iPhone headphones create an echo when used with a laptop?

[ReiidenStar]

So, my friend got himself iPhone headphones and tried to use them as the primary device for steam voice communication as the in build mic is shitty but what happens is that whenever I call him, I can hear myself after 0.5-1 sec. He only has the one audio jack, both for mic and voice so technically it should work fine. He is not a very tech savvy person so I'm trying to help him out here. What I suggested last time was to disable the onboard mic but apparently when he did that I couldn't hear him at all so I'm not 100% if that was the correct advice or if he just did something wrong. His Windows is 8.1. I was thinking about gettin a new mic for him but shouldn't the Apple ones work just fine, especially with the one combined jack? I think the issue here is purely software based as he tried to cover his laptop but I could still hear my voice clearly. The model of his laptop is Lenovo g680.

 

[Alabalcho]

Phone headsets have four wires (common, left, right and mic), while most laptops have hecommones-only jack, with three wires (common, left, right). Thats the reason he cannot use the mic.

another reason could be that Apple has swapped some of the writers, with speaker wire going back into mic input.

 

[ReiidenStar]

So you're saying I should get him some headphones (with a mic) made specifically for laptops as in the one with 1 output or the usb ones? Could you recommend me some headphones that would work with such laptop? I'm talking about some normal ones, as most of the ones I've seen are the big ones that cover your ears and have that pointy microphone which is not exactly what I'm looking for

 

[Alabalcho]

Any USB headset will work, and once you plug them, just go to Skype | Tools to set audio devices accordingly.
Headsets can be full stereo (headphones with mic), or telephone-operator style (over one ear only), depending on what will be their primary use.

Go to electronic store around you, and see what you will like. Or search your favorite online store for "USB headset".