Between the success of AirPods and other wireless devices and the iPhone’s switch to USB-C, Lightning adapters aren’t as popular as they used to be, so much so that Apple has decided to pull them from sale.
Apple has withdrawn from sale an accessory that was very useful for years, but has lost its usefulness over time: Lightning to 3.5 mm jack adapter for iPhone. It is no longer available in the online store in the United States and many countries. It can still be found at the Apple Store in France for €10, but it’s likely to be removed there soon while supplies last.
Apple launched this accessory after it decided to no longer offer the 3.5mm jack port on its iPhones to give users the option to continue using headphones or wired headphones. It was even part of the iPhone 7, iPhone 8 and iPhone X box before disappearing from the iPhone XS generation. It then becomes only a separately sold accessory.
Lightning adapters are disappearing from the Apple store
Many users are still equipped with an iPhone with a Lightning port, but only three models still sold by Apple are equipped with this connection: iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone SE 3. These devices should leave the catalog next September.
Interest in the Lightning to 3.5mm jack adapter has decreased since the latest models moved to a USB-C connection. In addition, Apple continues to sell a USB-C to 3.5 mm jack adapter for the same price of 10 euros. The great popularity of wireless headphones and headsets also contributed to the burying of the Lightning to 3.5 mm jack adapter.
Apple, on the other hand, continues to sell wired headphones in three formats: USB-C, Lightning and 3.5 mm jack. However, other Lightning adapters, including Lightning to VGA cable. If you think you need a Lightning to 3.5mm jack adapter or a Lightning to VGA adapter, now is the time to get one. Apple stopped selling its SuperDrive USB in the United States in August 2024, and then pulled it from sale in France in October, two months later.
source: MacRumors