Why I bought a second iPhone 6S as a backup
As an audiophile, I can't live without a headphone jack on my iPhone. Here's why I decided to buy a spare 6S.
Apple iPhone 6S' Lightning and 3.5mm jacks
It's looking more and more like the 6S will soon be the last iPhone with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Apple jettisoned the jack first on the iPhone 7 and hasn't included it on a new phone ever since. Now rumors are flying about Apple's elimination of the 3.5mm headphone jack on the upcoming iPhone SE 2. If that's true, the 6S (and its larger cousin, the 6S Plus) will be the last iPhones with the jack. So if you have a decent set of wired headphones and you're a faithful iPhone user, now might be a good time to buy a spare SE or 6S.
Apple's not-so-subtle message is it wants you to use wireless headphones. But what about the folks who already invested in a decent set of wired in-, on-, or over-the-ear headphones? What are they supposed to do? Yes, iPhone SE 2, 7, 8, or X owners could use Apple's Lightning-to-3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter, but it's already earned over 400 one-star reviews on the Apple website. People who've used it complain about its fragile build quality and many claim the adapter breaks after just one month of use. I'd add that its sound quality isn't on par with what's available over the 3.5mm headphone jack on the 6S.
I own an iPhone 6S which has both -- Lightning and a 3.5mm headphone jack -- so I'm ready for anything. In fact, I bought a second 6S as a backup, just in case I ever lose or break my first one. I have lots of great wired headphones and I want to keep using them.
At some point Apple will stop supporting my 6S, and I'll have to deal with that. I'll probably deal with it by buying my first Android phone.