ve been experimenting with a set of Sonys I bought last month. They work. Sometimes. I always end up going back to my wired ‘buds. But there are plenty of other options out there.

Adaptors

The biggest hint that the headphone jack is going away is the number of third-party manufacturers that have already come up with solutions. And it’s more than just adapters, too.

Apple is taking away the headphone jack. BT headphones are > 50% of market by $ but only 20% by actual volume. pic.twitter.com/zYk11ISHxs

— Arlo Gilbert (@arlogilbert) September 6, 2016

Thanks to Peter for a lot of the above links.