[Someone]

I agree with you, but here is a weird idea: they will have to make room for a micro USB connector to comply with EU regulations. Adding a connector doesn't feel like anything Apple would do, and giving up lightning would be admitting defeat.

So, let's suppose they go this route: I think that an adapter could be ridiculously small. It needs to wrap that audio connector, hold it tighter than a lighting connector holds a lightning cable (should be fairly easy), add about half a centimeter for the lightning plug, and have room for some chip doing lightning-to-audio conversion.

A lot of speculation? Yes, but if it works, I can see them go that way. The main problem is the case of people who use a single headset with iPhones and non-Apple devices (extra weird idea: when do we see lightning in iMacs?)

[projct]

They are just fine with the EU regulations with the lightning to microUSB adapter. http://www.engadget.com/2012/09/13/apple-lightning-to-micro-...

[Someone]

That was 2012. The EU made the rules more stringent recently, at least, that is what the press reports. See for example http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?doc_id=1321606. On the other hand, http://www.dvice.com/2014-3-18/eu-says-all-mobile-devices-mu... thinks that the USB-to-lightning adapter will still be allowed.