Fuze iPhone 7 case
Fuze does away with additional dongles, with a 3.5mm to Lightning adaptor built into the case itself Actual Innovation

A new IndieGoGo campaign promises to restore the headphone jack to your iPhone 7 with an intuitive case containing a built-in 3.5mm to Lightning connector. Fuze lets you use your pre-existing headphones with Apple's latest flagship smartphones, doing away with the need for additional adapters.

"Fuze is an innovative case for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus that restores the 3.5mm audio jack," reads the product's campaign page. "It delivers a doubled battery life as well as scratch and shock protection, all while maintaining the iPhone's compact profile. No dongles, no adapters, no problem."

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The project has already raised more than $67,000 (£52,000) from backers, well over its funding goal of $50,000. This could hint that people really, really like the headphone jack. Fuze certainly seems more popular than other proposed solutions to the decision to kill off the 3.5mm port, which include superfluous dongles and Apple's £160 wireless AirPods, possibly the most easy-to-lose accessory ever devised.

Actual Innovation, the US-based start-up behind the case, points out that Apple's decision to break with tradition isn't just bad news for headphones: "Apple is trying to kill the headphone jack, and that's something that affects all of us. There are dozens of uses for the port beyond music – there are credit card readers, thermometers, microphones, adult toys and even blood monitors."

Backers who pledge $69 to the campaign will receive a Fuze case for the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus in the colour of their choice, with shipping expected in December 2016.

Android fans might be feeling smug now, but it's increasingly looking like they'll be next to have their headphone jack axed. And who will be laughing then? Case makers, probably...

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