lightning to 3 5mm headphone jack adapterIt has been nearly two years since Apple released the iPhone 7 without a headphone jack, forcing users who still use wired headphones to plug them into the Lightning connector using an adapter included in the box.

Apple also includes the adapter in the box with the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, but more evidence has emerged today that suggests that trend will soon end.

Cirrus Logic, a supplier for the adapter, has apparently "confirmed" that the dongle won't be bundled with Apple's widely rumored trio of new iPhones expected next month, according to a Barclays research note.

Barclays already anticipated this would be the case earlier this year.

"Reported a beat but gave mixed guidance with revenue below but earnings ahead. Cirrus didn't update its FY19 guide… but they did finally confirm the dongle loss, adding more support for our below estimates," the research note reads.

Apple routinely says it is pushing towards a "truly wireless future," and the headphone jack adapter has always been a stopgap amid that transition, so if Apple chooses not to include it in the box, it shouldn't really come as a surprise. Rumors suggest new iPads will also lose the headphone jack and adapter.

Not everyone prefers wireless headphones, like AirPods, however, so if true, the removal of the adapter will almost certainly generate some controversy.

Apple will likely continue to sell the adapter as a standalone accessory for $9, which is cheap by its standards, so customers at least won't be forced to pay too much extra for the adapter if it is indeed removed from the box this year.

The adapter is also available at resellers such as Best Buy, where nearly two years later, it is the retailer's second-best selling Apple product in terms of units, so an argument could be made that Apple is removing the adapter too soon.

In a little over a month, we should find out for sure.

Top Rated Comments

44267547 Avatar
93 months ago
Really not a big deal. Most never use headphones with their phones anyways.

I have a pile of these things sitting around, along with all the chargers and headphones from previous phones and test phones. Not all that useful.
Reference the Bolded: I think that’s a heavily lopsided opinion, as many still do use Wired headphones with smart phones today, even though Bluetooth has grown exponentially.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NBAasDOGG Avatar
93 months ago
I just realized that one of these was hidden in my iPhone box :D
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SoN1NjA Avatar
93 months ago
I’m not sure how I feel

On one hand, you’ve had 2 years to get wireless headphones or you can use the Lightning EarPods they provide

On the other, you’re having to pay $10 to restore basic functionality that other phones provide for free
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gsmornot Avatar
93 months ago
With AirPods I don't know where mine is.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macslayer118 Avatar
93 months ago
They don’t have to sell them. Provide one free one per serial number or something. Like many have said, mine from the X is still sitting in the box, so that’s definitively a waste of money, but for those that want it, provide it for free.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
480951 Avatar
93 months ago
Why Should Apple have to give anything ‘free’, let alone some wireless headphones? Because they deleted a 3.5 mm Jack or are no longer including the lightning adapter? I don’t understand why you think Apple should do something for free because of what exactly?
Are you seriously defending a now Trillion dollar company with massive profit margins? It probably costs them pennies to include the adapters in the package of the phone people are paying well over $1000 for. It’s not free, it’s built into the cost of the phone.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone Like 'Two Titanium iPhone Airs' Joined at the Hinge

Monday September 22, 2025 2:16 am PDT by
Next year's rumored foldable iPhone will showcase an ultra-thin design resembling "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple's first foldable device will be "super thin and a design achievement," combining Apple's thinnest iPhone form factor with cutting-edge folding...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

iOS 26.1 Adds New Apple Intelligence Languages and Expands AirPods Live Translation

Monday September 22, 2025 11:15 am PDT by
With iOS 26.1, Apple Intelligence is gaining support for additional languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. Apple announced plans to expand the languages that can be used with Apple Intelligence last year, and now the added language support is here. Apple Intelligence is now available in the following...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

Some iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Users Experiencing Intermittent Wi-Fi Issue

Monday September 22, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple's latest iPhone models launched on Friday, and some early adopters of the devices are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi issues. Affected customers say Wi-Fi connectivity periodically cuts out on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, with hundreds of comments about the issue posted across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and the Apple Support Community over the...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...