On Lightning Replacing the 3.5mm Headphone Jack

December 1, 2015 14:58 EST • Alexandre Vallières-Lagacé • 2 minute read • Permalink

Citing a reliable source, a report from Japanese blog Macotakara claims that Apple plans to remove the 3.5mm headphone port from the upcoming iPhone 7, helping to achieve a “more than 1mm” reduction in thickness compared to the iPhone 6s. While the screen shape and radius will remain similar, the device will once again become Apple’s thinnest iPhone ever, albeit with a new restriction: headphones will only be able to connect over Lightning or Bluetooth…

We must take advice from the past on matters like this one.

Did Apple keep the floppy disk when they announced the iMac because it was the “most widely distributed storage device”? Did Apple make the MacBook Air thicker to accommodate Blu-rays or DVDs because it’s the “most popular format for movies”?

No. And no.

This is not an argument or else Apple would have never been in the business of making revolutions for consumer technology.

Removing the 3.5mm connector will give Apple an extra milimeter, perhaps. But I’m sure they are doing it for other reasons. What about waterproofing? I would bet that making a 3.5mm connector waterproof is adding a few extra millimeters to thickness that the current iPhone 6S does not even have place to accommodate.

Bluetooth EarPods and headset are among us and there are even Kickstarter projects for affordable solutions. The 19$ (or 29$CA) adapter will see the day and will be for people that are not ready to make the switch.

Mark my words, Apple will not hold off because of an antiquated port that can be better served with one less port and one less hole to waterproof.