Apple To Nix iPhone 7 Headphone Jack To Make Thinner Phone?
Could Apple phones get any thinner than what they are? New reports claim the iPhone 7 could be thinner, courtesy the 3.5 mm jack, or rather the lack of it.
According to PC Magazine, Apple could get rid of the headphone jack or the 'TRS' connector to make future iPhones 1 mm thinner than the iPhone 6S. The thickness or thinness of a phone is determined by its largest component. Phone in the past have used a 2.5 mm jack to reduce thickness but the jack did not become a universal standard like the 3.5 mm jack.
By nixing the headphone jack, Apple could restrict headphone connectivity through Lighting or Bluetooth, 9to5 Mac reports. Attributing its information to Japanese blog post, the report mentions Apple could include Lighting compatible headphones with its devices. It is not known if headphone jacks on devices, including iPod, would go.
Forbes mentions that the move could help Apple gain control over the headphone industry for iPhone. Consequently, it could also lead to creation 'smart headphones' that would pack features for use with apps, helping iPhones stand out from the competition. The report however also raises the question of phone charging when the headphones are in use.
Earlier this year, Apple Insider revealed details of an Apple patent describing a slim headphone plug for 3.5 mm and 2.5 jacks. The patent was awarded for a D-shaped connector that could help the company make thinner phones. Slim phones are at risk of bending and damage which may put an upper limit on iPhone's thickness but Apple is unlikely to give up making its phones thin.
