Yes, they have disadvantages: They still don't sound quite as good as wired headphones, and they need to be recharged. Wireless headphones come in all shapes and sizes, with features like active noise cancellation, fitness analysis and even augmented-reality access to fine-tune your aural environment. While it's true that sending an audio signal over Bluetooth requires further compression and processing that already mar the sound of digital audio files, most people welcome the trade-off if it means they'll never have to untangle a headphone wire ever again. If you want to cut the cord entirely, Bluetooth wireless headphones are the way to go. Sure, you'll need to lug around the 3.5mm adapter if you plan to plug into non-Apple sources, but the big advantage of Lightning is that it can supply power and data at the same time, so headphones like the new JBL Reflect Aware can now deliver active noise control in a compact earbud design.Ĭheck out the full list of Lightning headphones you can buy right now. Want to split the difference between a dongle and wired headphones? Headphone manufacturers like Audeze and Philips have already introduced models with a Lightning connector in place of the 3.5 plug.

My colleague David Carnoy raises another interesting point: Apple could take advantage of the Lightning port to release certified powered accessories - things like noise-canceling headphones (without the bulky batteries) or maybe a dongle-size headphone amp.

Apple's AirPods may look weird, but they'll change the headphone market.

Apple's iPhone 7 is a familiar phone for unfamiliar challenges.

Speaker with headphone jack