Apple is considering dropping the circular 3.5 millimetre jack from its next iPhone, opting instead to integrate headphone functionality into the same port used for power and data transfer, according to Japanese blog Macotakara, which reports Apple rumours.
Without the jack, users would need to buy headphones with a Lightning cable (assuming Lightning is the all-in-one port Apple goes for, not USB-C). Users could also presumably buy a Lightning cable with a digital-to-analog converter and a female 3.5mm plug on the end, so they could use their standard headphones.
As this information comes from a blog of no particular repute, offering no specific sources (though they are "reliable sources", apparently), the rumour shouldn't have you tearing up your standard earbuds in rage just yet, but there are several indications that Apple really could be looking to abolish the 3.5 millimetre jack eventually.
For starters, Apple loves to be able to say each new iPhone is its "thinnest ever", and as Macotakara points out, the headphone jack is pretty much the full thickness of the iPhone 6s. Of course the current iPod Touch is thinner than the 6s and packs a regular 3.5 millimetre jack, but it will have to disappear if the iPhone is to get more than one millimetre thinner than it is now.
Secondly, Apple has already given headphone manufacturers the ability to connect via the Lightning port instead of the jack. This comes in handy for headphone sets that do noise cancellation, as these would usually require a built-in battery. Plugged into Lightning, they can draw power directly from the phone.
Finally, it would be in line with moves Apple has made elsewhere. The company's latest MacBook, for example, has only a single port (USB-C, in that case) for power, data and video output, although it does feature a 3.5 millimetre jack. The approach allows for a simple, very thin design that can be expanded upon when not on the go with adapters and hubs.
Stripping the jack from the iPhone would also further cement people into Apple's ecosystem and move customers towards the included earbuds, Beats-branded cans, or official Made-for-iPhone gear if they didn't want to use an extra adaptor, giving Apple greater control over its devices' audio experience.
