Apple officially kills off the headphone jack: Firm quietly discontinues four older versions of iPhone, including the last with a traditional audio port
- Apple’s new lineup includes the iPhone Xr, iPhone Xs and the iPhone Xs Max
- As usual, the firm is limiting its lineup to three most recent generations, so it’s removing the iPhone SE, 6S/6S Plus and the ‘X’ and keeping the iPhone 7 and 8
- In doing so, the firm has officially killed off the 3.5mm headphone jack design
- iPhone SE/6S were the last models to have it, instead of a Lightning connector
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Apple is saying goodbye to the headphone jack for good.
The firm has completely revamped its iPhone lineup and, in the process, has decided some older models no longer make the cut.
To make way for the brand new iPhone Xr, Xs and Xs Max, Apple has discontinued the iPhone SE, 6S/6S Plus and even the 10th anniversary ‘X,’ which only debuted last September.
It also means that Apple no longer sells any phones with 3.5mm headphone jacks.
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Apple’s new lineup includes the iPhone Xs Max, Xs and Xr, as well as older models like iPhone 8/8 Plus and the 7/7 Plus. As a result, it no longer features any models with a headphone jack
Apple debuted the 6S in late 2015 and the device quickly gained in popularity. It makes sense that Apple is now ditching the 6, as the firm typically limits its lineup to the three most recent generations.
The removal of the iPhone SE also isn’t terribly surprising, as Apple is billing the iPhone Xr as its ‘budget’ device (no matter it still carries a $749 price tag), plus it offers the iPhone 7 for $449.
That’s still more than the iPhone SE, however, which sold for $399, making it the cheapest iPhone the firm had sold.
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Many believed that Apple was set to release a refreshed iPhone SE 2, as it looks to reach more low-end consumers and break into developing markets. Now, the chances of that happening seem much slimmer.
Eliminating the headphone jack is also a noteworthy move.
Apple’s new iPhone lineup features the iPhone Xs, Xs Max, Xr, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, as well as the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus. The firm debuted the new models on Wednesday
As Apple’s new iPhone lineup was announced, it promptly removed several models from being sold on its website, including the iPhone X, iPhone 6s/6s Plus and the iPhone SE
The decision is likely to alienate some holdouts who still use the old school wired headphones offered by Apple over the years and haven’t yet embraced the lightning cable.
Now, it appears Apple is moving full steam ahead with the headphone jack-less design, which makes sense given that it offers products like the AirPods wireless headphones.
Users who have an iPhone 6, 6S, 5S or SE can still install Apple’s latest software update, iOS 12, which is due to arrive on September 17th.
However, avoiding Apple’s requisite dongle, which enables users to plug 3.5mm headphones into the Lightning connector, is now impossible.
Apple’s decision to kill headphone jacks is likely to alienate some holdouts who still use wired headphones offered by Apple over the years and haven’t yet embraced the lightning cable
To make way for the brand new iPhones, Apple has discontinued the iPhone SE, 6S/6S Plus (right) and even the 10th anniversary ‘X’ (left), which only debuted last September
The 6S and the SE were the last iPhone models to have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Those devices, plus the iPhone X, are no longer available through Apple’s website.
Apple first signaled the end of the headphone jack in 2016, when it introduced the iPhone 7, which features a lightning connector.
The firm infamously remarked that it had the ‘courage’ to move away from the headphone jack, prompting some ridicule from users.
Many believed that Apple was set to release a refreshed iPhone SE 2, as it looks to reach more low-end consumers. Now, the chances of that happening seem much slimmer
Getting rid of the headphone jack also allows newer iPhones to be thinner by a few millimeters.
None of Apple’s new iPhones feature a home button, which could mean that technology is on its way out.
More and more smartphones feature edge-to-edge screen designs that get rid of the physical button, relying instead on gesture-based controls to navigate.
iPhone XR vs iPhone XS vs XS Max
Screen Size:
Display Type:
Processor:
Water Resistance:
Battery Life:
Fast Charge:
Wireless Charge:
3D Touch Display:
Dual Cameras:
Optical Zoom:
FaceID:
Weight:
Software:
Price:
Colours:
iPhone XR
6.1-inch
LCD
A12 Bionic
IP67
Up to 15 hours
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
194g (6.84 oz)
iOS 12
$749 (£749
Yellow, White, Coral, Black, Blue, and Product Red
iPhone XS
5.8-inch
OLED
A12 Bionic
IP68
Up to 12 hours
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dual 12MP Lens
Yes. 2x
Yes
177g (6.24oz)
iOS 12
$999 (£999)
Gold, Space Grey, Silver
iPhone XS Max
6.5-inch
OLED
A12 Bionic
IP68
Up to 13 hours
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dual 12MP Lens
Yes. 2x
Yes
208g (7.34 oz)
iOS 12
$1099 (£1099)
Gold, Space Grey, Silver
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