Apple is expected to remove the standard 3.5 mm headphone port from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro. New images of what are reportedly Lightning-equipped EarPod headphones have leaked.

Two of the biggest players in the smartphone game are preparing to unveil new flagship smartphones in August and September. We've been keeping a close eye on what Samsung and Apple have in store for their next-gen handsets.

Samsung will be first up to the plate when it launches the Galaxy Note 7 at an Unpacked event that is rumored to take place on Aug. 2. Unlike its predecessor, the Galaxy Note 5, which featured a flat screen, the Note 7 will use a dual curved edge display, like the one found on the Galaxy S7 edge. The device will also boast an advanced iris scanner, large 3,600 mAh battery and will add a new USB Type-C port to replace the more common micro USB.

While Samsung is planning to add a new port to the Galaxy Note 7, Apple is doing the opposite and will actually remove a standard port. In November, we first reported that Apple was said to be removing the 3.5 mm headphone port in favor of using its proprietary Lightning port to handle charging, data transfer and audio. The move is believed to allow Apple to make the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro thinner than that of its predecessors and possibly to allow the smartphones to be waterproof.

A recent report claimed Apple was planning to ship its 3.5 mm EarPods and a Lightning adapter in the box of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro in order to facilitate use of either the company's bundled headphones or users' favorite headphones.

Now, a new report contradicts the adapter scenario and instead claims Apple will ship Lightning-equipped EarPods with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro, as leaked images of what are said to be the company's new headphones have emerged.

The new headphones look just like the 3.5 mm EarPods the company currently ships with its devices and sells separately but feature a Lightning port instead of the 3.5 mm jack.

While the leaked images appear to be legit, it's always best to take these kind of leaks with a huge grain of salt, as they could possibly be Photoshopped. Luckily, with Apple's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus/Pro event taking place in September, we only have a few weeks before we find out if these are indeed Lightning EarPods.