An argument for why At the time, Apple justified the removal of the headphone jack by saying that Lightning was an overall better standard for audio. It added that removing the single-use port also freed up internal space for larger or additional components.
More Internal Space for Components
Removing the jack makes accommodating a larger battery, storage drive, and other components easier. In many cases, the jack is replaced with an additional phone speaker. This makes it much easier to design devices that provide stereo audio when used in landscape mode.
Apple removed the headphone jack from the iPhone's design five years ago, and it won't be coming back. This design decision coincided with the rise of Bluetooth headphones and earbuds, which make listening to music easier when you're traveling, commuting, or moving around the house.
While screens are getting bigger, phones are actually becoming thinner every year, and in comparison to a phone, headphones jacks are quite large. To make way for thinner model devices, smartphone companies have started to remove the jacks altogether.
By removing the 3.5mm jack, Apple removed the need for these two components. The lightning port and lightning input are both digital, so new models no longer require a DAC. Models without headphone jacks are more battery efficient and have room for other components (like a bigger battery) in their slim case.
To connect headphones to a smartphone without a jack, use the combined headphone jack and charging port or Bluetooth headphones. Most smartphones have a combined headphone jack and a charging port. Use an adapter if the headphones don't fit in the smartphone's charging port.
The last remaining iPhone with a headphone jack, the first-generation iPhone SE, was discontinued in 2018, and the last iOS device with a headphone jack, the seventh-generation iPod, was discontinued earlier this year.
The real reason manufacturers ditched the headphone jack
The headphone jack is controversial, but ditching it means more than just forcing customers to buy new headphones. It's actually forcing customers to buy your new headphones.
So yeah, most mainstream phones, particularly the expensive flagship models, don't have a headphone jack anymore. Companies just expect you to have wireless headphones or wireless earbuds by now. However, there are still some exceptions.
When Apple launched the iPhone 12 last year, it made one major change in the phone's packaging: it removed the charger and the Earpods from the box. At the time, the iPhone maker had said that the decision had been made keeping in view the company's environmental goals.
Another difference is that 3.5mm headsets are more widely compatible with a variety of devices, since most devices have a 3.5mm audio jack. USB headsets, on the other hand, require a device with a USB port. This limit the devices the headset can be used with.
If you travel a lot for a long period at a time inside airplanes, having a headphone jack helps as you can charge and listen at the same time. Without headphone jack, your USB-C gets occupied so you cannot do both.
Apple decided that the iPhone X – pronounced 'iPhone 10' was a new beginning for Apple's smartphone, so jumped over iPhone 9. Yep, that's right – there was no iPhone 9. 2017 Apple released the iPhone 8 and followed it up with the very high-end iPhone X (shown), skipping over the number 9 in the process.
The account's admin began documenting celebs and It girls sporting their wired earphones of choice in late 2021, and the trend began to gain traction. Beyond the enduring cool factor of a young person refusing to shell out major cash for the newest tech, owning a pair of wired headphones is ridiculously sensible.
I don't know if it's the shape of my ears or what, but they just aren't comfortable, and they never stay in. So you can imagine my delight when I read earlier this year that wired headphones are making a comeback. Gen Z and all the cool kids are wearing them again, and so should you!
It's not just an accessory anymore, it's an attitude. Wired headphones not only amplify the 'cool kid' tendency to not be influenced by new trends but also highlights the way Gen Z likes to merge the past and the present– think '90s inspired beaded phone charms on iPhone 13s.
The 3.5mm headphone jack can trace its roots back to 19th century switchboard operators. Over a century after its humble, low-tech beginnings, Apple killed it on its primary money-maker: the iPhone.
Every brand to pick up the trend has listed e-waste generation as a reason to not include in-box chargers. Brands have been telling us that not giving a charger in the box promotes the reuse of old chargers, leading to lesser e-waste. However, the decision also helps these companies save (and make) extra money.
Oppo, for example, released a smartphone without a headphone jack more than four years ago. In July 2012 it launched the Oppo Finder (link in Chinese), a handset that ran on Android's now-primitive Ice Cream Sandwich operating system and sold for 2498 yuan ($374) in retail stores.
6.35mm (1/4″) headphone jack and plug
The 6.35mm plug, or ¼-inch connector, is this list's largest and oldest connector. They were traditionally used as old-school telephone connectors and come in TS or TRS configurations.
This means that the current iPhone SE (3rd generation) would be the last iPhone to have a Home button. That's right, it's the end of an era. Apple has made a tradition of releasing a "cheap" iPhone — called the iPhone SE — that essentially puts new guts (i.e. a new processor) in an old form factor.
AirPods typically last about 2-3 years before most users feel the need to replace them. This short lifespan is because of their lithium-ion batteries. AirPods have proven tough in several durability tests and have shown that they can withstand pressure.