This is a brand new rumour for 2014 and it is potentially the most insane one yet. The rumour is that for the iPhone 6 (due to be announced in September), Apple will be removing the 3.5mm headphone jack from their phones and providing customers with a set of headphones with a Lightning socket adapter. The move would be intended to allow for a bigger battery and (of course) a thinner phone. A lot of people have commented that this would be the reason for Apple's acquisition of Dr. Dre's iconic Beats brand. Think of it, Beats are a highly desirable and expensive brand, as are Apple and the iPhone. The iPhone has been the most desirable handset worldwide since the iPhone 3G. If they made it so that Beats could ONLY be used with an iPhone, well that adds a lot of dollars to the company bank account. It would drive sales of the brands through the roof and would be a huge money spinner for the company. However, there are many reasons why this won't happen. Apple caught hell in 2012 for ditching the 30-pin adapter design and moving to Lightning, forcing people to buy new accessories or shell out £25 a go for 30-pin to Lightning adapters, so they're unlikely to want to attract that kind of press again. The 3.5mm headphone jack has been a global standard since 1979 when the first Walkman came out, again, for all Apple likes to use it's own technology they're unlikely to eschew something so ingrained into society. Most importantly, Apple makes a lot of money from 3rd party sales in its stores, the risk of annoying some of the biggest brands in the world (Sony, Sennheiser, Bose, Bang And Olufsen) is too great and it's not a risk they'll be willing to take. Finally, should Apple decide to ditch the headphone jack, there is a large chance it will backfire and push customers onto increasingly sophisticated and stylish Android devices which will still allow them to use their favourite pair of headphones. Only time will tell on this rumour, but it's incredibly unlikely that Apple would make such a shocking move.
I am a man of many interests. I am a passionate gamer, running my own YouTube channel (The Gadget Addicts) showing off the best of modern gaming in the form of Let's Play videos.
I am an ardent musician, having been a guitarist for the past 13 years. I am also a massive geek, I adore science fiction and fantasy films and TV shows and am trying to work up the courage to start writing a novel. If I can ever think of a good story to tell...
I live with my wife in the North East of England and own a belligerent little black cat.
