Say goodbye to the iPhone’s headphone jack
SAN FRANCISCO — Apple’s latest iPhone may be more notable for what’s missing than what’s been added, as the consumer tech giant tries to revive demand for its top-selling product and nudge consumers closer to its vision of a wireless world.
That’s a world where, in Apple’s view, consumers will use the same wireless ear buds to shift seamlessly from listening to music on their iPhone to talking with their Apple Watch and other gadgets made by the California tech giant.
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus unveiled Wednesday come with a faster processor, longer battery life and better cameras — including a new dual lens system in the pricier 7 Plus model that provides higher quality zooming. But the new phones won’t have the analog headphone jack that’s been a staple for decades in just about every consumer electronics device that can play audio.
Apple is betting its legions of loyal fans will embrace the shift to digital headsets that use wireless connections. Or — if they insist on sticking with their old ways — that they won’t mind using a new style of earbuds that plug into the iPhone’s “Lightning” charging port.