It appears that Apple could be discontinuing one more product from its portfolio. With the iPhone 15 series launch, Apple has started to equip its iPhones with USB-C ports instead of Lightning ports. The Apple iPhone 7, 8, and X models came with a Lightning-to-headphone jack adapter, allowing users to plug in their wired headphones with a 3.5mm jack.
However, starting with the iPhone XS and XR, Apple stopped including the adapter, and users had to purchase them separately for $9. While Apple still sells a few models with Lightning ports, such as the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone SE, it appears that the company has decided it"s time for the Lightning to headphone jack adapter to bid adieu.
According to MacRumors, the adapter is listed as "sold out" on Apple"s official website in the US and many other regions. Although "sold out" doesn"t necessarily mean the adapter is discontinued, it could be a sign. This is because Apple"s USB SuperDrive was also listed as "sold out" a few months before it was silently discontinued.
Of course, Apple"s newer iPhone models use USB-C ports, and the company still makes USB-C to headphone jack adapters for use with iPhone 15 or later. But for those who are still hanging out with their iPhone 14 and previous models, this could be a bit of a problem for them. Yes, you can still purchase third-party adapters for your use case, but the official ones may be going away soon.
Notably, while the Lightning port to headphone jack adapter is sold out in the US and most countries, it is still available in France, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The product is also sold out on Amazon, but you can buy it from Best Buy.