Save Your Headphone Connector

If you use wired headphones and carry your iPhone in your pocket, you tend to put a lot of stress on the connector. This stress eventually wears down the connector – especially if you wear jeans, or when you sit down.

Right Angle Adapter Provides Strain Releif

All this may go away with the next iPhone, if rumors turn out to be true. But for the time being, here’s a solution: eliminate strain with a right angle adapter.

The Key: 4 Poles

You want a 4-Pole adapter, also known as TRRS. If you get a basic 3.5mm headphone adapter, you will lose access to the mic and to button controls. TRRS (tip, ring, ring, sleeve) connectors have an extra ring that supports the microphone.

You can identify a 4-pole adapter by looking at the connector. There should be three “rings”, which isolate 4 segments of the connector. Here’s an example:

4-Pole Adapter Preserves Microphone Functionality

A couple of brands are offered on Amazon: Valley and YCS Basics. Both of these will do the job nicely.

You can also get TRRS adapters that don’t have a cord, but they typically generate a new form of strain, since the connector and adapter form what is essentially a longer connector. Valley makes two models, one that sits flush and one that’s better for tight cases

Save those cords!