Apple May Ditch the Lightning Headphone Adapter, but You Don’t Have To
Back in 2016, Apple decided it was time to ditch the headphone jack. That same year, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus shipped without the 3.5mm port, which was standard on virtually all consumer devices at the time. The company said it took ” courage ” to remove the headphone jack from such a core product line, but as it turns out, the decision coincided with the release of AirPods , Apple’s wireless headphones. What better way to sell $159 headphones than by removing the port you plug your existing headphones into?
Of course, Apple hasn’t left wired headphone users confused. The company has also released standard wired headphones with a Lightning connector at the bottom instead of a 3.5mm jack. For users who preferred Apple’s own wired headphones, the company had another solution: a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter. Connect the adapter to your iPhone and you’re done! The 3.5mm port is back. You simply won’t be able to charge your iPhone while listening to music anymore. Bravery.
Many people ridiculed Apple for all these strange decisions, but as is often the case in technology, the rest of the industry followed suit. These days, it’s extremely difficult to find a new smartphone with a headphone jack. In fact, Apple has also removed this connector from its iPad lineup. Many of us have gone wireless, while the rest of us are reluctant to deal with adapters.
Apple appears to be ditching the Lightning to 3.5mm adapter
However, these adapters appear to be under threat—or so the tech news headlines suggest. It looks like Apple is selling out of its Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter. When you visit its store page , it’s completely sold out for shipping and not available for pickup from Apple Stores just about anywhere. And it’s not just this adapter: MacRumors reports that other Lightning adapters , such as the Lightning to VGA adapter, are also disappearing. However, a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter is widely available.
Like the removal of the built-in headphone port, this move may seem like Apple is somehow trying to force you to upgrade. It may seem like the company is forcing you to finally buy wireless headphones or even upgrade your iPhone. But here’s the thing: If your current iPhone is still working fine, there’s no reason to upgrade anything. In fact, if you need a new adapter, you have options even if Apple isn’t playing ball anymore.
The reality is that Apple is not releasing new iPhones with a Lightning port. Starting with the iPhone 15, the company switched to USB-C , which means it will prioritize accessories for new devices with the port over existing devices with the older port. Fair. At the same time, the company still sells iPhones with a Lightning port in its stores: iPhone 14 and iPhone SE. It’s a shame that they stop selling adapters for devices they would happily sell to you. But, again, this is not a reason to buy a new pair of wireless headphones or choose a more expensive iPhone with USB-C.
Lightning to 3.5mm adapters are everywhere.
Just because Apple won’t sell you one of these adapters doesn’t mean you’re SOL. A quick search on Amazon for “Lightning to 3.5mm” returns over 1,000 results , including Apple’s own adapter . It is currently still in stock, although it costs $16.94. That’s a little more expensive than the original $9 price, but it’s still a lot cheaper than buying yourself a pair of AirPods, or a new iPhone for that matter.
If Amazon is also out of stock or you’re looking for an alternative, you have options. Some will be better than others, but UGREEN seems to have a good Apple MFi certified option for $14.99 . If you don’t like the fact that you can’t charge your iPhone while listening to music with an adapter, this $29.74 option from Belkin allows you to do both at the same time (if you don’t mind the extra capacity here).