How to survive when Apple gets rid of the iPhone's headphone jack

The next iPhone will likely be a big headache for a lot of people who love their headphones.

According to several early reports, Apple might ditch the standard 3.5mm headphone jack on the next iPhone. So if you get the next iPhone, you'll need to rethink how you listen to music on your music and make some new purchases to get the most out of your experience.

Here are a few options we think you should consider:

Buy a new pair of Lightning headphones

Buying a new pair of Lightning headphones isn't a good option because it means buying a whole new pair of headphones specifically for your iPhone. You could keep using your old headphones for devices that don't have a Lightning port, like your computer. Otherwise, you'd need an adapter to connect Lightning headphones to a conventional 3.5mm headphone jack.

And while the price of Lightning headphones will get lower over time, the least expensive Lightning headphones you can buy at the moment cost $150, and options are pretty limited so far.

You also wouldn't be able to charge the next iPhone and listen to music at the same time. Although, there are rumors that the iPhone 7 could feature wireless charging, which would help overcome that particular issue.

Use an adapter to keep using your old headphones

This is a decent option because it's the least expensive and you get to keep your trusty old headphones. But adapters aren't perfect.

Adapters are small and could get lost. Plus, it's just another gadget you have to carry around. If you forget them, you can't listen to music on your iPhone with your old headphones. They're an inelegant patchwork solution.

Buy Bluetooth headphones

You're all set if you already use Bluetooth headphones.

If you don't, buying a new pair of Bluetooth headphones is the best option.

It's worth the expense because you don't need to rely on adapters to listen to music with your iPhone or computer. You can connect Bluetooth headphones to any device with Bluetooth, which just about any gadget with audio has these days.

Also, ditching the headphone cable is great. It means no more tangles, snags, or microphonics, those annoying noises you hear when the cable swings around and hits your clothing while you're moving.

Get an Android phone

If you were hoping to get the next iPhone, but the missing headphone jack is too much of hassle, you might consider getting an Android phone. None of the Android makers show any sign of getting rid of the standard headphone jack.

Don't dismiss this option just yet. Android phones running the pure (or near-pure) version of Android are excellent and can do everything just as well, if not better, than the iPhone can.

The best Android phones running pure or near-pure Android are Google's Nexus 5X or Nexus 6P, the Motorola Moto X, OnePlus 2, and the ZTE Axon Pro. You'll also be pleasantly surprised how inexpensive they are compared to the iPhone.