Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to launch the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus on Sept. 7. (Photo : Getty Images/ Andrew Burton)
Apple is expected to announce the new iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 7 at its launch event in San Francisco late tonight and one of the rumors, Apple will remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from the new iPhones.
According to BGR, a lot about the new iPhones has already been leaked, and if rumors are to be believed, users should expect to see some major hardware upgrades.
Among some upgrades starts right from more RAM and faster processor, to doubled storage space, waterproofing and improved camera, to capacitive Touch ID button. This means the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus could get the long overdue upgrades that iPhone fans deserve.
Unfortunately, rumors circulating also suggest that Apple could remove the age-old 3.5mm audio port in favor of Lightning port. This may be seen as a disappointment to a lot of people who have bought premium headphones with 3.5mm connector, although there come be some benefits that comes from this ditch.
The 3.5mm socket has been the only default audio connector for many years. It is widely used on laptops, smartphones, PCs, TVs, gaming consoles, MP3 players and many other devices.
However, with Apple choosing to use Lightning port for charging, audio and data transfer, users will be forced to either use headphones with Lightning connectors or Bluetooth headphones.
Apple's move is potentially a risky one given the fact that millions of people across the globe use wired headphones with 3.5mm jack.
The tech firm however, seems to be fully confident despite Steve Wozniak, Apple co-founder criticizing the company's rumored plan to make users rely on Lightning cable or Bluetooth headphones.
Apple which is unveiling the new iPhones as it has done every September for the last few years, follows LeEco and Motorola firms who ditched the 3.5mm audio port in favor of USB Type-C audio on some of their smartphones, earlier this year.
Despite the move by Apple, users still have plenty of ways to connect, both wired and wireless. From Lightning-to-3.5mm dongles to Bluetooth to Wi-Fi -- and everything in between, CNet reported.
Most of the user reviews express frustration that the actual cable they need to connect it to a power source is not included in the box, so they will have to pick one of those up too, or use the one that came with their phone.
Brian X. Chen, Katie Benner and Farhad Manjoo are expected to be at the event to provide live analysis of what users need to know about the announcements, but not what their don't.
In addition to the removal of the iPhone's headphone jack, which will enable the device to become water-resistant, a revised home button on the iPhones with 3-D Touch is also expected. This feature activates different actions based on how hard the button is pressed.
Also, the Plus model of the iPhone, which is the version with a larger screen, is set to include a dual-lens camera to take professional-grade photos.
Lastly, a new version of Apple's wearable computer, Apple Watch 2, the new model is expected to be revealed and it includes a GPS tracker along with smarter fitness-tracking capabilities.
Here is a video of the possible ways to output audio from the iPhones:
