If you’re a distributor or supplier of promotional earbuds and headphones, you’re going to want to take note of Apple’s latest iPhone 7 news. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Apple plans to remove the headphone plug to make the iPhone 7 thinner and improve water resistance.
While The Wall Street Journal is referring to this redesign as a “subtle” change, it is likely to affect a slew of businesses. It also seems Apple doesn’t have a plan in place to migrate existing wired headphones. There is no news about wireless headphones or a Lightning port adapter.
According to CNBC, it’s likely Apple made the decision because consumers want a thinner phone. However, CNBC pointed out that consumers who invested in high-end headphones or consumers or those who don’t want to depend on Bluetooth headsets are likely to be upset about this announcement.
Headphone companies have said they would adapt to this hardware change.
“Audio connections have always been continuously evolving,” said Daniel Sennheiser, co-CEO of Sennheiser, in an email to CNBC. “And if Apple chooses to go ahead with a new standard, we, as an audio specialist, have the expertise to make the best of that change. Digital outputs, such as Apple’s Lightning connector, will offer new opportunities to take a step forward and to further enhance the sound experience for the customer.”
If the rumors are true and Apple is planning to move ahead with shipping the iPhone 7 with the standard 3.5mm EarPods and an adapter, then those selling headphones should be OK. However, this might be the time to start expanding your tech offerings with wireless headphones. Or, if you prefer wired headphones, you might have to look into Lightning port-connected headphones.
What do you think of Apple’s latest announcement? Let us know in the comments section.
