Typically, the impending release of a new iPhone model focuses on whatever cool and exciting new features Apple has in the works. The iPhone 7, though, is a bit different. In fact, it’s not unreasonable to say that the upcoming unveiling of the iPhone 7 has been marked by controversy more than anything else.
According to a number of credible reports, Apple’s next-gen smartphone will ship without a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack. And while Apple isn’t shy about discarding popular technologies to the curb, the 3.5mm headphone jack has effectively been around for more than 100 years and is as reliable and durable as it is universal.
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Suffice it to say, Apple’s rumored decision to scrap the tried and true jack on the iPhone 7 has elicited no shortage of heated debates. In one widely circulated piece, Nilay Patel of The Verge argued that removing the headphone jack was nothing short of “user-hostile.” In turn, we pointed out just a few weeks ago that Apple’s disdain for the 3.5mm headphone jack would make the iPhone 7 Apple’s riskiest iPhone release yet. After all, with no new groundbreaking features rumored to be part of the iPhone 7 design, removing the headphone jack might persuade a good number of users who might otherwise upgrade to simply stick with what they already have.
Now for anyone worried about their beloved 3.5mm headphone jack completely disappearing, there’s hope on the horizon. According to a new research note from Deutsche Bank, Apple’s upcoming iPhone 7 will ship with a Lightning to 3.5mm dongle, thereby making the transition much more seamless. If this report proves to be true, it would certainly be a smart move by Apple. Indeed, it’s much more user-friendly than shipping Lightning headphones and requiring users who prefer using their old 3.5mm headphones to dole out cash for a dongle.
Apple must recognize that abandoning the headphone jack is a huge and risky move. In turn, it probably appreciates that the transition away from the 3.5mm headphone jack won’t happen overnight and might even be met by a wave of backlash. That being the case, shipping a dongle — presumably one that’s not too clunky — inside of every new iPhone 7 box appears to be more than a reasonable compromise.
Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank analysts also anticipate that the iPhone 7 will ship with a new color, a newly re-designed home button similar in operation to the trackpad on the MacBook, “professional class water-proofing” and more.
