• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster

1

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
TechFortune 500

Is Apple Nixing the iPhone’s Headphone Jack or Not?

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 21, 2016, 12:34 PM ET
Courtesy of Apple
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

One of the burning questions surrounding the upcoming iPhone 7 is whether the device will come with a headphone jack or not. And despite a slew of rumors, no one is really sure what to believe.

The latest report on the matter comes from Japanese Apple-tracking site Mac Otakara, which is reporting, citing unidentified sources, that the upcoming iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will ship with a headphone jack. In addition, the report claims the device will come bundled with an adapter that would allow iPhone 7 owners to connect their headphones through the Lightning port on the bottom of the rumored device.

ZDNet earlier reported on the Mac Otakara report.

While it’s hard to believe anything related to Apple rumors, given how secretive the iPhone maker is, the latest report throws more fire on a hotly contested debate over whether the next iPhone will come with a headphone jack or not.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

Over the last several months, a slew of rumors have cropped up, saying that Apple (AAPL) is eliminating the headphone jack in the iPhone 7. Some reports suggested Apple would move to Bluetooth-connected earbuds or headphones that would allow users to listen to audio without being tethered to their smartphones. Apple might also bundle an adapter that would let users keep using their tethered earbuds or earphones.

While the move would be a drastic one, it wouldn’t be the first time Apple has done it. The company has, after all, switched quite dramatically from a 30-pin dock connector to its current Lightning port, which caused some outcry among those who needed to buy adapters to accommodate the new port. Apple was also willing to nix disc drives in its computers long before others had plans to do so. More recently, Apple nixed standard ports in its MacBook with a single USB Type-C connector. Obsolescence, in other words, doesn’t scare Apple.

Still, eliminating a headphone jack might be a stretch, even for Apple. While more people are using Bluetooth-connected headphones than ever before, they don’t always deliver the same sound quality. And it’s worth noting that millions of people around the globe are still using the earbuds Apple has been bundling with its products for years. Selling a smartphone that wouldn’t support those earbuds would effectively make millions of people have to upgrade to a new product to get their desired music-listening result.

For more on Apple and its iPhone, watch:

So, where is this latest rumor that Apple is going back to the headphone jack actually coming from? It’s hard to say. Apple might have been testing different designs with one featuring a headphone jack and another nixing it. It’s also possible that the latest report is false and the mounting rumors that the iPhone 7 won’t come with a headphone jack are still true. It’s also possible Apple never had plans of eliminating the headphone jack and the rumors were false all along.

In other words, no one really knows, and any rumor about a headphone jack being eliminated or not should be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. Perhaps more proof that the debate rages on: Dow Jones cited its own sources on Tuesday, who said that Apple would, in fact, nix the headphone jack, countering the earlier report from Mac Otakara.

For its part, Apple has, of course, stayed silent on the topic and likely won’t reveal its plans until later this year when the iPhone 7 is expected to be announced. So expect the rumors to continue until we get a final answer sometime later this year.

Apple declined to comment on the report.

Update on 06/21/16 at 12:46 p.m. to include Apple’s comment and mention of a Dow Jones report.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Dell’s AI boom is real, but so is the profit margin hit nobody is pricing in
AIDell Technologies
Dell’s AI boom is real, but so is the profit margin hit nobody is pricing in
By Mia OsmonbekovJune 30, 2026
1 hour ago
Image of colored bar charts with one being pushed up.
NewslettersEye on AI
AI is minting billion-dollar companies faster than before
By Beatrice NolanJune 30, 2026
3 hours ago
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei pointing to his head.
AIAnthropic
At the heart of Anthropic’s clashes with the U.S. government, a decision not to play by the new rules of Trump’s Washington
By Jeremy KahnJune 30, 2026
7 hours ago
wb
CommentaryLeadership
I grew BDO from $600 million to $3.4 billion. Here’s the 3-part formula that made it possible
By Wayne BersonJune 30, 2026
8 hours ago
vinod
CommentaryData centers
Vinod Khosla: AI’s energy crisis has a fix — and it doesn’t need the grid
By Vinod KhoslaJune 30, 2026
8 hours ago
Jamie Dimon isn’t giving up the top job. That’s turned JPMorgan into a poaching ground for CEO talent
C-SuiteNext to Lead
Jamie Dimon isn’t giving up the top job. That’s turned JPMorgan into a poaching ground for CEO talent
By Ruth UmohJune 30, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
Success
Elon Musk on MacKenzie Scott giving away $26 billion of her fortune: 'Sadly,' it makes the world a worse place
By Sydney LakeJune 29, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
6 days ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
3 days ago
'Humanity has chosen to become idiots': This Brown professor switched to take-home exams after a mass shooting and discovered mass cheating
AI
'Humanity has chosen to become idiots': This Brown professor switched to take-home exams after a mass shooting and discovered mass cheating
By Catherina GioinoJune 29, 2026
22 hours ago
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
Environment
The retired college professor fighting a $313 trespassing ticket in Wisconsin thinks he's part of a national struggle
By Catherina GioinoJune 28, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 29, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 29, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 29, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.