Back in 2016, the most hated accessory in the Apple ecosystem was a small dongle that came free with the iPhone 7 and cost $9 to replace. And now it looks like it might be gone forever.
Of course, we’re talking about the much-maligned Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter. When Apple launched the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, it removed the headphone jack, leaving the Lightning port as the only way to plug in wired headphones. And since most people didn’t have a pair of Lightning headphones, Apple supplied a free dongle in the boxes.
Based on Apple’s store listing, the accessory may be gone forever. It’s currently sold out online and isn’t available at any nearby stores. Apple still sells a USB-C to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter for newer iPhones, however.
Apple still sells the iPhone SE and iPhone 14, both of which have Lightning ports, but this legacy port is on the way out. If you still want a Lightning to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter, you can grab one on sale at Walmart for $7.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor, Macworld
Michael Simon has been covering Apple for more than 20 years. He started covering rumors with Spymac when the iPod was the iWalk, and has owned nearly every iPhone Apple has ever made. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, son, and far too many gadgets.