Apple had the courage to remove the jack, but not the courage to admit why.
In 2016, Apple ditched the headphone jack on the iPhone 7, triggering outrage. Critics questioned why they’d remove such a simple, universal port.
Still, Apple stuck with its decision. After all, it claimed it was about space, durability, and the wireless future.
But the real reason wasn’t innovation. It was about money, control, and selling more AirPods.
The Real Reason Apple Removed the Headphone Jack
Apple wanted to dominate the wireless headphone market. Simple as that. This wasn’t just about embracing the future—it was a calculated business move.
In 2015, a year before removing the port, Apple spent $3.2 billion to acquire Beats, a company already leading the Bluetooth headphone space. That kind of money wasn’t just for a brand; it was setting the stage.
Then came the iPhone 7. Apple ditched the headphone jack in September 2016—and, as if by magic, AirPods appeared. The timing? Not a coincidence.
By cutting off the easiest way to use wired headphones, Apple nudged users toward wireless alternatives. And wouldn’t you know it, they had the perfect products waiting. The plan worked.
By 2021, Apple and Beats controlled nearly 50% of global Bluetooth headphone revenue. And, AirPods turned into a cultural phenomenon that pulled in billions every year.
The shift didn’t just boost Apple’s own sales. It made wireless headphones the norm and forced third-party manufacturers to pay Apple licensing fees just to stay compatible.
Apple knew not everyone would go wireless overnight, so they included a dongle in the box to soften the blow. That lasted a couple of years. Then, they stopped and left customers to buy it separately.
If you’ve ever owned one of those dongles, you know how easy they are to lose. Apple did, too.
People kept replacing them, and Apple kept cashing in. Meanwhile, their proprietary Lightning port made sure third-party headphone makers had to pay up to stay in the game.
While the rest of the industry moved toward USB-C, Apple clung to Lightning until 2023, squeezing every last cent out of its ecosystem.
This wasn’t about “courage” or “innovation.” Apple removed the headphone jack to sell more accessories and tighten its grip on users.
And it worked.
Apple’s Justifications vs. Reality
Apple didn’t just remove the headphone jack and move on. They had a whole list of reasons why it was the right call—how it would make the iPhone better, more advanced, and ready for the future.
But were those reasons solid, or just a clever way to sell the change? Let’s break them down:
- “The headphone jack took up space”
- “Removing it helped water resistance”
- “Lightning provided better audio”
- “Wireless is the future”
“The headphone jack took up space”
Apple said they needed the room for a larger battery and the Taptic Engine (the haptic feedback system that makes taps and clicks feel more realistic).
The reality
A YouTuber (Strange Parts) successfully added a headphone jack to an iPhone 7 without removing any major components.
If a single person in a workshop could pull it off, Apple (A.K.A., one of the most resource-rich tech companies on the planet) definitely could have kept the jack if they wanted to.
“Removing it helped water resistance”
Apple suggested that getting rid of the headphone jack made it easier to achieve an IP67 water resistance rating.
The reality
The Samsung Galaxy S8 came out the same year with a higher IP68 rating while keeping the headphone jack. It even came with a free pair of AKG IEMs.
It turns out that sealing a small port wasn’t as impossible as Apple had imagined.
“Lightning provided better audio”
Apple claimed that using the Lightning port for audio allowed for higher-quality digital sound compared to analog.
The reality
Digital connections can allow for higher-quality audio because they bypass the limitations of an analog jack and internal DAC.
In practice, however, Apple’s Lightning to 3.5mm dongle contained a tiny, low-power DAC. Sure, that’s decent for its size and price. But it’s not really a huge upgrade over a well-implemented 3.5mm headphone jack.
Even if there is a difference, most people wouldn’t be able to tell it apart.
“Wireless is the future”
Apple spun this as progress, positioning itself as a pioneer in the wireless revolution.
The reality
In 2016, Bluetooth couldn’t match wired audio—it had latency, compression issues, and needed charging. Even today, Apple Music offers lossless audio, but AirPods can’t fully support it due to Bluetooth’s limits.
Apple sells high-quality sound without a truly lossless way to hear it on their own wireless headphones.
Ultimately, this wasn’t about making wireless better. It was about forcing users into Apple’s ecosystem before wireless audio was truly ready to take over.
Apple Changed the Industry, Then Backtracked
When Apple killed the headphone jack, competitors had a field day mocking the decision.
Samsung ran ads poking fun at iPhones without a jack, and Google made sure everyone knew the Pixel 5a still had one. Then, a few years later? They all quietly followed suit.
Why? Not for innovation but for profit.
Companies saw the chance to sell more wireless headphones (Samsung owns JBL & AKG, and Google has Pixel Buds), cut manufacturing costs, and, once the jack was gone everywhere, ignored customer complaints.
Apple set the trend, and the rest of the industry fell in line.
Now, years after insisting on a “wireless future,” Apple is quietly reversing course.
The iPhone 16 is adding more physical buttons, the EU forced Apple to adopt USB-C, making wired audio more accessible, and MacBooks and iPads still have headphone jacks.
If the jack was truly obsolete, why keep it on other products?
Apple won’t come out and say they were wrong—but their actions say otherwise.
They framed the removal of the headphone jack as a bold step into the future. The reality?
- It wasn’t about space-saving: other phones kept the jack without compromise.
- It wasn’t about water resistance: Samsung proved you could have both.
- It wasn’t about better audio: Bluetooth still isn’t as good as wired.
This was about making AirPods essential, driving accessory sales, and locking users deeper into the Apple ecosystem. The move reshaped the entire industry, forcing users into a less convenient, more expensive wireless world before Bluetooth was truly ready.