Which iPhone family first removed the 3.5 mm headphone jack?

The iPhone 7 family was the first iPhone generation to remove the 3.5 mm headphone jack. Apple introduced the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus on September 7, 2016, and released them later that month.

Apple replaced the traditional analog headphone connection with Lightning audio and wireless options. Each phone originally included a Lightning-to-3.5-mm adapter, allowing customers to keep using conventional wired headphones. The space left by the jack was used for an additional speaker grille and a vent associated with the internal barometer.

The change was controversial because users could not charge the phone and use wired headphones through the single Lightning port without an additional accessory. The iPhone 6s and iPhone SE retained the jack, while the iPhone 8 and iPhone X followed the iPhone 7’s design decision. Apple later stopped including the adapter in the box.