New iPad Pro headphone jack BINNED by Apple? Shock rumours about the £600 tablet revealed
APPLE is plotting to kill the headphone jack on its next iPad tablet, according to reports.
The fruity tech firm has already scrubbed the port from iPhone models, and experts say the iPad is next in the firing line.
Later this year, Apple is expected to unveil a new iPad Pro – a powerful and expensive tablet computer.
It's rumoured to be thinner than current models, and feature Apple's Face ID facial recognition tech. This means you can unlock it just by looking at it.
But there's a worrying rumour about the 12.9-inch tablet that may leave some fans disappointed.
According to specialist tech blog , Apple is going to remove the headphone port from the iPad Pro.
This means you'd no longer be able to plug your headphones in using the very common 3.5mm jack you find on most cans or buds.
Instead, you'd need to to use an adaptor that converts your headphone port into a Lightning connector – the same connector that charges your iPhone.
Alternatively, you could invest in a pair of wireless headphones, or headphones that already have a Lightning connector built in.
It's easy to see this as a possible cash grab by Apple, given that it stocks a range of wireless headphones already.
The move might also frustrate users with headphones who would no longer be able to listen to music and charge their device at the same time.
Of course, this isn't unprecedented.
Apple famously removed the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 back in 2016. The port has been unavailable on every iPhone model released since.
Explaining the decision on-stage during Apple's announcement keynote, exec Phil Schiller said: "The reason to move on: courage.
"The courage to move on and do something new that betters all of us."
But the move sparked furious backlash from customers who complained that there was no need to remove the port.
However, there are some advantages to ditching the port.
It's possible to reduce the thickness of a device by getting rid of the jack, because it has a fixed size. In Apple's eternal quest for slimmer mobiles, this is important.
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Also, the future of phone charging is almost certainly going to be wireless.
Apple phones have all offered wireless charging since the iPhone 8, which means you can use a special pad to power up the device without cables.
That means it is possible to charge an iPhone 8 (wirelessly) and plug in Lightning-connector headphones at the same time.
Apple is expected to finally launch its own AirPower wireless charging pad this September, so the timing may be perfect.
In any case, Apple hasn't confirmed anything about its plans for the annual autumn launch event, so take all rumours and leaks with a pinch of salt for now.
Do you think Apple is right to move away from the headphone jack? Let us know in the comments!
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