iPhone 7 AirPod headphones have a third of consumers 'concerned'

Apple's decision to remove the physical headphone jack from its iPhone 7 and 7 Plus handsets in lieu of AirPod Lightning-enabled headphones is "concerning" to 35 percent of consumers in Australia, according to a survey by industry analyst firm Telsyte.

Telsyte asked 1,097 Australians aged 16 or over whether the decision would affect their likelihood of buying the new smartphones.

"According to Telsyte's latest research, Australians are divided on the removal of headphone jack on new smartphones," Telsyte said.

"While 35 percent of Australians are turned off from buying a new smartphone without the traditional analogue headphone jack, 34 percent are also not concerned, and the rest being unsure. While this is inconclusive, Apple buyers seem to be less concerned."

Just 28 percent of iOS users are concerned and would prefer to keep the analogue headphone jack, with 25 percent not sure, and 47 percent not concerned.

Android users, meanwhile, are more concerned, at 36 percent, with 33 percent unsure and 31 percent not concerned.

In total, 35 percent of consumers are concerned; 31 percent are not sure; and 34 percent are not concerned.

Apple unveiled the new iPhones on Wednesday in the United States, with one of the most notable changes to the handset the removal of the headphone jack, with Apple to now connect headphones over Lightning, which is now used for power, audio, and control.

"Some have asked why we would remove the analogue headphone jack from the iPhone. It has been with us a very long time," said Apple's marketing chief Phil Schiller.

"The reason to move on comes down to one word: Courage."

To pair the iPhone 7 with the headphones, users simply open the AirPods' charging box and tap Connect once on the smartphone's screen. iCloud accounts then connect the AirPods as an audio output for every Apple device owned by a user.

The AirPods cost $159 in the US, with pricing in Australia yet to be announced.

The iPhone 7 also features a 4.7-inch Retina HD display, quad-core A10 Fusion processor, 7-megapixel FaceTime HD front-facing camera, 12-megapixel rear camera with 6-element lens, a non-physical Home button featuring Force Touch feedback, and water- and dust-proofing to IP67 standard.

The iPhone 7 Plus comes with a 5.5-inch Retina HD display, quad-core A10 Fusion processor, two 12-megapixel wide-angle and telephoto cameras with 2x optical zoom, a non-physical Home button featuring Force Touch feedback, and water- and dust-proofing to IP67 standard.