Apple might not abandon the headphone jack with the iPhone 7 after all, a new report suggests.
French tech site Nowhereelse – known for its regular mobile industry leaks – has published an image that seemingly depicts a Lightning cable assembly for the rumoured iPhone 7.
The assembly is clearly different than the one built into the current iPhone 6S. But what’s notable about the image is that a headphone jack is featured in the iPhone 7 assembly, despite rumours that Apple was planning to ditch the 3.5mm port entirely.
Left: Nowhereelse claimed iPhone 7 assembly; Right: iPhone 6S assembly, via iFixit
Nowherelese acquired the image from an anonymous source, via Chinese social media site Weibo. As such, there’s no way of verifying the image.
What’s more, an assembly like this could be easily faked, so take this report with due caution.
Related: iPhone SE review
It’s also worth noting that rumours about the iPhone 7 have consistently pointed to Apple dropping the 3.5mm jack, and instead relying on the Lightning port for headphone connectivity.
The company has faced some criticism for the move – which is yet to happen – online, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Apple scrap the decades-old port at some point soon.
Computing giant Intel recently called for a mass abandonment of the headphone jack, suggesting USB-C as an alternative.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 7 at a dedicated launch event in September this year, although no official plans have been released yet.
Watch our iPhone SE review:
Would you be sad to see the headphone jack go? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.