Once upon a time I routinely used an iPod Shuffle - 3rd Generation - during my workout routine. This was one of the more peculiar Apple devices as it was smaller than a Bic mini lighter and had no external controls. There was option other than to use the included earbuds to affect Play/Stop etc. As most can attest, Apple earbuds back then were not designed to remain in place during anything but the most modest of activity. This necessitated the use of (comfortable) after-market ear buds. No big deal, but of course it required a very specific 3.5mm Headphone Adapter in order to affect control of your playlist. Sigh. I’ve long since lost count of how many of those adapters I went through - probably could have purchased a better iPod for the amount invested in them - and I’m certain I eventually arrived at that conclusion. The price of being an Apple Fanboi sometimes eludes me… As I recently misplaced my BeatsX Wireless In-Ear Headphones I resorted to a pair of wired Sennheiser earbuds (love Sennheiser!) Subsequently I traded up to an 2018 iPhone XR (love it), but having come full circle I am again presented with the need for a special adapter. Sigh. That said: this adapter works as anticipated and appears to be robust enough for routine usage. And I bought a pair of of PowerBeats3 Wireless for the workout routine.

When I upgraded to the new iPhone model, which has left behind the traditional 3.5 mm earphone jack to free up space inside, I was glad to see that Apple had the courtesy to include a lighting-3.5 mm adaptor as part of the accessories for those of us who prefer earbuds with a little more oomph than the included earPods (which now will connect directly via the lightning port) can provide. There was one little convenience issue, in that my car's stereo system pre-dates blue-tooth connectivity or USB cables being a standard feature, so I had to rely on a 3.5 mm stereo cable to connect my phone to the car's audio. This could still be accomplished using the adaptor, but it was kind of a pain to be frequently unhooking it from my earbuds and plugging it into the cable in my car, or vice versa. And, of course, in the first couple of weeks following the iPhone 7's release, no one--including the local Apple store--was stocking spare adaptors. So when I saw that Best Buy starting carrying them, I immediately went to pick one up. It also helped that they're about a dollar cheaper there, compared to buying directly from Apple. Since I'm looking at possibly getting a newer vehicle, with bluetooth and/or USB connectivity, I most likely won't need to have 2 of these adaptors, but it's always nice to have a spare.

I am now on my third lightning to 3.5mm audio adapter since getting my phone in the spring. That's not good. The adapter is capable of doing exactly what it says on the package and turns the lightning connector into a 3.5mm jack. I wish I didn't need it, but for reasons I won't get into, I do. The construction of the dongle is so flimsy that the short wire between the lightning connector and the headphone jack is incredibly easy to pinch or break. These have broken under what I would professionally regard as "normal" usage, not getting wires caught in exercise machines. This is probably the last one I will buy, even with my continued need for a 3.5mm output for my phone, as other manufacturers and retailers are now producing much better quality adapters. They may cost a little more, but even at the low price $10 a piece for the Apple OEM dongle it adds up when you have to keep replacing failed equipment. I have given 2 stars because the dongle DOES work exactly as advertised...until it breaks.

Firstly, I don't do wireless when I'm listening to music. For the phone application, a wireless earpiece is a must. Music is a totally different beast altogether. Apple uses Cirrus Logic DAC's, some of the best in the industry, proven by better ears than mine, but with the removal of the 3.5 mm headphone jack, this least expensive Apple accessory offered is an obvious must-have for the Audio Connoisseur. To access the audio stream as cleanly as possible wired is the preferred method and this little baby does just that best at this price point. You can spend more money and gain some more detailed imaging, but there comes a point called, diminishing returns. More money spent, not much more audio actually gained. Most of my audio files are not DSD, but FLAC, MP3 etc... So for $10.00, Deal, count me in. Until wireless can match wired, not likely, it's the dongle life for me. I have NO problem with that. As long as Apple keeps using High-Quality DAC's, I'll keep buying iPhones that play Hi-Res, DSD, Flac, Hi Freq on Tune-In etc...

This adapter is needed to use 3.5mm headphones with new iPhone. It is very inexpensive about $10 but I decided to be cheap and save $1 by buying an open box item. Store rep said that buyer probably bought wrong adapter. So I got open box item, but when I tried it, it did not work. I returned it with ease, and got a brand new one which worked as designed. My only issue was that a defective/broken item was put back on the shelves apparently without testing. This caused me to make a second trip to store. Best Buy cannot retest everything that is returned and thus the lower prices for open box. But buyer beware when purchasing open box items especially something more complex that may take awhile to verify all functionality. My adapter had just one function - to play audio. Either it worked or did not work. It was immediately obvious it’s status the first time I tried it.

This adapter is used to connect any Apple Device with a Lightning Port to a 3.5mm (AUX) jack. However, its most important (and presumably most common) use is to connect iPhone 7 (and later) models to a 3.5mm cable AUX input since these phones lack a standard 3.5mm cable input. I grabbed one for use in my car so that my friends with newer iPhones can play their music when they ride with me. It works and it's a cheap adapter so I'm happy. One thing I really don't like is that Apple chooses to use really poor quality materials to build their cables and all in the name of making a product look aesthetically pleasing. I can tell I'll have to baby this cable if I don't want it to break. That being said, the adapter costs almost nothing so maybe it would be a good idea to stockpile a few for some unforeseen circumstances.

If you buy a new iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, you get one of these in the box. But, inevitably you'll leave it at home when you need it at work, etc. For those that aren't aware, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus do not have a headphone jack so you absolutely need to use one of these if you want to use wired headphones with a 3.5mm (1/8" inch) connector. It does work with any other iOS device running iOS 10 or newer. Again, if you are running an older version of iOS (such as iOS 9), this will NOT work until you update to iOS 10. The adapter itself is fairly small and lightweight. It has a 1.5 inch cable between the two connectors which probably helps avoid putting strain on the Lightning jack. For once, I think Apple priced this reasonable (for Apple standards) at $8.99.

This product is absolutely amazing. I wasn’t sure how to use it at first, so I was happy to see that there were very descriptive instructions enclosed in the package. The small white box opened easily. I didn’t need to use any other tools, just my hands. The cable is held in place by two heavy weight paper tabs. It may look confusing at first, but if you lift either end of the cable the tabs will give way and the cable will then be free from all packaging. The directions suggest that you put the lightning connection end of the cable into the lightning connection on your iPhone. I found this to work well. Once the cable is connected to your iPhone you can use your old style headphones while listening to music, talking on the phone, or playing games. I was so happy to see that Best Buy carries this product. It didn’t take long for me to locate the product in the store or to make my purchase. It was a wonderful experience. I know now that I will look to Best Buy for all of my gadgetry needs!