Korg's plugKey lets you plug headphones, a MIDI controller and a charger into your iPhone 7

When it was announced in June, Korg's plugKey looked like a useful little iOS interface, but its release looks even more timely in light of the launch of the iPhone 7.

As everyone surely knows by now, Apple has omitted a dedicated headphones jack from its latest iPhone, meaning that commentators (including us) have been puzzling over how people will be able to plug in a set of wired cans (via the Lightning port) and charge it at the same time (short answer: they can't).

Musicians may also want to plug in a MIDI controller, and the good news is that the plugKey enables you to do all of these things. Connecting over a Lightning cable, the it has a 5-Pin MIDI In port, while L/Mono and R line outs are on 1/4-inch jacks. There's an additional 1/8-inch mini headphones jack and a micro USB port for charging, plus a volume knob.

This is a proper interface rather than an 'adapter', then, which is reflected in its £90/$100 price tag. It does far more than simply let you listen to music and charge your phone at the same time, though, and has plenty to offer not only to iPhone 7 owners, but also to users of other iOS devices.

Find out more on the Korg website.

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.