It looks like the headphone jack is now going to be dropped from the cheapest iPad model as well, if leaked drawings are to be believed.
What is this aversion of many manufacturers to the headphone jack anyway? Saving a few pennies, going for another fraction of a millimeter thinner? We will probably never know for sure. In case of Apple, it seems that a kind of design philosophy plays an important role. They seem to go for as few protrusions and holes in a device as thin as possible. Which in turn means that most users stuff their expensive device into a sturdy protective case immediately after purchase, for understandable protective reasons.
Farewell, wired headphone
Anyway, according to the latest rumors, the headphone jack in the intended new basic model of this year is finally gone. And with that, the entire iPad line is now headphone jack-less. 9to5mac discovered this news based on drawings that were leaked elsewhere. So – if true – from now on, all iPads require a dongle or Bluetooth headphones. Plan B is simply to stick as long as possible with that already ‘antique’ basic iPad from last year.