To make a thinner ‘iPhone 7,’ Apple could remove the headphone jack

The iPhone 6s is just slightly thicker and heavier than the previous model, which seems due to the addition of 3D Touch technology – although it could be course correction after bendgate revealed that, yes, a thin smartphone can be bent with some effort. Apple’s current EarPods with a 3.5mm stereo jack will presumably remain available for purchase afterwards for the foreseeable future.

But Mac Otakara claims (via AppleInsider) that Apple already has a backup plan, as it wants to replace the headphone jack with a Lightning connector or Bluetooth headphones. We should also consider that Apple would likely have to make the iPhone’s battery thinner, and reduce the size of other internal components – especially the camera – to make the handset slimmer. This is not the first time where Apple has chose to remove the 3.5mm jack from its devices, as it previously mulled over installing the 2.5mm jack on its iPods, but was forced to adapt to the industry-standard 3.5mm jack after user outcry.

If this report is accurate, Apple’s move would open the floodgates for manufacturers of 3.5mm-to-Lightning adapters. Last year, Apple introduced Lightning headphone specs, though Lightning headphones are still a rarity. Philips has been building Lightning-equipped Fidelio M2L and Fidelio NC1L headphones over the past 14 months, MacRumors reported.

Should this rumor prove to be true, Apple’s decision to switch to an all-in-one Lightning connector for charging and audio output could face the same kind of controversy as when the company retired its proprietary 30-pin dock connector in favor of a smaller Lightning connector starting with the iPhone 5 in 2012.