3.5mm-to-Lightning Adapter for iPhone 7 Surfaces Online
Toggle Dark Mode
The upcoming release of the iPhone 7 has possibly seen more speculation than any other iPhone. The general consensus at the moment is that this year’s iPhone won’t see a major design overhaul, aside from a dual-camera system and possible Smart Connector on the iPhone 7 Plus, and the device won’t see the release of any “groundbreaking” features.
In fact, the hottest topic of conversation regarding the release isn’t a feature at all – it concerns the lack of a feature. It has been pretty much all but officially confirmed that the iPhone 7 will ditch the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of extra speakers, a thinner design, and a possible upgrade to the battery. However, many users aren’t happy about the decision to ditch the jack – an online petition asking Apple to reconsider keeping the 3.5mm jack has garnered more than 300,000 signatures.
It’s unclear whether or not Apple will ship the new phones with Bluetooth or Lightning-equipped headphones, and what of the customers who have already dropped hundreds, if not thousands, on higher-end headphones that connect via a 3.5mm cable? Well, Japanese Apple blog Macotakara has spotted several Chinese companies who are taking charge ahead of the release, already advertising 3.5mm to Lightning adapters for traditional headphones.
Chinese electronics company Tama Electric is currently advertising three different 3.5mm-to-Lightning audio converters, two of which feature a micro-USB port for charging while listening. Although the products are listed on the Tama website, they aren’t yet available for purchase – as the items could possibly be prototypes the company may submit to Apple for official MFi (Made For iPhone/iPad/iPod) status – it’s likely that similar items will hit the market soon after the release of the iPhone 7.
Several Lightning-equipped headphones are already on the market, with both in-ear and over-the-ear offerings from Phillips, JBL, and of course, Beats. Headphones powered by the Lightning port offer several theoretical advantages over traditional headphones – they can be self powered, offering improved sound quality as well as active noise cancellation, and they can offer several “smart” features, such as app control built into the headphones, and eventually integrated health and fitness tracking. The downside is, of course, the fact that customers wouldn’t be able to use their headphones in non-iOS devices, although it’s also likely that Lightning-3.5mm converters will eventually enter the equation.
The iPhone 7 is expected to be announced this coming September, with more details likely becoming available at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference beginning on June 13. As previously mentioned, the iPhone 7 is expected to be a minor update over the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, with minor tweaks to the design. To stay up to date on the latest iPhone 7 news, be sure to keep your browser pointed at iDropNews.com.
Do the upcoming Lightning headphone adapters ease your worries?
Or will you be trading in your headphones for the Bluetooth variety?
Let us know in the comments below.
