Leaked iPhone 7 Case Confirms Lack of Headphone Jack
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Last September, soon after the release of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, rumors began circulating the web about the iPhone 7 and its features. An Apple patent surfaced that proposed a standard 3.5mm headphone jack that had been, essentially, cut in half, allowing for a slimmer headphone jack on the bottom of the iPhone, enabling a slimmer design overall. In November, Japanese website Mac Otakara then reported that Apple may be looking to get rid of the headphone jack entirely on the iPhone 7, relying on the Lightning port for audio output to headphones.
The rumor of the lack of headphone jack on the iPhone 7 has only gained steam since it originally began. Mac Otakara recently released a report re-iterating the rumor, adding that the new phone will feature stereo speakers, and will measure 1mm thinner than the already-thin iPhone 6s. The report was later backed up by sources in Apple’s supply chain, and then by separate report on AppleInsider.
New evidence that seems to confirm the rumor recently surfaced courtesy of “serial tech leaker” Steve Hemmerstoffer on Twitter. Hemmerstoffer, who has a pretty solid track record when it comes to mobile device leaks, released a series of photos that purportedly show a clear plastic case for the iPhone 7. The case quite clearly lacks a cutout for a headphone jack, with a cutout for the extra stereo speaker taking its place.
The body of the current iPhone models are, indeed, just barely wide enough to accommodate the 3.5mm headphone jack. If Apple does indeed do away with the headphone jack entirely, we could theoretically see a slimmer iPhone 7. However, Apple would likely end up facing an even bigger backlash than they did when they originally introduced the Lightning port.
Many iPhone users have already invested hundreds, if not thousands of dollars into high-end headphones that they use with their phones. While using the Lightning port for headphone use offers a number of advantages (improved sound quality via powered headphones, active noise cancellation, and app control among others are a number of features that can be introduced into Lightning-equipped headphones), the fact of the matter is there are simply not a lot of Lightning-equipped headphones on the market today.
It’s hard to say whether the trade off will be worth it for Apple. Perhaps the iPhone 7 will ship with an adapter for those who currently have a pair of traditional headphones with the 3.5mm plug. Or perhaps Apple will simply just push their customers into the market of Lighting-equipped and/or Bluetooth headphones. Hey, the current 3.5mm headphone jack has been in use since the 1950’s – perhaps it’s time for a change?
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[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
