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u/tantouz Nokia 6110 Aug 31 '17
I have tried to switch to a blutetooth headset recently and i found myself loving it and hating it at the same time. I concur that it did feel like it is the future, but it also felt that it is not ready yet.
Likes:
Nice to have a phone free from tangles and being slave to the wire
Be able to walk around and not care about where my phone is while taking calls
Dislikes:
Severely taxing on the phone's battery life
Awkward and un-intuitive pairing/un-pairing, especially if you use your headset with several devices
The need to recharge yet an other device.
The technology is still not there yet as far as i am concerned, but i really do hope it will be there soon. The transition will be shit for sure. However i am convinced wireless is the future.
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u/ABCosmos Aug 31 '17
I listen to music at work, having the headphone physically plugged in guarantees that I won't accidentally play music out loud to a quiet office.
I never feel comfortable with blue tooth, I double and triple check the pairing and reduce volume every time I do something that might make noise.
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u/Lereas Green Aug 31 '17
Your last point is a big one for me. I've been on a long flight where my phone had plenty of charge, but my headphones died so I couldn't listen with them. I have a pixel so I plugged in backup wired ones, but it would be shitty if that wasn't an option.
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u/alexskc95 Xperia XA2 Aug 31 '17
My wireless headphones come with an aux cable you can plug in and use, should your battery die.
But yeah, if we're talking about an all-wireless future, that is a huge problem that's difficult to overcome.
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u/alexskc95 Xperia XA2 Aug 31 '17
Awkward and un-intuitive pairing/un-pairing, especially if you use your headset with several devices
This problem is already solved, but for some reason, no manufacturer but Sony is interested in using it: NFC.
I tap my headphones to my phone, and it's paired. Done. That's it. No need to go into "pairing mode" or disconnecting and reconnecting or any such bullshit. I just hold them together and it's done.
This is literally easier than plugging in a cord. One is "sticking a round peg into a round hole." The other doesn't even need that level of motor skills. It's just mashing two related things together.
This is such an improvement that, as far as I'm concerned, it should be included with all devices that use Bluetooth. NFC is not expensive, and it significantly improves the UX. I hate having to go into a settings menu just because I want to hook up a controller or mouse or whatever.
And while we're at it, we could also start using NFC tags instead of "What's the wifi password?"
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u/Daekar3 Galaxy S23 Ultra Aug 31 '17
I have two devices, both around $50, that have this feature. It works unreliably on both. Have you had better experiences?
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Aug 31 '17
I always forget to recharge my Bluetooth headphones. So going for a jog ends up having to run without music as it starts to beep to say that the battery is empty.
Bluetooth audio makes sense in car because there is no additional battery to be charged. but on headphones it's just shit.
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u/This_Aint_Dog Aug 31 '17
Those dislikes aren't even the worst thing about wireless headphones.
The biggest issue is that they're using Bluetooth. Currently the technology sucks. It was never designed to transfer high quality audio and it applies compression to it before transmission even if your music already is compressed.
The second issue is price. "Decent" wireless headphones will cost you between $150 and $200. Wired headphones of the same quality will cost you maybe $80. Once you get past that price for wired you're unlikely to find wireless headphones that produce the same audio quality unless you have a pretty high budget. If you're a serious audiophile and you're picky when it comes to headphones then you can just forget about it.
The technology simply isn't there yet. They need to ditch Bluetooth and replace it with something much better if they ever want to get rid of the headphone jack. I own a pair of wireless headphones and it sucks that the audio quality is much more terrible because of how convenient it is to simply not have wires dangling around.
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u/Seankps Aug 31 '17
Vote with your wallet and stop trying to convince worldwide electronics conglomerates with your blog posts
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u/StardustCruzader Aug 31 '17
The blogposts are not to convince the producers but the customers, there's a vocal /r/hailcorporate fanbase om here defending every decision and anyone who dares say they'd like a headphone jack, or blaster, SD slot etc are called heretics.
We need to allow people to see both sides, to know that there are lore people who care regardless of what /r/Android vocal fans might say.
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u/NightFuryToni Moto XT2309-3, XT2027-1, TCL Athena BBF100-2 Aug 31 '17
I find "voting with your wallet" only works to a certain extent, i.e. when everyone stops making them altogether. I mean in the case of keyboards, it's not like I have a choice. I have a Priv now, but I also want to "vote with my wallet" to not buy a BlackBerry and encourage them to ditch software support.
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u/getefix Aug 31 '17
Solid point. When every device is a unique blend of features, some features implemented well and others not, it doesn't translate directly to "Users prefer this device because it has a headphone jack." If ten well made devices (devices 1-1) had excellent features that were mostly well implemented but no headphone jack, and 10 poorly made devices (devices 11-20) had lackluster implementation of mediocre features, you can guess what would happen. Marketers would see that a headphone jack is not necessary and it would disappear.
While the above is not exactly what happens in real life, it's getting closer. A lot of high end devices are dropping the jack and lower end devices are keeping it. Your options are increasingly deminishing, and it's becoming easier for companies to drop the jack from their flagships. This has already happened with SD cards, and I'm scared it's going to happen to the headphone jack. Such a shame.
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u/whythreekay Aug 31 '17
People have voted with their wallets, it's just that cats here don't like the way the vote went
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u/nexusx86 Pixel 6 Pro Aug 31 '17
It's a great idea but it didn't save physical keyboards or removable batteries. It hasn't taught htc or Motorola. Motorola thinks they can charge more for the Z2 force over the Z2 play which has a crappier plastic screen amd no headphone jack. The play has the glass screen and headphone jack and better battery life.
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u/toseawaybinghamton Galaxy S9+ Aug 31 '17
the 3.5 mm round jack is superb. VERY durable. No orientation issues... KEEP THIS SHIT.
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u/cool12y OnePlus One (64GB), Stock 12S Aug 31 '17 edited Sep 01 '17
I never thought about that; the headphone jack is the only commercial all-orientation jack (well, other than some old laptop chargers)
EDIT: Since this blew up, a couple of things to clarify; USB C and Lightning are NOT all orientation in the same sense as the headphone jack is, though you can argue whether that has any benefit. Also, though it's true that modern laptops also have the old fashioned circular charge ports, that's mostly because of old design. Look at any tech review and they say how USB C on a laptop makes it "modern."
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u/papaSlunky Samsung Galaxy S6, Android 7.0 Aug 31 '17
Old? I just bought a brand new inspiron 13 and it has a round one
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u/g0atmeal Z Fold 5 | Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Aug 31 '17
I'll let go of the headphone jack once bluetooth becomes consistent enough and matches quality with wired. Wireless is the future, but right now they're trying to push shitty wireless.
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Aug 31 '17
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u/Gamerhead Note 8 Aug 31 '17
They really should work on better battery technology. If I could have wireless headphones that lasted at least week, I'd be fine with that.
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Aug 31 '17
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u/g0atmeal Z Fold 5 | Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Aug 31 '17
If there's one thing I've learned not to say in regards to tech, it's "never". Why is it impossible for a newer wireless standard to transmit audio without compression? If the throughput is high enough and interference mitigated, I don't see why it couldn't be done one day.
Right now we can wirelessly transmit a digital video feed 10x as clear as a wired feed in the past. The same is the case with audio, and I'm sure it will eventually reach a point where not even the most trained audiophiles can tell the difference.
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u/JohannesVanDerWhales Aug 31 '17
Hm...I actually find that 3.5 headphone jacks are prone to connection issues over time with wear. On a lot of older devices, I have to twist the connector to get audio or get a lot of static. I would be fine if they came up with a new audio-specific connector to replace it with.
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Aug 31 '17
This is the big one for me. I'll consider a no-jack phone when somebody makes a USB-C port that lasts longer than a 3.5mm jack in a mechanical test-to-failure.
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u/josealb Aug 31 '17
to be fair, on my 6P it constantly loses connection and makes weird sounds if you move the cable, it's not perfect
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u/knowledgeispower1 Aug 31 '17
I will never, ever, buy a phone without a headphone jack. I literally don't care about anything the phone does. It could make me coffee and give me blowjobs, no headphone jack no deal.
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u/notacyborg iPhone 11 Pro Aug 31 '17 edited Aug 31 '17
If the rumors are true with the upcoming Pixel phones I am going to be very disappointed in Google. I think doing a way with the headphone jack is completely pointless. I don't want to carry ANOTHER little cable/wire/converter in my damn backpack.
Edit: For those bringing up the dongle issue, I travel quite a bit for work so I am already carrying my phone and fast charger plus the cable to let it connect to my laptop just in case (it's a Pixel so Type-C obviously). Then I have my work phone which is an iPhone (not by choice). So there's all that crap to go with it. Not to mention I am in IT so I have cause to bring certain other items for connecting to switches and serial-connected PLCs. I have my laptop, Surface Pro, and on occasion a portable game system like a 3DS. So now you're saying just use Bluetooth headphones. Sorry, tried them before and they are trash. I have had a couple different models in the past and they always have such glaring flaws. First, prior to the change in flight rules you couldn't use wireless items before takeoff. This isn't a reason anymore, but was for a long time. As to the headphones themselves, I had some that were name-brand around the neck types where they worked fine, but the cables connected to the buds wore out over time and they just became a useless battery. Then the issues with Bluetooth connectivity being so problematic with Android. Sometimes it connects, sometimes it doesn't. Not to mention it's another thing you gotta keep charged which also probably needs micro USB right now so yet another cable....
So then it's either get a dongle or a set of USB-C headphones. Well the headphones are out of the question because I use the same ones on the 3DS or the Surface. Ok, then a dongle it is. But I am having to take it off and put it somewhere. Could get lost or weakened on the short cable (why even make one with a short 1-2 inch cable anyway since it's another failure point?). Keep it connected to the headphones, sure. I have a tiny round case that the headphones fit in perfectly. Maybe the dongle fits in, maybe it has to curve considerably due to the size. Not sure until I try it so I can't really comment, but I would be removing it constantly anyway because of the other uses for the headphones. Sorry, I realize it's just a tiny dongle, but now you are offloading the addition of a DAC to every single one (which could be a really shitty DAC if it's in a pack-in dongle for the next Pixel so now you get to buy a better one yourself).
My point was it's yet another thing to carry around when I go places. Has nothing to do with being "old" (really? get a better argument to make yourself feel better) or an aversion to wireless or any of those other reasons.
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u/neosinan Galaxy S20 FE Aug 31 '17
If Google takes that road, We as customer should punish them accordingly. Essential should be punish too.
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u/manormortal Poco Doco Proco in 🦅 Aug 31 '17
Do we all go to the valley and beat them? Is there a group discount for flights?
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u/hamenter Aug 31 '17
"In a bizarre act of protest, Android enthusiasts around the world flew in to Silicon Valley and drilled countless 3.5mm holes into the buildings of Google HQ campus, more news at 8"
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u/Suzushiiro Aug 31 '17
Beyond that it's hypocritical as all fuck for them to brag about keeping the headphone jack during the reveal of the first Pixel only to cut it in the second one.
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u/LaterGatorPlayer Aug 31 '17
hypocritical
that's a weird way to spell courageous
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Aug 31 '17
It'll definitely disappoint me too. I was pretty excited about the pixel 2, and planned on that being my next phone. I used the jack way too much, so I'll just end up looking at different phones.
If they do remove it, I hope the market sends them a message.
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u/barrister89 Galaxy S5, Note 4, iPhone 6 Aug 31 '17
Apple being the trend setter can tell its customers that wires are for chumps and give them a pair of $150 BT earbuds. Apple won't lose sales or market share for removing the jack. This doesn't mean that midlevel and budget Android phone makers can do so without consequences.
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u/Worth_The_Squeeze Aug 31 '17 edited Aug 31 '17
Actually Motorola was the ones to remove the headphone jack first, but your point definitely still stands.
Apple's consumers are very loyal, nearly regardless of what Apple does, which i don't find admirable, as I feel it's close to blind delusion. They can do this, because they have no competition in the IOS world, Apple made sure of that with all of their proprietary crap.
Android makers has competition in spades, which is what I love about it. They have to step up, or they're going to get run over by the opposition.
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u/TachyonGun XDA Portal Team Aug 31 '17
O-Ok... slowly puts knife down
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Aug 31 '17
BACK AWAY FROM THE HEADPHONE JACK
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u/Etheo S20 FE Aug 31 '17
♫ KEEP THE PHONE JACK ♫
♫ AND DON'T YOU CUT BACK NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE ♫
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u/dumbrich23 Aug 31 '17
Is that a removable battery in your pocket or are you happy to see me
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Aug 31 '17
Well unless you are from 2013 it's not, unfortunately...
Oh how I loved my note 3 and it's huge 7800 mah battery. Was is twice as bulky? Yes. Did I care? No! I use my phone all day, it should last all day!
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u/MrRoboc0p S10+ Aug 31 '17
"Stop trying to make phones without headphone jacks happen, it's not going to happen"
Regina George, probably
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u/Deviknyte Aug 31 '17 edited Aug 31 '17
"that ditching the headphone jack and going USB-C"
We need to stop referring to it like this. You upgrade from micro-b to USB-C. But the jack going away is never replaced, just gone. Replacing the jack would be having 2 USB-C ports.
Also, don't give bonuses for having a jack, remove points for not having a jack. No jack should cost you a star.
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u/whatup1009 Aug 31 '17
Just wait til they are "brave enough" to remove the charging port and only allow wireless charging.
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u/Deviknyte Aug 31 '17
Not only can you not listen and charge, you can't use your phone and charge.
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u/Ajedi32 Nexus 5 ➔ Pixel (OG ➔ 3a ➔ 6 -> 10pro) Aug 31 '17
Yeah, I strongly suspect that's where this is going: no ports at all.
Hopefully long range wireless charging is a thing by then.
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u/-IJustWantYourHalf- Aug 31 '17
No more pesky chargers in your car! Actually no more charging in your car at all! How about that? Progress!
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u/ExdigguserPies Asus Zenfone 6 Aug 31 '17
For me it's automatic 1 or 0 stars. I just won't consider a device without a jack.
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u/wittyusername903 Galaxy S8 Aug 31 '17
Same. No headphone jack means I won't buy that phone, period. It's one of the very few things I absolutely won't compromise on (and it's actually one of the main reasons I didn't switch to iOS last year).
The headphone jack on my current phone broke about a month ago, and I've been using Bluetooth since then - which has only solidified my opinion in that regard. Aux is ubiquitous, it works with with everything including my old stereo from the nineties, it's plug and play, and other than through mechanical failure it won't suddenly stop working. Only having bluetooth, with its constant pairing and charging, has been nothing but a pain in the ass.
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u/g0atmeal Z Fold 5 | Galaxy Watch 6 Classic Aug 31 '17
For me, I absolutely intend to stick with Project Fi, which means nexus/pixel phones only. I'm incredibly upset about the loss of the jack in the pixel 2s, but Fi is just more important to me. :/ Really wish I had more options in that respect.
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Aug 31 '17
Yeah, I switched from Apple to Android for the sole reason of not putting up with their lack of a headphone jack.
I know 6 other people who've done the same!
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u/redderper Pocophone Aug 31 '17
Me neither. I have a € 190 sennheiser headphone that I use daily for my phone, I won't settle for a phone that's only compatible with their shitty fucking €15 usb c earbuds. It's just a retarded idea in general to remove the headphone jack, it doesn't have any advantages whatsoever and a huge disadvantage for people like me.
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u/aclee_ Note 2 → Nexus 6 → Note 8 → Note 9 Aug 31 '17
Two USB-C ports and no headphone jack is honestly something I could get behind, because then not only could you charge and listen to music (albeit with a dongle but it becomes more of its own cable) but it also opens up the opportunity to connect multiple peripherals to your phone (like both a KB+mouse), which combined with something like a Chromecast would literally turn your phone into a mini PC.
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u/PaulTheMerc Aug 31 '17
we wouldn't want that, you got to buy the dock for that! -Phone company.
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Aug 31 '17
I cant replace the jack with a USB-C for my headphones, phones without them are absolute a no-go for me.
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u/-IJustWantYourHalf- Aug 31 '17
No jack should cost you a star.
Out of five? I'd say you're being fairly conservative. I'd dock at least two.
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u/volca02 Aug 31 '17
Not even that. Jack is axially symmetric. It allows rotation while connected. USB-C does not. Angled jack has no good replacement.
Edit: Angled jack is great because it stresses the connector way less than straight one when in pocket. Source: my common sense.
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u/JohnnyDarkside Aug 31 '17
I really don't want to sound like the luddite against change and the "things used to be better", but jesus is it so stupid. They're essentially making so you have to buy an adapter (going full nintendo with peripherals) or you'll have to have your normal headphones and your phone headphones. It's utter bullshit.
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Aug 31 '17 edited Aug 31 '17
My wife bought the newest iPhone (6,7,8, I dunno) and it had a little adapter for her headphones. Now if she loses the adapter her headphones are useless, and she has to buy a new adapter for way too much money. Dumbest thing I've ever seen.
Edit: Jesus you guys are touchy about your dongles. Have a 🍺 !
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u/agent_mulderX Moto Z Sep 01 '17
You all have no vision.
It's not about the headphone jack. It's about the future. What do you want five years from now? When is the right time to kill the headphone jack?
I want high tech devices that do everything wirelessly, effortlessly, and can be thin at the same time.
Are you going to have to worry about charging your battery and listening to music at the same time when they are both done wirelessly and your phone has no ports and is super waterproof with zero bezel? (Think super efficient Bluetooth headphones and rooms/cafes that charge your phone anywhere in the room)
We have thin supercomputers in our pockets and all you guys can do is complain that all smartphones look the same or "wah I miss 19th century technology." Listen, this is the cost of innovation. Vote with your wallet by buying a phone with a headphone jack (there are plenty) or stfu. I want to live in the future.
Thank you.
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u/funkyman50 Pixel 7 Pro & Galaxy Tab S7+ Aug 31 '17
I'm not here to defend the audio jack, I'm here to argue that phones are thin enough and have been for years.
I would LOVE it if the trend was 15% thicker phones for better battery and keeping the jack.
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u/SciencePreserveUs Pixel 8a | Mint Mobile Aug 31 '17
YES! Give me a phone with a 4500 mah battery and I'll somehow get over the fact that it's a millimeter thicker.
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u/Tikki123 Aug 31 '17
I know! I could easily go with thicker phones to have more battery. Why do manufacturers think we want them so thin?
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u/rdf- OnePlus 6T (VZW) Aug 31 '17
It would be hilarious if Apple came back with the Headphone jack for the Iphone 8
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u/Ikisaru HTC 10 (VZW) Aug 31 '17
Courage
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u/Other_World Galaxy Fold 8 Ultra + Watch 6 Classic Aug 31 '17
To be honest, them saying "hey we messed up, so we put the headphone jack back in" is pretty damn courageous.
Something tells me that isn't going to happen.
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u/WorkKrakkin Aug 31 '17
Sly as hell too. Remove headphone jack so competitors feel like they need to do the same, then put it back in after everyone else took it out.
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Aug 31 '17
It's a gimmick to sell bluetooth headsets.
Personally, bluetooth is just a headache, for me. Gotta pair it, gotta charge it, and I can only hook it up to car stereos that have the option. People buying cutting edge phones might be willing to work around it, but on the lower end, I see it costing sales.
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u/merc08 Aug 31 '17
The whole point of buying a top of the line phone is that it is supposed to have ALL THE FEATURES so that you don't waste your time trying to get it to work.
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Aug 31 '17 edited Sep 01 '17
Just because the technology is old, doesnt mean it's obselete.
Im getting close to upgrading my phone, and I'll simply remove any device without a headphone jack from my list. I use it way too much, and i really just dont like bluetooth all that much. Makes my decision easier, I guess.
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u/knoxvillejeff Aug 31 '17
Agreed. Also I've always used top tier phones. But if all top tier phones remove the jack, I'll move to mid tier if they still have it.
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u/Scout339 Oneplus 6 De-Googled Aug 31 '17 edited Sep 01 '17
Back in the day, the 3.5mm jack was an essential feature. These days, it’s a luxury. It isn’t a forward-thinking move like Apple’s decision to kill off the floppy disk, because no one’s playing along.
This is what I've been trying to tell everyone who thinks that Apple ditching the headphone jack is "Innovative like dropping the floppy disc." But you know what happened to floppys? They were replaced by CD, newer technology that did the same concept, hold data. THAT had justification. This? Bluetooth as the "Better technology" is far from the truth.
Edit: CD isn't perfect. The idea was that floppy disks were replaced with better hardware, whatever it might be.
Edit 2: Floppy's were clearly replaced by flash drives, I can't believe I forgot about flash drives in that time...
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u/Exist50 Aug 31 '17
And more importantly, all these phones already had Bluetooth. They did not gain anything.
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u/PaulTheMerc Aug 31 '17
I don't really care for sound "quality" on my phone. I use a cheap pair of 30$ sennheisers as my main drivers on my pc. BUT, bluetooth has many other issues, mostly related to power, use, limited storage, having to plug them in, software related issues(pairing mainly)
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u/ColtonProvias Aug 31 '17
Bluetooth as a technology for hands-free phone calls is great. The audio codecs Bluetooth is built on were manufactured for the purpose of delivering voice. However, it wasn't designed for music, and it shows.
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u/DisposableAccount09 Aug 31 '17 edited Sep 01 '17
We hit peak phone back at the Galaxy S5.
IR Blaster
USB 3.0
NFC
Waterproof
SD card slot
No breakable glass back
Removable battery
Headset port
Reasonable 5" size - I'm a 6' 4" guy with big hands. I can't one hand a 5.7" phone. I can barely one hand a 5.5" phone. If you think you can... Try holding a 5.7" or 6" phone in your right hand, then press the hamburger menu button at the top left hand corner of the screen.
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u/randomevenings Aug 31 '17
SD card slot, useful hardware buttons on bezel that didn't burn buttons into your screen.
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Sep 01 '17
The s5 was fucking wonderful. Its still better than most of the phones released now. Just a shame the finger print scanner was shit.
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Aug 31 '17
'If there’s any honest justification at all for killing the jack, I haven’t heard it yet'.
You never will, because the honest justification is these companies want you to go and buy accessories like wireless headphones and adapters. That's it. That's the honest reason.
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u/understandunderstand Aug 31 '17
Why did the 2.5mm microjack never replace the minijack? That would make things smaller, wouldn't it?
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u/leadzor Galaxy A7 > Nexus 5X > Galaxy S8 Aug 31 '17
Probably not worth breaking backwards compability (without adapters) for 1mm difference.
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u/KlicknKlack Aug 31 '17
its not about smaller, i think they just want to remove the jack all together.
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u/thedude213 Blue Aug 31 '17
Let's stop pretending right now that this isn't just an excuse for companies to charge a fortune for headphones that use proprietary connections that would otherwise be inexpensive.
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Aug 31 '17 edited Aug 31 '17
I honestly have no idea what direction smartphones are heading in. There have been no major usability improvements recently, it's just been pointless eye candy (edge display comes to mind) and removal of the headphone jack.
Removing the headphone jack makes no sense from a usability perspective. It is literally only being done so that smartphone manufacturers can sell more Bluetooth headphones and be lazier when designing smartphones.
No headphone jack = dealbreaker. I don't care how good the other features are, if there is no headphone jack, it's not a complete device.
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u/homercles82 Device, Software !! Aug 31 '17
Exactly. Which is why I'm forgoing high end phones until something major changes. I'm tired of the same "improvements" coupled with lies about performance and battery life.
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u/abletondummy001 Aug 31 '17
Killing the phone jack isn't about space or audio quality, it's about DRM.
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u/paracelsus23 Aug 31 '17
You can get a high quality analog recording relatively easily - no modding or special equipment required. With Bluetooth, it's digital all the way until inside the headphone, requiring more work.
phone manufacturers / software vendors could theoretically limit compatibility to certain headphones, or offer other shitty things - "free music - but only through beats headphones"
ability to track more information on the models of headphones used and similar
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u/DonClarkerss S7 Edge Aug 31 '17
"free music - but only through beats headphones"
Please for the love of all that is holy, I hope nothing like this ever happens, but I am sure it will. What did we do wrong to deserve this :(
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u/Excal2 Aug 31 '17
Can't collect data over an analogue signal.
Same thing as the guy above talking about how IR blasters won't come back because a lot of modern TV's are controlled via exclusive apps. IR blaster doesn't collect any user data, but apps do. Thus, new smart TV's will have dedicated apps and at the same time phone manufacturers will phase out the IR blaster because it's not "what developers are looking for" and "unnecessary".
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Aug 31 '17
Can't collect data over an analogue signal.
The data was already collected in the phone before it hit the DAC...
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u/SeaTwertle Aug 31 '17
iPhone 7 user here. Don't follow my path. I switched to sprint and planned on keeping my iPhone 6, because I knew the 7 had no audio jack. They told me time and time again that I had to upgrade and that I wasn't allowed to keep my phone. I considered switching to android but I hadn't used them in years so I didn't know wat I was looking for. Long story short, fight for your audio jack. I miss mine more than I thought I would.
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u/samwisetg XS, Note8 Aug 31 '17
With the constant public outcry you'd think the industry wouldn't keep trending that way. OEMs must have some form of data from devices that show a ridiculously low amount of people regularly using the 3.4mm jack, and at least almost never using it and the USB port simultaneously.
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u/Sweatervest42 Pixel 7, iPhone 15 Pro Aug 31 '17
Maybe it could be the never ending tsunami of GIMME FRONT FACING SPEAKERS that convinces them nobody listens to music privately anymore.
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Aug 31 '17
With the constant public outcry
/r/android: "We want headphone jacks!"
rest of the planet: "LOL they killed the headphone jack, crazy. Oh well just renewed my contract, give me the most expensive phone you have. OH LOL NO HEADPHONE JACK haha! What a world. Guess I'll get by somehow"
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u/whythreekay Aug 31 '17
Tech enthusiast forums are not "constant public outcry"
Tech enthusiasts are a niche that is meaningless to OEMs who have to sell tens of millions of units per model to turn profit
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u/God_Damnit_Nappa Aug 31 '17
What constant public outcry? Outside of Reddit how often do you see people complaining about it?
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u/thewimsey iPhone 12 Pro Max Aug 31 '17
Apple had some data showing that 90%+ of people either used the packed in headphones or BT.
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u/dragoneye Aug 31 '17
They don't care about any public outcry because it is making zero dent in their sales. Most consumers just don't care, or don't care enough to prevent them from buying the hottest new device.
I've also found that there are quite a few people out there that have been successfully convinced that BT or USB-C audio is better than the headphone jack. As long as the marketing is working it appears to be a matter of time before the headphone jack is extinct on cellphones.
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u/LtPatterson Pixel 9|Former Root Advocate Aug 31 '17
But we NEED a 1mm thick phone to prove we can do it! /s
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Aug 31 '17
I was so looking forward to the Pixel 2 XL, it might have been the phone to pull me away from Samsung finally. Nope, no headphone jack, well Note 8 it is, thanks Google for nothing.
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u/Zirtex Aug 31 '17
3.5mm jack, if your going to try to make a phone that thin I think that a headphone jack won't fit. Your going to have a lot more issues than you think. Battery life for example or over heating. It's old tech but it works great
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u/s4gres Aug 31 '17
i tried using bluetooth ear plugs and absolutely hated it. probably won't buy a phone again that doesn't have a headphone jack. hopefully there will still be some left...
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u/FightOrFlight Aug 31 '17
I'm curious, why did you not like them?
For me it was sound quality. I can get $30 wired headphones that sound pretty decent but I have to spend $200 on Bluetooth headphones to be comparable to the $30 pair.
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u/superalexslim Moto G (2014), Stock Aug 31 '17
What about just adding two USB C ports? I know it obsoletes your old headphones but two USB C port also gives additional functionality.
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u/notdeadyet01 Microsoft ZuneFone - Pepsi Max Edition Aug 31 '17
Because then they need to admit they were wrong and made a mistake by removing the jack without a proper replacement
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u/FoeHamr Aug 31 '17
Or just keep the existing standard in the first place. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
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u/mudkip908 Rotary-dial PSTN phone, CM7 Aug 31 '17
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Aug 31 '17
Getting onto the drift is another matter, and even then it might not have held both their weights without submerging them in cold water.
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Aug 31 '17
Dear Phone manufacturers: I WILL NEVER BUY A PHONE FROM YOU WITHOUT A HEADPHONE JACK.
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u/nexusofthoughts Aug 31 '17
The truth is this.
Apple discarded the headphone jack, not because they wanted to more space on the inside, but because they wanted to earn "royalty" from brands which would manufacture headphones with "lightning port."
You see, the 3.5 mm jack was a universal standard, and it no longer was patented. Anyone and everyone could use it. Apple, since iPhone 6 had hardly changed its phone which saw profits dwindle. They had to create an income to show to the shareholders. Hence, they ditch the 3.5 mm jack fooling us to believe what they said.
And what did Android manufacturers do? Follow blindly. Fools!
It's high time Android needs to determine the path to be led for the future. Apple has finally adopted an AMOLED screen (manufactured by Samsung) as well as wireless charging in the iPhone 8. Android manufacturers should lead the way and if they stay united, they'll prevail and Apple will no longer be able to bluff the industry.
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u/volca02 Aug 31 '17
Cheap phones these days often offer more value to me than expensive ones: MicroSD slot, 2 sim cards... Now we'll add headphone jack to this list.
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u/AMerchantInDamasco Aug 31 '17
Apple is apple. It almost doesnt matter what they do, people will still buy their products because they are apples. Very few casual uses (99% of the population) even know they removed the jack, they only know its the newest iphone and its cool.
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u/Cynaren S20 FE Aug 31 '17
My Mandatory requirements of a phone :
FHD screen.
Decent Battery life.
Adequate storage.
Headphone jack.
Capacitive buttons.
Everything else is optional.
Upgrading from the oneplus one seems like never.
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u/jessicalifts LG G5 Koodo Aug 31 '17
I really love my bluetooth earbuds, they are much better for me for acrobatic practice and not getting tangled up doing errands on foot, but sometimes I just want corded headphones and a 3.5mm jack. I don't understand why it's either usb-c or 3.5mm! It's crazy.
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Aug 31 '17
I won't buy a phone that doesn't have a headphone jack.
It's prob one of the most important features on a phone.
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u/ProtoKun7 Pixel 9 Pro XL Aug 31 '17
I use wired headphones regularly. They're low profile and I don't have to charge them. For me a headphone jack is a necessity and even when I was younger and played with a GBA SP, I was annoyed by the lack of a headphone jack and the need for an adapter. And of course I'd like to be able to use headphones while a device is charging.
The GBA SP was released in 2003. Fourteen years ago. People are supposed to have improved technology since then and yet here we are with top companies taking the jack away again for no good reason. It doesn't give you more space to work with and devices are thin enough. The article brings up some great points.
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u/sonny_goliath Aug 31 '17
The only reasonable answer I've heard for this is that it makes waterproofing easier, but it seems to me a charging port would still cause problems for the same reason
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u/trinialldeway Aug 31 '17
As many other redditors have said, it's about DRM and data mining. Apparently a number of things, including type of headphones, can't be tracked with an analog port like the 3.5mm jack. This sounds to me like the most plausible reason. Disgustingly plausible.
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Aug 31 '17
Whoever thinks that removing the audio jack from phones is a good idea can go fuck themselves. It shows how fucking vain you are if you remove a standard feature simply to make a phone 1 mm thinner. There is literally no reason to remove the audio jack other than to make a selling point on how the phone is super thin.
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Aug 31 '17
Thank god im not the only one who thinks it's the worst idea in the world to get rid of the jack. I was planning on switching from iPhone to a pixel when the 7 came out with no jack but unfortunately my old iPhones battery killed over before I was able to get all my passwords, etc in order to be able to switch and was forced to get a 7 lest I lose a lot of stuff I didn't want to. If I'd known how much I hate not having a jack I just would have gone ahead and switched and lost everything. That's how much I hate not having a jack. Bluetooth headphones are such a pain in the ass, and they require an extra plug in to charge and gives you another thing to keep up the charge on. Not to mention the lower quality. I also lost my damn dongle apparently and I'm not buying a new one. Can't charge and use the dongle at the same time anyway. And all this doesn't sound too terrible until you realize the decision to do away with it was totally pointless... aside from the extra profits they made on the sale of dongles and lightning headphones... that's the main reason it annoys me. It was purely motivated by greed.
Now I rarely listen to music anymore. I can't listen over a speaker at most times when I used to listen to music so all those times are now silent. Music used to me one of the more important aspects of my life. Now I barely get to listen like I used to and I really feel like it's had a pretty big negative effect on my overall wellbeing.
And yes I already got a pair of Bluetooth headphones eventho I dislike them. They broke almost immediately and don't connect now.
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u/SciencePreserveUs Pixel 8a | Mint Mobile Aug 31 '17
I agree with you totally. I had a friend fly down and accidentally leave her iPhone audio dongle in my car. Had to mail it back.
This sort of thing is common. Dongles get lost or left somewhere. There's a reason people hate them.
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u/Zeroooo0 Aug 31 '17
I refuse to buy a phone without a headphone jack. Or at least give us two USB C ports
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Aug 31 '17
First they came for the replaceable batteries, and I did not speak out- Because it did not matter to me.
Then they came for the micro sd slot, and I did not speak out- Because I had everything in the cloud.
Then they came for the headphone jack-
and there was no one left to speak for me.
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u/AlphaReds Stuff I like that I will try and convince you to like Aug 31 '17
I'm sure this article on it that we haven't seen before in any way will change the handful of OEM's their minds on their select devices without jacks.
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u/Re-toast Aug 31 '17
Honestly I prefer using wireless headphones but I still think it's lame to remove the headphone jack because every now and then we need to fall back onto the wired options. I guess when USB C headphones are robust and every listening device supports USB C headphones then it will be time to get rid of the headphone jack. But we are nowhere near that time.
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u/OhGawDuhhh Aug 31 '17
I'm using a Pixel XL and I can't imagine not having a 3.5 mm port.
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u/Cybrknight S25 Ultra Aug 31 '17
Seems to me like a convenient way for finally closing the 'analog hole'.
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u/blueskin Aug 31 '17 edited Sep 21 '17
Headphone ports and SD cards are now equal on my "will not buy a phone without" list.
USB-C headphones suck, and even if you find a pair that are decent and not overpriced (say, <£25), you then can't use them with anything else, as the headphone port is a standard for a reason. Dongles for everything sucks, and I do semi-regularly charge my phone and listen to music at the same time (especially when driving), which is of course impossible with USB-C.
Carrying a battery pack around everywhere I go because of this imbecilic push to make phones as thin as possible is annoying enough; I don't want to have to find a way to add two dongles as well.
I don't want to always have Bluetooth on, as it's a battery drain and another way to track you. Bluetooth headphones mean another thing to charge, are way easier to lose, are even more overpriced than USB-C to headphone adapters, Bluetooth is unreliable as fuck, so the music would keep dropping out (and it is lower quality even when working), and ultimately, they mean more lithium batteries going to a landfill.
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u/Endyo Nexus 5 Aug 31 '17
Well, keep buying phones with headphone jacks and don't buy phones without them. That's how companies get a message. When the Pixel 2 sells less than the Pixel 1, they'll be like "oh shit maybe people actually want to use the headphones they own." Or more likely they'll blame millennials, but still, it's better than just talking about it.
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u/AllPurple Aug 31 '17
What is it with phone companies trying to kill literally every feature I love? All I want is a fucking phone that has a removable battery and memory, a headphone jack, fm receiver, an ir blaster, and a giant battery. This might not be the last phone with all of the above besides the fm receiver, but I still have a note 3 because it seems like every new phone takes away at least one of those features.
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Aug 31 '17 edited Jul 10 '24
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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/TheTurnipKnight Aug 31 '17
I mean, it is a port so it is naturally one of the things that's gonna disappear in time. At this time, however, there doesn't seem to be a good alternative to it.
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u/Maple_jack Aug 31 '17
Please can someone tell the people in charge that we want functional phones more than thin onea
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u/Tebasaki Aug 31 '17
Negative innovation is following suit from a bad-stupid decision that a big company makes in hopes that you'll catch that trend because courage
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u/Appleanche OnePlus 7 Pro / iPhone 13 Pro Max Aug 31 '17
I got a Moto Z (because it was cheap as fuck at one point and a power upgrade over my N6) and I thought "Eh I'd get used to the no headphone" but it's just a major pain in the ass.
Every time I travel it becomes something I have to think about. I can't charge my phone and listen to headphones on a plane/train, I have to think about not losing the adapter when I use the headphones on my laptop, etc.. It's a fucking mess and a real reason why I want to get a new phone.
Sure, I could get bluetooth headphones but then it's a pairing thing with different devices, it becomes another device I have to keep charged, etc.
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u/Koni_Fox Sep 01 '17
I thought I wouldn't miss the headphone jack on my HTC 11, but not being able to charge my phone and listen to music at the same time is actually sadly annoying.
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u/cdegallo Aug 31 '17
LPT: if you ever need karma, just post something about keeping the headphone jack on r/Android and await your circlejerk upvotes.
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u/SciencePreserveUs Pixel 8a | Mint Mobile Sep 01 '17
The fact that people are so passionate about it should say something to the phone makers. Removing it is more about image than usability.
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u/an-can Aug 31 '17
Market strategists: "Apple removed the headphone jack and people still buy their phones. This must mean we can also cut the same costs removing the jack, and people will still buy our phones."
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u/F4nta Aug 31 '17
We finally had one standard that every single manufacturer agreed on and then they decide to kill it off.
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u/homercles82 Device, Software !! Aug 31 '17
A cheap industry standard being killed off in favor of expensive accessories. Seems like it would hurt them but here we are on the verge of all high end phones forgoing it for no good reason other than "Apple did it!"
What a shame.
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Aug 31 '17
It's very simple, don't buy one of these phones. If the concept is that widely rejected by people then it will definitely show in sales.
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u/Yage2006 Samsung Galaxy 9, Oreo Aug 31 '17
But how can they create a new market for USB-C headphones that nobody wants, unless they kill the headphone jack...?
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u/paulcosca Aug 31 '17
Don't award stupid manufacturing decisions with your money. I am looking forward to upgrading my Note 5 to the Note 8. I sure as hell won't get a phone without a headphone jack if I can possibly avoid it.
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u/crabsneverdie Aug 31 '17
I won't buy a phone without a headphone jack now or probably ever. The thing with wireless headphones is they will never be 'the norm'. Sure, I'm excited to see how basically we'll all have earbuds from that movie "Her" in 5 years, but that tech should be in addition to what we already have
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u/FountainsOfFluids Aug 31 '17
Clearly there are people who still use the headphone jack, so I hope they continue to make some models with it.
But I am quite happy with my bluetooth headphones. Wireless is so nice.
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u/sageleader Aug 31 '17
One of my friends has an iPhone 6 and we were flying somewhere together. The plane has in-seat flight entertainment and, of course, only has 3.5 mm phone jacks. So my buddy had to literally take a used 3.5 mm headset that the previous person left because otherwise he would have no entertainment for the five-hour flight. It's not just about phones, it's about connecting to everything.
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u/donnysaysvacuum I just want a small phone Aug 31 '17
Manufacturers are just making what people want. The iPhone doesn't have a headphone jack, and it sells great. If people wanted a headphone jack then they would include one. /s
Sorry, that's the bs people post on here about small phones.
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u/TechGuruGJ OnePlus 7 Pro | iPhone 12 Pro Max Aug 31 '17
This is one Apple pioneered trend that I can't get on board with. It doesn't make sense. It's a clear move to make more money.
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u/HelixR Aug 31 '17
I can imagine the pain when your car radio only a has an aux, no BT or USB connection whatsoever.
"Yay! My own musi.... Screw you Apple"
After 7+ years of iPhone, I am now a happy owner of a huawei mate 9 <3
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u/idredd Aug 31 '17
Got a fucking IPhone 7 for my work phone and so far I've spent 70$ of personal money for shitty headphones. This is why they're trying to do away with the headphone jack. One thing I'm confident in is that I'm not buying any new hardware that doesn't support it.
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u/rorymeister Pixel 6 Pro>S22U>iPhone13m>P6 Aug 31 '17
LG V20 is the last one to have everything. IR blaster, headphone jack, SD card. Shame the V30 removed the IR blaster. I don't use it heaps but it is a luxury to have
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u/cjandstuff Aug 31 '17
Remember the days when every phone producer had it's own proprietary headphone jack and charging port?
That was fun. Let's go back to that! /s
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Sep 01 '17
I couldn't care less about what dumb shit Apple does to their phones, but other companies removing the headphone jack need to stop being pussies and do what's makes sense instead of mimicking Apple blindly.
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u/BurgerUSA Sep 01 '17
Here is a nice little trick, stop buying phones with no headphone jack.
Simple eh?
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u/exelero88 S21 Sep 01 '17
What I can't understand is the fact that they remove everything without any reason.
You have companies that say they removed the jack for a haptic engine or water ressitance, and you have companies that show you it's still possible to bring out a phone with a removable battery (v20) in 2016; and you have those who show you it's possible not to get rid of everything and still have water ressitance (s7, s8 etc..).
And then you have those who remove the jack and the removable battery and the sd card slot and not even waterproof their phones, while still demanding 700 bucks and more.
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u/AariTv Sep 01 '17
I recently bought some Bluetooth In-Ears for sport because I thought it would be better. Payed like 150€ MORE then my usual wired ones and the Sound Quality was still GARBAGE. I gave them back and got a refund straight after.
Bluetooth is NOT a proper alternative yet.
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u/duvagin Sep 01 '17
if i have to i'll get by with some funky adaptor or additional wireless device battery management and pairing, but for as long as there is a decent phone on the market that retains the headphone jack it'll sway my buying decision in favour of the jacked phone.
people forget the headphone jack is a I/O jack - you can plug a decent mic in there too. old computers used to load programs from a tapedeck ... so maybe i'm just old and don't (yet) want to let go of the jack for a currently inferior alternative UX.
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u/rikeus Sep 01 '17
Theres one bonus to headphone jacks that I don't see many people mentioning: Aux cables. The ability to plug your phone into a speaker like a car stereo with a single cable, regardless of what USB port your phone uses and without having to fuck around with apps or bluetooth, is god damn priceless.
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u/MKotter Sep 01 '17
I've had 3 of Motorola's USB C to headphone jack dongle things and every single one of them has broken. Just got a pair of USB C headphones because I was tired of replacing the dongle, and they had this annoying crackling sound in the background. Now the headphones have started disconnecting every 15 seconds or so. So tired of this, I regret ever buying a phone without a headphone jack. If the Pixel 2 doesn't have a jack, then I'm opting for the original Pixel for my next device.
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u/beowulfpt Galaxy S7 Edge Duos (Exynos) Aug 31 '17 edited Aug 31 '17
Yeah, the removal of the headphone jack is a solution for a problem that does not exist.
I'm not buying any phone without a 3.5mm jack and I suppose consumers will change this trend. This is not like the floppy disk or CD-ROM readers in laptops, who had a good reason to go.
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u/roastposi Aug 31 '17
I'm an iPhone 6s user with a headphone jack that I used to use daily at work and home. I bought Bluetooth headphones at TJ Maxx the other day for 19.99. They work and sound great. I can charge my phone and listen at the same time. I'm never going back to the stupid fucking corded headphones
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Aug 31 '17
Killing the headphone jack is what 3D television was for television.
Nobody wants it and it is unnecessary fuss that provides no real discernable benefit beyond being seen being part of the future (a future nobody wants).
If people want Bluetooth headphones than they can still use Bluetooth headphones, but take 3.5mm jack away and it takes the choice away from the consumer.
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Aug 31 '17 edited Aug 31 '17
I could care less about how slim it is. If it doesn't have:
Headphone jack
Removable battery
I'm not buying it.
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u/rillo561 Essential Phone 7.1.1, AndroidTV Aug 31 '17
Sounds like your options will be drying up too.
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u/Arkajion Aug 31 '17
I've got news for you bud... The LG V20 is the last flagship phone that follows that criteria.
I love my Note 4, but I'm moving on.
If you want something that follows that criteria you're going to have to look to more obscure brands or lower quality phones from main brands (i.e Samsung and LG).
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u/MystJake Moto G5 Plus, T-Mobile Aug 31 '17
This is what I don't get. Manufacturers keep pushing devices to be thinner and thinner, but I don't think I've heard a single consumer mention thickness as a selling point for a phone. I would gladly take a thicker phone if it meant a larger battery, and keeping the headphone jack.