iPhone 7 Release Date Spec Rumors: Thinner Handsets May Mean No More 3.5mm Headphone Port

By Liezl Dunuan, Christian Post Contributor Friday, January 08, 2016

Countless rumors about what features the iPhone 7 will carry are already flooding the World Wide Web and among the most consistent rumors is the one about the iPhone 7 getting rid of the standard 3.5 mm headphone port in order to make way for thinner handsets. According to a Tech Times report, this rumor is now being corroborated by information coming from Apple's supply chain in China.

The report cited that a Chinese website called Anzhuo said that Apple's supply chain sources claim that the company will definitely get rid of the 3.5 mm headphone port and that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be the first devices to implement this major change. Given that Apple has reportedly developed and trademarked what they call "AirPods" or wireless headphones, it is logical for them to introduce this new technology in its next set of flagship devices. These AirPods are rumored to be coming out of the box with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Also according to the report, Apple has implemented some major changes in device hardware before such as removing the optical drive in the MacBook Air to make it thinner and lighter.

This obsession with thinness is reflected in other reports, saying that Apple was working on a redesign of the iPhone 7 so that it will be the thinnest smartphone ever. One other rumor is that instead of the 3.5 mm headphone port, the Lightning port may also be used for audio.

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According to an earlier report in Christian Post, another new feature that the iPhone 7 may possibly carry is what they call "self-healing ports." This rumor is based on a patent application by Apple for a device that has "a self-healing elastomer" that is applied over the device's external connectors. When not in use, the port becomes waterproof.

With wireless charging becoming a norm among flagship smartphones, the iPhone 7 may be equipped with this technology as well, according to the report.

Since Apple has not made any official announcements about the iPhone 7, reports are saying that the new device will likely be unveiled during the company's September 2016 event, which is usually the time when a new iPhone is revealed.