New Video Has Leaked Showing Apple EarPods with Rumored Lightning Connector

With the pending release of the iPhone 7, we are beginning to gain a firmer grasp on exactly what the upcoming device will look like. Although obviously nothing has been confirmed by Apple, most agree on several things – the phone will likely feature an upgraded processor, an upgraded camera with a larger cutout for the lens, redesigned antenna lines on the back, and, of course, the removal of the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack.

Rumors of Apple ditching the headphone port in favor of Lightning-compatible headphones date back as far as last November. As the rumors grew, so did the controversy, culminating in an online petition with over 300,000 signatures pleading for Apple to keep the 3.5mm headphone port. According to most leaks, however, Apple is sticking to their guns with the removal of the jack.

There has been plenty of speculation as to what type of headphones will ship with the iPhone 7. Early rumors stated that Apple will ship wireless Bluetooth “AirPods” with the device, but more recent rumors favor the idea that Apple will ship Lightning-compatible EarPods with the iPhone 7, almost identical to the EarPods that ship with the current generation of iPhones, but connecting via a Lightning plug as opposed to a 3.5mm plug. In fact, several leaked photos found on Chinese social media site Weibo purportedly put the new Lightning-compatible EarPods on display. Over the weekend, however, we may have gotten our first video glimpse of the new EarPods, with a video that surfaced on the YouTube page of EverythingApplePro.

The video, which is titled “iPhone 7 EarPods Hands On”, gives us a good look at what the iPhone 7 EarPods will allegedly look like. The video plugs the EarPods in via the Lightning port, plays an audio track from YouTube, and demonstrates the inline volume up, volume down, and play/pause buttons on the cable.

Aside from the connector, everything looks and operates almost identically to the current generation of iPhone EarPods. Although the headphones in the video certain look like an official Apple product, and is likely at least similar to what we will see ship with the iPhone 7, such a video would be relatively easily faked, or the narrator could have received an unofficial pair of Lightning EarPods from China.

The iPhone 7 will release this September, with known iPhone leaker Evan Blass putting preorders on September 9^th, and an official release during the week of September 12^th. Many are hoping that the iPhone 7 will also ship with a free 3.5mm-to-Lightning adapter, as a convenience for users who have already purchased high-fidelity headphones that feature the 3.5mm port, but of course, nothing has been confirmed on that front yet.

How do you feel about Apple’s decision to ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack?
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