It has long been rumored that Apple's next flagship smartphone, presumably to be named the iPhone 7, will not be including a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack, and company co-founder Steve Wozniak thinks that such a move could "tick off" many users.
Rumors of the missing headphone jack on the iPhone 7 date as far back as late last year, with reports claiming that the headphone jack will be replaced by Apple's Lightning port. As still asserted by the most recent reports, instead of the traditional headphones currently used by customers, the upcoming iPhone will force them to use the Lightning-compatible EarPods or headphones connected to the smartphone wirelessly through Bluetooth.
Apple has not confirmed if the rumor of the headphone jack being absent in the iPhone 7 is true. However, if that would be the case, users who would want to continue using their traditional headphones with the upcoming smartphone might have to purchase a special adaptor to connect them to the iPhone 7.
Wozniak is among the people who are against such a change, as can be taken from his interview with The Australian Financial Review.
"If it's missing the 3.5mm earphone jack, that's going to tick off a lot of people," Wozniak said, adding that he would not be using Bluetooth for connecting headphones. Wozniak explains that in his cars, compared with listening to music through plugged-in headphones, the sounds heard through Bluetooth-connected headphones are flat.
If the iPhone 7 does indeed drop the headphone jack, Wozniak said that he will probably be buying an adaptor to continue using his current headphones. This is because he is attached to the accessories that he is now using, just like many other users. His headphones even have customized ear implants that allow them to fit in his ears very comfortably. The headphones only come with the 3.5 millimeter jack though, so he would have to purchase an adaptor.
One alternative that he would like for Apple to pursue would be to develop better Bluetooth technology which will feature better quality and higher bandwidth. Such technology could allow Bluetooth-connected headphones to play real music, as Wozniak describes, and he could see himself using that.
The interview continues with Wozniak speaking highly of the USB Type-C port that is being adopted by Google and Samsung in their smartphones, with him thinking that the port would be the future for mobile connections.
Whether Apple will indeed drop the headphone jack for the iPhone 7 will only be known once the company officially unveils the smartphone, which is expected to happen sometime next month.
