Goodbye headphone jack, hello Apple Lightning EarPods
The rumors are confirmed: The iPhone 7 does not have a headphone jack.
This means that Apple will be shipping a different set of earbuds with the new phone, simply called the EarPods.
Contrary to some reports that claimed Apple's new buds would be wireless, this did not happen. Apple did launch a pair of wireless buds called the AirPods, but those will be sold separately, while the iPhone 7 will ship with the Lightning EarPods.
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So what do we know about the new EarPods? Not that much at this point -- except that they'll be included in the iPhone 7 package.
Speaking about the new buds, Apple's Phil Schiller said it took "courage" to remove the headphone jack and do something new. The Lightning jack is digital (vs. the analog 3.5mm jack), which does provide certain advantages, but that doesn't change the fact that nearly everyone has a pair of headphones with the old connector, and far fewer people have a pair of headphones with a Lightning connector.
For those not willing to give up their 3.5mm connector-equipped headphones, do not despair: Apple will also include a 3.5mm audio to Lightning adapter.
As for the wireless AirPods, they're coming in October for $159. Read all about them here.
Stan is a Senior Editor at Mashable, where he has worked since 2007. He's got more battery-powered gadgets and band t-shirts than you. He writes about the next groundbreaking thing. Typically, this is a phone, a coin, or a car. His ultimate goal is to know something about everything.
