More Chinese supply chain reports claim Apple has dropped the 3.5 mm headphone jack for iPhone 7, will rely on wireless

Before Christmas, the Apple community spurned a huge controversy as Macotakara claimed that the iPhone 7 will ditch the 3.5 mm standard headphone port completely, to enable further thinness and internal space savings for other components. The 3.5mm jack is a hundred-year old technology based on analogue signals, so although it is ripe for replacement, but almost all headphones sold today rely on the 3.5mm jack. Cutting the port for the iPhone 7 could be a painful transition. Today, the Chinese media has posted further news confirming the original story, claiming that Apple will drop the next-gen iPhone’s 3.5mm headphone jack in favour of wireless headphone standards and Lightning …

Chinese site Anzhou says that supply chain sources have confirmed the removal of the 3.5mm port on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and Apple will instead focus on wireless headphones to output sound. The site claims Apple will make wireless equivalent of Apple’s ‘EarPod’ headphones. Feng notes that Lightning headphones will be the wired alternative option, but Apple ‘expects’ most people to move to wireless particularly if Apple starts bundling wireless EarPods with the iPhone 7 as suggested.

It’s worth noting that Apple did make wireless earbuds for the original iPhone and now produces all sorts of headphones through the Beats subsidiary.

The iPhone 7 (or whatever it is actually called) is expected to be released in the fall with major external and internal changes, potentially including larger batteries and a 256 GB storage option. Do you think Apple should abandon the 3.5 mm jack? It’s been a few weeks since the initial rumor so we are interested in hearing your follow-up feelings in the poll and comments section.

Filed under: iOS, iOS Devices, Tech Industry Tagged: 3.5mm, headphone port, iPhone 7