End of an era? Apple appears to be phasing out its Lightning adapter for wired headphones alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake) | usagoldmines.com

• Apple’s Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter is sold out around the world
• It’s used to connect older iPhones to wired headphones
• Apple still sells a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter for newer products

Ever since Apple dropped the 3.5mm jack from its phones, the company has sold a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter that lets you connect any of the best wired headphones to your iPhone. But it now looks like Apple might be discontinuing the product, as it’s showing as out of stock around the world – so if you want to buy the adapter (or get a spare), you might need to be quick.

MacRumors first spotted the situation, reporting that the adapter was listed as sold out on Apple’s online store in the US and many other countries. There are a handful of nations where you can buy it from Apple’s online store – such as Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, and Sweden – but it’s likely that this will only last until the device sells out in those places as well.

The Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter was originally included in the box when you bought any phone from the iPhone 7, iPhone 8 and iPhone X ranges. However, Apple stopped this practice when it launched the iPhone XS, instead listing the adapter as an optional $9 / £9 / AU$15 purchase online and in physical Apple Stores.

These days, the only Lightning-equipped iPhones that Apple sells are the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone SE, and all three are expected to be discontinued next year. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 series, on the other hand, come with USB-C ports, and Apple does still sell a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter for those devices.

End of the line

With modern iPhones supporting USB-C and Apple selling a 3.5mm adapter for those products, the Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter has been serving an increasingly small number of customers. With the only compatible iPhones that Apple still sells set to be phased out in just a matter of months, it’s likely that Apple feels there’s simply no need to continue selling the Lightning adapter.

Indeed, it’s not just iPhones that are dropping the Lightning port – Apple has been switching all of its products to USB-C in line with European Union (EU) regulations. We’ve seen this affect Apple’s Mac accessories like the Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad, while Apple moved the iPad line to USB-C several years ago.

When Apple dropped the 3.5mm port from its iPhones, it said it made the decision because people were increasingly switching to wireless earphones that offered a more convenient wire-free way to listen to audio. With wired headphones becoming an increasingly niche pursuit and a USB-C adapter available to anyone who needs it, Apple apparently doesn’t feel it’s worth continuing to make its Lighting adapter.

If you use wired headphones with an older iPhone and want to continue doing so, it might be worth buying up a few spare adapters while you still can, just in case your current one breaks – and there are still a few options from third-party makers too. Alternatively, you could consider buying a pair of the best wireless headphones – with Black Friday fast approaching, it’s a great time to snag a bargain.

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