The Apple iPhone 7 may not come with a 3.5mm audio jack according to new reports from China. Supply chain sources have told Chinese website Anzhou that the company had removed the 3.5mm port on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. It also says that Apple may make wireless equivalents of its ‘EarPod’ earphones. Another Chinese website called Feng, notes that the lightning headphones will be the wired alternative. It says that Apple expects most people to move to wireless if they bundle wireless earphones with the iPhone 7.
Back in November, Japanese blog, Macotakara had also reported that Apple was planning on ditching the 3.5mm audio jack from its upcoming phone. Leaving its users no other option but to get a wireless headphone or a headphone with a lighting cable. Users may have to rely on ‘lightning-to-3.5mm’ converters in order to use their regular headphones. Companies like Philips and Audeze have already launched headphones that come with a lightning cable instead of a standard 3.5mm audio jack.
The removal of the audio jack may not be the only drastic design change made by the company. Analyst Gene Munster had earlier speculated that Apple may choose the remove the Home button from the iPhone 7. The company may choose to use the 3D Touch technology in place of the home button. The extra space could be then be used to make the screen bigger, or the phone itself smaller. Munster also said the Apple could place the TouchID fingerprint sensor on the side like the one found on the Sony Xperia Z5 and Z5 Premium.
In addition, it is speculated that the iPhone 7 would come with a flexible OLED display. Adding fuel to this rumor is a report by Bloomberg which says that the company has opened a new facility in Taiwan where it is working on OLED and micro-LED display technology.