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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want to keep using your existing wired 3.5mm headphones with an older Lightning iPhone, choose Untvie Apple MFi Certified; if you need actual USB-C earbuds with a built-in mic for an iPhone 15, 16 or 17, choose Cianyyee USB C Headphones. These two products solve completely different problems, and picking the wrong one is the single most common mistake shoppers make in this category.
• Untvie Apple MFi Certified — biggest strength: an Apple MFi certified Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter that brings back the headphone jack on iPhone 7 through iPhone 14, with a 2-pack so you always have a spare.
• Untvie Apple MFi Certified — biggest trade-off: it is an adapter, not a headphone, and it explicitly does not support phone calls.
• Cianyyee USB C Headphones — biggest strength: a 3-pack of complete in-ear USB-C earbuds with a microphone, volume control and sound-isolating fit for iPhone 15/16/17 and a long list of Android and laptop devices.
• Cianyyee USB C Headphones — biggest trade-off: they only work with USB-C devices, so they are useless on an iPhone 14 or older.
• Pick Untvie if you own an older Lightning iPhone and want to keep your favorite wired headphones.
• Pick Cianyyee if you own a USB-C iPhone or Android phone and want earbuds you can actually talk on.
Untvie's product is a Lightning-to-3.5mm aux audio adapter, and the entire pitch is compatibility. It carries Apple MFi certification, which is the detail that matters most here: MFi certification is the reason you should not see an "accessory not supported" error message pop up when you plug it in. If you have ever bought a cheap no-name dongle and watched your iPhone refuse to talk to it, you know exactly why that certification line is the headline feature.
The compatibility list is genuinely broad. It covers iPhone 14, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, SE, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, XS, XS Max, XR, X, 8, 8 Plus, 7 and 7 Plus, plus iPad and iPod touch, and it supports all iOS systems with no extra software. Inside, a 100% copper wire core carries the signal, and it supports up to 48kHz and 24-bit lossless output. In plain terms: your music, videos and movies come through cleanly, and you just plug in and go.
This is the right buy for someone with a Lightning iPhone who refuses to give up a beloved pair of wired headphones, or who wants to run audio into a car stereo or home speaker without Bluetooth pairing every single time. The 2-pack is the quiet win: one adapter stays with your daily carry, the other lives in the car or at your desk, so a misplaced dongle never ends your listening session. The glossy finish and tiny 0.01 kg weight mean it disappears into a pocket.
Cianyyee USB C Headphones: Who It's For
Cianyyee sells something completely different: finished USB-C wired earbuds, three pairs in the box, in the TPC-White colorway. These are in-ear buds with a dynamic driver covering a 20Hz to 20,000Hz frequency range, and the brand leans hard into bass: strong low end, plus a snug seal that cuts down outside noise so the beat stays clear. The enclosure is thermoplastic elastomer, which is the soft rubbery material you want in something that sits inside your ear for hours.
The feature list that actually changes your day is the inline control set. There is a microphone for calls, and a multifunctional button that handles answer/hang up, play/pause, and next/previous track, plus volume control. That means you can take a call, skip a song and adjust loudness without ever touching your phone. The earbuds use an in-ear shape built to follow the contour of your ear, so they stay put during long listening sessions and are less likely to drop out mid-walk. The flat cable is designed to resist tangling and stores neatly, which is a real quality-of-life detail if you have ever spent five minutes untangling buds before a commute.
Compatibility is where Cianyyee earns its keep. The list starts with iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, and the product title also names iPhone 17 Pro Max. It extends to a huge range of USB-C hardware: Galaxy S20 through S26 series, Z Fold and Z Flip models, A53/A54/A33/A34, iPad 10, iPad Air 4th/5th, iPad Pro 2018 through 2022, iPad Mini 6th, MacBook 12", MacBook Air 13", MacBook Pro 13"/14"/15"/16", Google Pixel 5 through 10a and 8 Pro, and OnePlus Open/11/10T/10 Pro/9 Pro.
Buy these if you own a USB-C iPhone, an Android phone, or a USB-C laptop and want one cheap set of wired earbuds you can leave in a bag, a drawer and a jacket pocket. Three pairs in one box is the point: you stop carrying your only pair back and forth. Skip them if your phone still uses Lightning — the connector simply will not fit, and no adapter in this comparison fixes that.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for phone calls → Cianyyee USB C Headphones. It has a built-in microphone and call controls; the Untvie adapter is explicitly not for making calls.
• Best for iPhone 15, 16 or 17 owners → Cianyyee USB C Headphones. The Untvie adapter does not support USB-C ports at all.
• Best for iPhone 14 and older → Untvie Apple MFi Certified. The Cianyyee earbuds' USB-C plug will not fit a Lightning port.
• Best for sound isolation and bass → Cianyyee USB C Headphones. The in-ear seal and dynamic driver are built around low-end punch and blocking outside noise.
• Best for a car stereo or home speaker → Untvie Apple MFi Certified. It feeds 3.5mm aux inputs directly, which is exactly what an adapter is for.
• Best for travel and gym convenience → Cianyyee USB C Headphones. Three pairs, a tangle-resistant flat cable, and an in-ear fit designed to stay put.
• Best for audio quality claims on paper → Untvie Apple MFi Certified. Up to 48kHz and 24-bit lossless output over a copper wire core, versus a 20Hz–20,000Hz driver range on the Cianyyee buds.
In my opinion, the deciding question is not which product is better — it is which port is on your phone. If you are on an iPhone 14 or older, I would buy the Untvie Apple MFi Certified adapter, because MFi certification, the huge Lightning compatibility list and the second adapter in the box make it the more reliable way to keep listening on wired headphones, and the no-calls limitation is easy to live with if you take calls on the phone itself. If you are on an iPhone 15, 16 or 17, I would buy the Cianyyee USB C Headphones, because they give you working earbuds, a mic and inline controls in one purchase instead of an adapter that will not even fit. Buy for your port, not for the spec sheet.
FAQ
how to use headphones for iphone
how to use wired headphones for iphone 15
The iPhone 15 uses USB-C, so you need a USB-C connection. Either plug USB-C earbuds such as the Cianyyee straight in, or use a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter for traditional headphones. The Untvie adapter in this comparison is Lightning-only and does not support USB-C ports, so it will not work here.
how to use wired headphones for iphone
Check your port first, because that single detail decides everything. Lightning iPhones need a Lightning adapter (Untvie's product covers iPhone 7 through 14 and supports all iOS systems). USB-C iPhones — 15, 16 and 17 — need USB-C earbuds or a USB-C adapter instead.
how to use wired headphones for iphone 16
Same rule as the iPhone 15: the iPhone 16 family is USB-C. The Cianyyee earbuds list iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max as compatible, so you plug them in and use the inline button for calls, play/pause and volume. The Untvie Lightning adapter is not an option on this phone.
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