Quick Thoughts: Magnetic earphone jacks and Replug
it doesn't fit!!!
I used to be all for keeping my phone on my belt clip, but now I’m rocking it in the pocket (that came out wrong – that, too). The downside to all of this has been the protection of the earphone jack: I have just never felt very safe sitting down with the iPhone still in my pocket with my earphones plugged in. I’m paranoid that some awkward sitting position will work in tandem with my jeans to snap my earphone jack in two, or at least slowly but surely break the earphone cable. One quick thought I had the other day was: how come there isn’t any a magnetic earphone jack? Why haven’t we ever seen one? I’m guessing there’s some sort of good reason (wireless interference? magnetic screen damage? accelerometer or compass?) but a quick Google search showed me another similar solution: the Replug.
The Replug is a detachable 3.5 mm jack adapter that does for earphones what the MagSafe has done for the power cable on the Mac – if somewhat less elegantly. The jack is made of metal, but the detachable body is made of a flexible plastic (or rubber?) that lets it bend in half. The connection isn’t magnetic, but rather mechanic, and I’m not sure if even their iPhone adapter will accommodate the latest headset rings needed to work with the 3GS for voice and playback controls (I had to RMA my V-Moda Vibe II’s just to get them to work with my 3GS!). The Replug does look a little large for my tastes, but I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
With so many people toting iPhones and iPod Touches around, you’d think there would definitely be a market for more novel approaches to the earphone jack solution. It’s not that the jack is tired and I’ve had enough of it, but with so many other kinds of accessories (socks for earphones, macro lens plastic cases, and amplification docks) you’d think there would be a little more innovation for one of the prime spots on the iPhone. Is there some other solution out there you folks know of, or have I just been spending way too much time on the iPhone?
Oh wait, the latter is impossible, so stick to answering question #1, please. 
[image from Replug website]
I think the reason there is no magnetic connectors for audio connections is because audio needs a more solid connection than that system would offer. Springs and things that hold the 1/8" connector in there also provide a solid connection for audio to flow.
Maybe something like a right-angle adapter would be all you'd need.