“A collection of new photos and a video showcase a Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter, which has previously been rumored as a bundled accessory for the iPhone 7 this fall as a way to assuage users of the smartphone’s long-rumored removal of the 3.5 mm headphone jack,” Mitchel Broussard reports for MacRumors.
“The adapter in today’s photos was reportedly obtained from a Foxconn factory in Vietnam (via Tinhte.vn), and the report’s author believes it could be a genuine Apple adapter,” Broussard reports. “As shown in the pictures shared today, the adapter’s cord appears short and visually similar to that of Apple’s current adapters sold on its website, including the USB-C to USB and Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet accessories.”
Broussard reports, “When the Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter is plugged into a device running iOS 9 or lower, the software displays an incompatibility message to the user, but when used on devices with a beta of iOS 10 installed, the dongle appears to work ‘immediately’ without any issues.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Regardless of whether this is a real adapter or not, as per dumping the 3.5mm headphone jack for Lighting: Bring. It. On.
Apple product users are never wedded to antiquated tech when there’s progress to be made.
Do not discount the ability for Lightning headphones to do more than just reproduce sound. For just one example, see Apple’s U.S. Patent No. 8,655,004: “Sports monitoring system for headphones, earbuds and/or headsets.”
Apple’s patent abstract: A monitoring system that can be placed proximate to the head or ear of a user is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the monitoring system can be used with headphones, earbuds or headsets. The monitoring system can, for example, be used to monitor user activity, such as during exercise or sporting activities. The positioning of the monitoring system can also facilitate sensing of other user characteristics (e.g., biometric data), such as temperature, perspiration and heart rate. The monitoring system can also be used to control a an electronic device. In one embodiment, the monitoring system facilitates user control of the electronic device using head gestures. More info here.
From your ear to your wrist in the blink of an eye™.
Also, if you’d prefer no wires at all, you can do as we’ve been doing for years now and just go Bluetooth. We’ve been using wireless Jaybirds for some time now (currently the Jaybird X2 Sport Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, from $85 at Amazon). They’re easy to charge, easy to pair, light and comfortable, and work perfectly with our Apple Watches and iPhones.
SEE ALSO:
Apple iPhone 7 to offer ‘only subtle changes’ beyond dumping 3.5mm headphone jack for Lightning connector – June 21, 2016
iOS 9 code reveals Apple’s plans to dump 3.5mm headphone jack in future iPhones – January 20, 2016
Apple’s intention to kill the 3.5mm headphone jack is brilliant – January 13, 2016
iPhone 7 said to be waterproof, replace 3.5mm headphone jack with Apple’s Lightning – January 8, 2016
The fastest Lightning cable is also one of the least expensive – January 8, 2016
Apple will drop headphone jack to make the iPhone 7 super slim, source confirms; wireless charging and waterproof, too – January 7, 2016
Petition demands Apple keep 3.5mm headphone jack in the ‘iPhone 7’ – January 7, 2016
More reports claim Apple has dumped the 3.5mm headphone jack on iPhone 7 – January 5, 2016
Why Apple may axe the 3.5mm headphone jack – June 20, 2014
Apple may be poised to kill off the 3.5mm headphone jack – June 7, 2014
Apple may ditch analog 3.5mm headphone jack for Lightning to make thinner devices – June 6, 2014
Apple introduces MFi specs for Lightning cable headphones, iOS software update to deliver support – June 5, 2014
Apple preps HD audio for iOS 8 plus new Apple In-Ear Headphones and lightning cable – May 13, 2014
Apple patents biometric sensor-packed health monitoring earphones with ‘head gesture’ control – February 18, 2014
Apple paves way for more affordable iOS accessories with lower MFi and Lightning licensing fees – February 7, 2014
That’s one f@cking ugly dongle. I wonder how much sound is degraded using this butt ugly device.
I don’t know if it’s degraded much at all, or if you could even tell through ear buds to begin with. I know on my lightning headphones there is a massive difference between the two plugs, but those are 300.00 Sony’s. I’m sure if they’re making an adapter that they’ve come up with a way to not have signal degradation. But that is one ugly ass adapter…
I’m really not sure what is so ugly on this device. I can’t think of any other way to make an adapter from lightning to 3.5mm. Obviously, it would have to be on a short cable, to make it flexible and avoid breaking the lightning connector tab (by tugging on the headphones to the side), and the 3.5mm side is as thin as it possibly could be, so can anyone tell me, how should this adapter have been made in order to look better?
One piece, right angled unit with a “clamp/clipping” mechanism to keep it from being twisted all to hell. Apples strain relief on their short-corded adapters is their main cause of failure.
Since damage to the connector as you describe would require an amount of tension on the cable, wouldn’t the lightning connector still be damaged in the situation with similar tension across both earphone cable and the adapter?
As for sound ‘degradation’, it is an analogue cable. Lightning plug already carries analogue audio. The adapter is just that — an adapter, allowing 3.5mm plug to connect into a lightning jack. There is no conversion, digital or analogue, in this cable. You can expect it to cost $6 at Monoprice (and $20 at Apple).
You’re right, that was the exact point I was trying to make. You made it much more eloquently. I understand it has to be flexible but maybe it’ll be a situation where there will be two types of adapter, one that’s just a straight plug, and this one with the cable similar to the one they make for the 30 pin to lightning conversion.
I’m pretty sure lightning is purely digital. At least there have been a ton of articles over years claiming that. That means there must be some conversion going on inside the cable.
Li’l Frankie is working hard to be the first ignorant post on every news page that would allow him to denigrate on Tim Cook or Apple. Transparent you say? Doofus behavior you say? Troll behavior in the extreme you say? Not wanted here you say? Exactly!
Hey MDN – I cannot get the Jaybird X2s to stay in my ears, no matter what combination of attachments I try. Anybody else have this problem?
My Bose QC20s – with their in-line battery pack/noise canceling guts – will be super fun with this new lightning dongle…
“Get B/T buds”, you respond, as you type with your nacho cheese dorito covered fingers, in the darkness of your mother’s basement, illuminated by the ghostly light of your PlayStation.
But have you ever listened to music with QC20s…noise cancelled music??? You can never go back…ever.
Mind your business!
What if you need to charge your device at the same time as listening through headphones?
Wireless charging? And/or the adapter will have a pass through for power al la the Bluetooth travel cable from 2007.
There’s no sign of any pass-through facility on the adaptor shown.
Agree, but maybe that’s not the adapter, and also why I mentioned wireless charging.
Agreed marko. I’ve pointed this out previously. IF this video is for realz, I could listen with my current EarPods AND charge at the same time. If the 3.5mm stereo jack was gone, we’d require some sort of hub to do this, no matter what earphones we were using. If we were using lightening earphones and want to charge, again a hub is required.
I suspect Apple has been pondering all this.
If that dongle becomes a reality, it cheapens Apple. And that would not be good. The whole point of these devices is NOT to use a dongle, especially on the damn phone. A Mac, yes I can see that, but the phone for F**k sakes?