Apple's conquest for thinner, more attractive devices had first claimed the optical drive as its first victim, then the USB protocol as the next. However, it seems that Cupertino still isn't done in sacrificing more standards to shave off a few millimeters for its next device. Recent reports suggest that the company is about to bid adieu to the 3.5mm port for the up and coming iPhone.
According to reputable website MacOtakara, Apple might be planning to drop the iPhone 7 headphone terminal and use the Lightning port for headphone audio instead. This would let Apple slim down the next iPhone even further for about 1mm thinner than the iPhone 6s, which has a 7.1mm thickness.
Furthermore, it will also take advantage of the Lightning port's features, such as a headphone-based DAC and app launching. However, this would require the use of an adapter if users want to use any standard or conventional wired headphones. They can also settle for Bluetooth enabled headphones or connectors that can do the trick.
The report from MacOtakara also claims that Apple will change the bundled Ear Pods into the Lightning connector format, which would mean that a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) would be required. The DAC would be built in the Lightning connector without having to sacrifice the size as well.
Currently, the record holder for the thinnest phone in the world belongs to Oppo with its recently released R5. It comes with a 4.85mm thickness, and it also ditches the 3.5mm headphone jack to reach its super slim form factor. However, Oppo is including a micro USB adapter to handle conventional headphones, and there's also an optional O-Music Bluetooth clip that can accommodate them as well.
Apple may likely adopt this idea for their next iPhone should they push through with ditching the headphone jack.
