Apple appears to have quietly phased out one of its long-standing accessories, the 3.5mm lightning to headphone jack adapter. The adapter, which allowed users to connect wired headphones and other audio devices to iPhones that lack a headphone jack, has been listed as “sold out” on Apple’s online store in the US and most other countries, according to MacRumors.
After Apple decided to discontinue the 3.5mm headphone port from the iPhone 7, the Lightning to 3.5mm Adapter made its debut in 2016. This move left many users needing a solution for their existing wired headphones, which were no longer compatible with the new models. The adapter offered a simple fix, allowing users to continue using their wired headphones without switching to Bluetooth options.
The transition away from the Lightning connector gained further momentum with the release of the iPhone 15 in 2023, which officially adopted USB-C. Over the years, the adapter was bundled with new iPhone models from the iPhone 7 through to the iPhone XS, released in 2018. But by then, many users had already shifted to wireless solutions like Apple’s Lightning EarPods or Bluetooth AirPods, and the adapter was no longer included in the box. It continued to be available for purchase separately at Apple stores, but now it seems to be disappearing from the shelves entirely.
According to a report in the New York Post, this discontinuation appears to be part of Apple’s broader transition away from its proprietary Lightning port in favour of USB-C, which has now become the standard for the company’s newer devices.
While the adapter has been discontinued in the UK, US and Australia, it is still available in France, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. It can also be found through third-party retailers such as Amazon.
