4 Ways To Deal With The IPhone 7's Missing Headphone Jack

It’s one of the most controversial moves in smartphone history: the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack from Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. There are arguments for and against, but ultimately we have to deal with the hand we’ve been dealt, whether they like it or not. so what are your options? From what I can see there are four, assuming you don’t want to switch to an Android device, but that’s a bit drastic, especially if you like iOS and have invested in dozens of paid apps.

use included adapter

the moment i saw the adapter during the iphone 7 keynote, my heart sank and for two reasons. first of all i hate using adapters as it means you have to carry them with you. second, there is no way to charge the device while using the adapter. Wireless charging has never been more necessary on an iPhone than it is now.

Reading: Iphone 7 no headphone jack

It remains to be seen how third-party battery case makers get around this, but apple itself has already released a revised version of its awful smart battery case for the iphone 7, which shows off an external lighting port, which presumably allows you to activate the charging capability of the case while connecting a headset to the lightning port.

It’s certainly complicated, but the adapter is possibly the cleanest option, and luckily it seems pretty cheap at just $9, which means you can add one or multiple sets of headphones if you use multiple sets regularly.

2. use your own bluetooth headphones

This is probably your best option if, like me, you hate the idea of using an adapter. there are plenty out there and they don’t cost a bomb either, like these hicool m5s that are only $27.

To connect, simply turn on bluetooth on your iphone, turn on the earbuds, tap m5 and you’re good to go. audio quality isn’t bad either – they punch well above their weight, albeit a bit bass-heavy and not quite as balanced as a pair of soundmagic’s massively popular e10s for example, but for under $30 they’re perfect for casual wear. listeners.

the downside is that they will need to be charged after 4 hours of listening, but there are also longer lasting options, plus you’ll also need to choose your pair carefully if you’re going to use them for running as the volume/battery control can bounce .

3. use a 3.5mm bluetooth adapter

Although I’m reluctant to recommend another device that needs to be charged, there is also a way to continue using the 3.5mm headphone with iPhone 7 that allows you to charge your smartphone at the same time.

Bluetooth adapters, such as the Mpow Bluetooth Receiver, allow you to plug in a 3.5mm headset and pair it with your iPhone. It acts as a Bluetooth receiver, receiving the audio signal, just like Apple’s own AirPods would do.

You get up to 10 hours of playback time, can automatically pair with previously connected devices, and can connect to two devices at once, allowing you to switch between them. If you don’t have a super expensive pair of earbuds, the fact that they’re only $11.99 on amazon makes this a budget-friendly solution, and you can also charge it using a micro usb.

4. uses the belkin rockstar lightning audio and charging adapter

if you thought apple’s adapter was ugly, then wait till you see belkin’s effort, which will set you back nearly $40. personally I wouldn’t touch this with a ten foot pole, but it essentially allows you to use a pair of lightning capable headphones (or, god help us, 3.5mm headphones with the lightning 3.5mm adapter from apple too) with iphone 7 while charging.

Potentially useful to have on your desk if you want to listen to music and charge your iPhone, but if anything makes me long for my iPhone 6, it’s probably this.

then there are your options. each has its drawbacks, but chances are you’ll find one that suits your purpose, even if it means worrying about keeping your headphones and iphone 7 charged.

do you think apple has made a big mistake here or will they introduce a new range of wireless devices so that by the next iphone release we have completely forgotten about the missing 3.5mm jack? feel free to comment below, on twitter or facebook.