Apple Kills Headphone Jack In Latest iPads: End Of 3.5mm Jack In Its Ecosystem?

Apple was one of the first companies to stop embedding a 3.5mm headphone jack in its devices. The latest iPad lineup does not have the facility to easily plug in and use a wired headset. With the disappearance of the 3.5mm connector on the 10th-gen iPads, nearly all of Apple's devices are devoid of the humble port. If users want to plug in their wired headsets, they will have to purchase a dongle or buy a pair of Apple AirPods.

Apple iPad And iPad Pro 2022 Do Not Feature A Headphone Jack

Apple launched its latest tablets yesterday, October 18. As expected, the company has offered an entry-level iPad, and the premium iPad Pro. The iPad Pro packs the powerful M2 SoC, while the iPad 2022 edition is powered by the Apple A14 Bionic processor.

Needless to mention, Apple has offered some capable devices and these could easily be the standard that other table manufacturers will try to match. Incidentally, these 10th-gen devices feature the popular USB Type-C port instead of Apple's proprietary port.

While the inclusion of the USB-C port is a significant improvement, Apple has taken away the 3.5mm headphone jack from the latest iPad models. Neither the 10th-gen iPad Air nor the iPad Pro 2022 editions feature a headphone jack.

Has Apple Killed The Humble 3.5 mm Wired Headset Port?

While the 10th-gen iPad lineup is certainly better in nearly every aspect, the absence of the headphone jack could be a deal-breaker for some. The absence of the 3.5mm jack on the new models also means the 9th-gen iPads are the last ones to ship with a headphone jack.

Consumers who purchase the iPad Air 2022 or the iPad Pro 2022 edition will have two options for connecting audio accessories. Buyers who insist on using their wired headsets will have to purchase a USB Type-C to 3.5mm adapter. Apple sells one for $9 (approx. Rs. 540)

A dongle will easily convert the USB-C port on the new iPad Air and iPad Pro 2022 models into a 3.5mm headphone jack. However, inserting the dongle in the USB-C port won't allow users to charge the device while listening to audio.

If buyers want to charge their iPads and listen to audio, they will have to wirelessly connect their Bluetooth headsets. Apple makes Beats and AirPods Bluetooth headsets. Eliminating the 3.5mm headphone jack might allow Apple to sell more wireless headphones.

Incidentally, with the 3.5mm connector eliminated from the iPads, Apple has completely killed the headphone jack from nearly all its devices. The Apple Mac computers running macOS are now the only Apple hardware to offer the freedom of plugging in a wired headset without needing a dongle.