Apple may ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack in the next iteration of its iPhone and replace it instead with a second speaker.
Apple Insider obtained a copy of Barclay's research memo written by analysts Blayne Curtis and Christopher Hemmelgarn, saying that the company will use a second amp in the iPhone 7. This is said to be produced by Cirrus Logic to power the phone's second speaker.
The second speaker could probably be spotted on the same edge as the removed headphone jack and the existing speaker.
It is expected that the next-generation iPhone would not provide the best stereo sound as the two speakers are placed on the phone's bottom edge.
To date, a good number of smartphones in the market are already fitted with stereo speakers. These speakers in some of these devices are placed on opposite ends, allowing for better panning, especially when in landscape mode.
Moreover, the analysts say that the device will not employ the dynamic noise cancellation feature. Rather, it will make use of a basic digital codec. This feature may nonetheless arrive in 2017 and be one of the best-selling points of the iPhone 7s.
Moving forward, it is also worth mentioning that the analysts said the upcoming iPhone will land with its own Lightning-equipped headphones.
Last month, a rumor speculated that the iPhone 7 will purportedly employ a noise-cancelling technology from Wolfson Microelectronics, a company bought by Cirrus back in 2014. This is in contrast to the recent claims from Curtis and Hemmelgarn.
Reportedly, the software for this feature will be included both in the headphones and the new iPhone itself. Companies planning to build supporting headphones will need to pay for a license.
Tech Times also delved on a report that said Apple is really keen on dropping the 3.5 mm headphone port from its iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
Bluetooth Earbuds
Another rumor that emerged in January claims that Apple is developing its high-end wireless Bluetooth headphones. Yes, this means the left and right earpieces are two separate pods that do not have a wire connecting them. These are expected to be released along with the next-generation iPhone 7 this coming fall.
These are also said to look similar with Bragi's new Dash headphones and the Motorola Hint headset, which were showed off during the 2016 CES in January.
As with all rumors on the iPhone 7, it's best to take this latest report with a huge grain of salt for now.
