Apple appears to be discontinuing its Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter, first introduced with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in 2016.
This adapter allows users to connect traditional wired headphones to iPhones without a headphone jack and is now listed as “sold out” on Apple’s online store in the United States and most other countries.
The adapter remains available in a handful of countries, including France, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, likely until existing inventory is depleted.
Initially, Apple included the adapter at no additional cost with iPhone 7, 8, and X models. However, since the iPhone XS, it has been sold separately for $9, as per MacRumors.
Apple is fully moving away from the Lightning port, with USB-C now standard on the iPhone 15 lineup and beyond. Apple still sells a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter for the newer models.
For users still relying on wired headphones, Apple continues to sell wired EarPods in USB-C, Lightning, and 3.5mm headphone plug variations.