Apple Inc is removing the 3.5mm headphones jack forever and the iPhone 7 will be the first one to come without the 56-year-old technology.
But there is no reason to worry about how you will listen to music. In fact, it is good news that the jack is going away as it the oldest piece of technology on your shiny, expensive new smartphone.
Apple is not the first company which is removing the jack. Moto, erstwhile Motorola now owned by Lenovo, led the revolution in the US with its gorgeous new Moto Droid Z phones — which have no headphone jacks. In China, LeEco and other companies are already getting rid of the jack. LeEco introduced a new type of headphones called CDLA or continuous digital lossless audio to provide better sound quality.
The 3.5mm connector debuted with the transistor radio in the early 1960s; it was on the Sony EFM-117J radio, which came out in 1964. This is the audio connector of the 8-track tape player (1967-ish) and the Sony Walkman (1979).
{{/usCountry}}The 3.5mm connector debuted with the transistor radio in the early 1960s; it was on the Sony EFM-117J radio, which came out in 1964. This is the audio connector of the 8-track tape player (1967-ish) and the Sony Walkman (1979).
{{/usCountry}}Experts also feel that the jack has to be killed to innovate. The cylindrical tube that houses the 3.5mm jack is one of the thickest components of the phone and is much larger than the screen guts, the circuit board, or the battery. Without the jack, the newer smartphones can be slimmer.
But why do the manufacturers need the phone to be slimmer? For one, slimmer phones could be more trendy and handset-makers can work on newer designs. Handset-makers can easily increase the size of the battery if the jack is removed, increasing the battery life so that the end user experience is much better.
However, this doesn’t mean that you will not be able to listen to music. Apple’s new ear buds will come with a Lightning jack which will go into the charging port.
You can use a Bluetooth headset but it might drain battery faster. But due to the removal of the jack, battery size will be increased to balance the Bluetooth power usage. Using a lightning jack adapter will also help.
If you have a favourite pair of older earphones or headphones, you can plug them into the Lightning or USB-C jack with a little adapter. Some will have splitters so that you can charge your phone and plug in headphones simultaneously.