If Apple is killing off the Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter, it shows why dropping the headphone jack was a problem in the first place

The mysterious case of the disappearing dongle

News By Carrie Marshall published 19 November 2024

• Apple's Lightning to 3.5mm adapter is out of stock in many places
• Other Lightning adapters also seem to have issues
• Lightning was used up to iPhone 14, and iPad 9th Gen

Ever since Apple got rid of the headphone jack, fans of serious sound have relied on a little dongle: the Lightning to Headphone Jack Adapter. And now it seems the dongle is doomed.

According to MacRumors, stocks of the $9 adapter have disappeared not just in the US, but worldwide: it's only available in a handful of countries now, and that's most likely because some places still have a bit of leftover stock to shift. We saw the same happen with the SuperDrive DVD player, back in the day, which was then officially discontinued.

Is this the case of the discontinued dongle? It certainly seems to be. And that means it's more complicated for people to connected the best wired headphones and best wired earbuds to a Lightning device – which goes all the way up to the iPhone 14, let's not forget. There are other adapters from third parties on the market, but that's always a lottery – and buying one of the best portable DACs is a lot more expensive and bulky.

Where's the dongle gone?

The Lightning adapter was initially included with new iPhone 7, iPhone 8 and iPhone X devices after Apple killed off the headphone jack. It then became an add-on option for the iPhone XS, and it's been on sale in the Apple Store and through the usual retail suspects ever since. But it does appear to be on its way to the farm where it can be reunited with all the iPods, the iPod HiFi and iPod socks.

The reason for its demise seems to be straightforward enough: Apple's iPhones don't have Lightning ports any more, and it's continuing to offer a USB-C version of the same adapter as well as USB-C EarPods for its more recent models.

But given how flimsy the adapters are – and I know this from experience, because me and my kids have worn through a few of them – it seems a bit premature to kill off the adapter so soon when there are so many Lightning iPhones in circulation, and being sold on the second hand and refurbished market. Sure, there are third-party options, but there's no longer an official Apple option, and it's all too easy to buy one from a no-name dangerous toy and fire hazard factory when you don't have an official option to fall back on.

If you've got a Lightning iPhone and like me, have some really nice wired headphones and/or IEMs, this might be a good time to stock up while there's still some stock to up. And if you have Lightning adapters of other kinds too, expect the worst: it looks like the Lightning to VGA adapter is disappearing too.

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