We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-02 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want to keep using your favorite wired headphones with a Lightning iPhone, choose SAMPOP Lightning; if you need a complete USB-C earbud setup for newer iPhones and USB-C Android phones, choose ABCPOW Earbuds USB C.
• SAMPOP Lightning — biggest strength: Turns any 3.5mm headphone or headset into a working Lightning audio setup, complete with inline controls, a mic and a 48kHz/24-bit DAC.
• SAMPOP Lightning — biggest trade-off: It's an adapter, not headphones. If you don't already own a 3.5mm pair you like, you still need one.
• ABCPOW Earbuds USB C — biggest strength: A ready-to-use USB-C in-ear package with 2 pairs of earbuds, 3 sizes of eartips and a built-in mic.
• ABCPOW Earbuds USB C — biggest trade-off: Call support depends on the device, and there's no Lightning option for older iPhones.
• Who SAMPOP Lightning is for: iPhone 7 through iPhone 14 owners who want to keep their existing wired headphones.
• Who ABCPOW Earbuds USB C is for: iPhone 15/16/17 and USB-C Android users who want earbuds in the box, no adapter required.
The SAMPOP Lightning adapter is the bridge product in this comparison. It converts the Lightning port on an iPhone into a standard 3.5mm TRRS jack, which means your existing wired headphones suddenly work again on a phone that doesn't have a headphone jack. Compatibility covers iPhone 7 all the way through iPhone 14 (including Plus, Pro and Pro Max variants), plus iPhone X, XR, XS, XS Max, 8, 8 Plus and SE, along with a long list of iPads and iPod touch models. It supports iOS 14–18, so even a fairly recent iPhone 14 Pro Max is in scope.
What it does best is keep full headphone functionality intact. Play/pause, track skipping, volume, answering and rejecting calls, Siri activation and FaceTime audio all run through the adapter, so you're not losing the inline remote on your headphones. The audio side is handled by a 48kHz/24-bit DAC chip, which is the part that matters for anyone who cares about clean stereo separation rather than a muffled fallback. Active noise cancellation is also part of the design, aimed at noisy commutes, subways and gyms.
Durability is where the spec sheet gets specific: 15,000 plug/unplug and bend cycles in lab testing, which the brand frames as roughly 3x a standard adapter. At five connections a day, that math stretches past five years. It's a 2-pack, weighs about 4 grams each, and the package includes a 3-year replacement or refund support window. For iPhone owners who never wanted to give up their wired headphones, this is the practical answer.
Who should skip it? Anyone on an iPhone 15, 16 or 17. Those phones moved to USB-C, and this adapter is a Lightning-to-3.5mm converter — it won't fit. Also skip it if you'd rather not carry a small dongle at all.
ABCPOW takes the opposite approach: instead of adapting, it replaces. This is a 2-pack of white USB-C wired in-ear earbuds built for phones that dropped the 3.5mm jack — iPhone 15, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 15 Plus, the iPhone 16 family, the iPhone 17 family, and a wide spread of Samsung Galaxy models from the S20 series up through S26, plus A-series and Z Fold/Flip devices. If your phone only has USB-C, these plug straight in.
The package is genuinely complete. You get two pairs of earbuds with 4-foot cords, three sizes of eartips (S, M, L) so you can pick the fit that seals properly, and small clips to keep the cable from swinging. The drivers are dynamic, with a 20Hz–20,000Hz frequency range — the standard full-band range, so nothing is artificially clipped at either end. Noise control is sound isolation, which is the passive kind: the eartips block outside noise rather than electronics canceling it.
Controls are push-button, and there's a built-in microphone. That microphone point deserves a caveat straight from the brand's own notes: some USB-C devices handle music playback only, with no call functionality — MacBook, iPad Pro and older Samsung models like the S8, S9 and Note 5 fall into that group. On supported phones, calls work; on others, you get audio only. There's also a volume slider on the cord, and if you ever hear nothing, the brand suggests sliding it up or trying a different port.
Who should skip it? Lightning iPhone owners, full stop — there's no Lightning version here. Also skip it if you already own wired headphones you love and just need an adapter, because that's a different problem.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for iPhone 15/16/17 and USB-C Android → ABCPOW Earbuds USB C. No adapter, no dongle, just plug in.
• Best for keeping your existing wired headphones → SAMPOP Lightning. It preserves the headphone you already trust, inline controls included.
• Best for a complete out-of-the-box setup → ABCPOW Earbuds USB C. Two pairs of earbuds, three eartip sizes and clips are all in the box.
• Best for audio spec detail → SAMPOP Lightning, on paper, with its 48kHz/24-bit DAC chip aimed at clean stereo output.
• Best for passive noise blocking → ABCPOW Earbuds USB C, since in-ear tips physically seal the ear canal.
• Best for call reliability across devices → SAMPOP Lightning, because the adapter supports mic and call controls broadly across Lightning iPhones, while ABCPOW notes some USB-C devices are music-only.
• Best for long-term durability claims → SAMPOP Lightning, which cites 15,000 plug/unplug and bend cycles plus a 3-year support window.
In my opinion, the right pick comes down entirely to which port is on your phone — this isn't a close call on quality, it's a compatibility fork. If you own an iPhone 7 through 14 and have a pair of wired headphones you refuse to retire, I'd buy the SAMPOP Lightning adapter; it restores the full experience, controls and all, for a fraction of what new headphones cost. If you're on an iPhone 15, 16 or 17, or a USB-C Galaxy, I'd buy the ABCPOW Earbuds USB C instead — the SAMPOP simply won't connect, and ABCPOW hands you a working setup with spare pairs and eartip sizes. For the "headphones for iPhone" question specifically, match the connector first, then everything else falls into place. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit.
how to use headphones for iphone
Plug your 3.5mm headphones into a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter like the SAMPOP, then connect the adapter to your iPhone's Lightning port. Controls and mic pass through the adapter, so play/pause, calls and Siri work as normal. If your headphones are USB-C, plug them directly into a USB-C iPhone instead.
how to use wired headphones for iphone 15
The iPhone 15 uses USB-C, not Lightning, so the SAMPOP Lightning adapter won't fit. Use USB-C wired earbuds like the ABCPOW, which plug straight into the port. Note that ABCPOW states some devices, including MacBook and iPad Pro, handle playback only without call functionality.
how to use wired headphones for iphone
First identify your port. iPhone 7 through 14 need a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter such as the SAMPOP, which supports iOS 14–18. iPhone 15 and later need USB-C earbuds such as the ABCPOW. Either way it's plug-and-play with no setup.
how to use wired headphones for iphone 16
The iPhone 16 family is USB-C, so go with the ABCPOW Earbuds USB C, which explicitly lists the 16, 16e, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max among supported models. Choose one of the three eartip sizes for a proper seal, then use the push-button controls. A Lightning adapter is not an option here.
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