Apple's last remaining headphone jack on any iOS and iPadOS device that is still on sale is set to be eliminated later this year upon the launch of the 10th-generation iPad, recent reports indicate.
According to alleged renders obtained by MySmartPrice from an accessory manufacturer, the 10th-generation iPad will feature a slightly thinner new design with flat edges and a rear camera bump. The report reiterated several existing rumors about the 10th-generation iPad, including a larger display, a USB-C port, A14 Bionic chip, 5G support, and more.
It appears, alongside these design changes, that Apple is also planning to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from the device, with there being no sign of the headphone jack on the device. As Apple moved the iPad Pro, the iPad Air, and, most recently, the iPad mini to a more uniform design, it removed the headphone hack.
Apple began removing the 3.5mm headphone jack from its iOS and iPadOS devices with the iPhone 7 in 2017. 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. With the launch of the sixth-generation iPad mini last year, the entry-level iPad became the only remaining iPad model with a headphone jack.
If the renders prove to be correct, the launch of the tenth-generation iPad will mark the end of the headphone jack on any new iOS and iPadOS devices. Apple is expected to announce the 10th-generation iPad alongside new iPad Pro models with the M2 chip later this year. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently reported that Apple plans to release iPadOS 16 to the public in October, a delay later confirmed by Apple, so it is possible that the 10th-generation iPad and new iPad Pro models will be unveiled in October as well. Mass production of the next-generation iPad is believed to already be reportedly underway.
