Apple kills off popular iPhone accessory many people need

An iPhone accessory that became popular after a controversial change by Apple is being discontinued, according to reports.

Apple appears to have quietly discontinued a popular accessory that was once essential for some iPhone users.

The “3.5mm Lightning to headphone jack adaptor” has been sold out in Australia, the UK and US Apple websites for some time now.

It’s not a huge surprise. Apple has done away with the Lightning connector on its iPhone range, which had been an annoyance to some users as the port was only used by Apple. It was replaced by a USB-C receptacle.

The accessory is popular with people who have older phones and headphones. Picture: iStock

Also, 3.5mm jacks are becoming increasingly rare on headphones, having been replaced by the more common USB-C type.

However, the adaptor will be missed by some Apple users, particularly those with older phones and headphones.

The device allowed users to connect iPhones without a headphone jack to a wide range of devices, including wired headphones, speakers, car audio systems and aeroplane entertainment.

The adaptor first launched in 2016 alongside the iPhone 7, marking Apple’s controversial decision to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from the device.

This change left many iPhone users with a dilemma: their older wired headphones or non-Apple headphones were no longer compatible. The Lightning to 3.5mm adaptor provided a solution, allowing users to continue using their existing headphones with the new iPhones.

Apple has phased out the Lightning port. Picture: iStock

The phase-out of the Lightning connector has been gradual, with the iPhone 15 marking the official shift to USB-C in 2023.

For years, the adaptor was included with every new iPhone from the iPhone 7 to the iPhone XS, released in 2018.

By then, however, many iPhone owners had switched to wireless options like the Lightning EarPods or Bluetooth AirPods, and the adaptor was no longer bundled with the device. It continued to be sold separately at Apple stores for around $9, but now it appears to be disappearing from stores altogether.

While the Lightning to 3.5mm adaptor is no longer available in Australia, the UK and US, it can still be found in some countries such as France, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

They are also still available for purchase on some non-Apple-affiliated sites, including Amazon.

While this change has been met with frustration by some diehard iPhone users, it is clear that Apple is fully committed to USB-C as the future of its devices.

Apple has not addressed the situation.

- with New York Post