Is a headphone jack essential to you or just something you like complaining about?

Soldato
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Quite a few of your average "High Street" users will want wireless headphones now though to be fair, after a fair few years of being forced to upgrade.

It wouldn't be so insulting to your intelligence if manufacturers at least gave us better phone design and features to back up their claim that it's progress. Instead you just see a lot of empty space inside a phone where jack could have been and a simultaneous launch of their new overpriced wireless buds.

If you need any more proof that it's not a technology or design decision, just look at the cheaper alternatives to flagships like Huawei P30 non Pro, Pixel 3a, cheaper A line Samsung phones and so on, all have a headphone jack. You know, because those who aren't getting the latest flagships aren't regarded as much of a cash cow to milk.

I mean Apple started the trend (someone wasnt getting the reference in the thread earlier) and their move to simply make more money couldn't be any more transparent.
 
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Man of Honour
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Having a wire going to your phone is just cumbersome. I'm all for wires but not when you are talking about portable devices here.

I use wired headphones in the house. I'd rather use XM3's when out and about travelling and SBH24 in the gym. Phone is a portable device therefore for the majority having a headphone jack isn't really needed when you have everyone going wireless earbuds these days.

I get it though wired earbuds offer much better value for money and better sound quality. But tbh on a portable device you would take convenience over a slight hit in quality.

Give it 15 years and people will be laughing at anyone using anything wired.

For some people sure - personally I don't find it a problem and I'm not laughing at people who want to go wireless but that still doesn't make the plain old jack redundant.
 
Caporegime
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People should be given the choice but it looks like manufacturers value profits more.

Headphone jack requires an amp and a DAC both of which can cost a lot of money in terms of quality components eating into margins. Unless they are piggy backing off the speakers as they will also require one of each.

As for dropping wireless earbuds when running, etc. People tend to buy ones made for gym use, they are even waterproof, etc. Or you can attach wired earphones to a bluetooth receiver much like the SBH24 I've mentioned which clips onto your top. So they wouldn't get lost or damaged easily.

Also I can spec you a receiver for £11.99 which uses aptx and high end IEM's for a fiver. So it doesn't cost the earth to go wireless (but still wired). Also Xiaomi have released wireless earbuds for £16 which are very good you can find them on ebay. With prices so cheap makes sense to jump ship to wireless.

I have like 6 wired headphones and 1 wireless (purchased this month). 10 wired IEM's and 1 wireless jack (also purchased this month).

So I am very much a fan of wired but I've decided to move with the times.
 
Soldato
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Give it 15 years and people will be laughing at anyone using anything wired.

I'll be laughing when my wired headphones are still working fine for years & the bluetooth crowd are having to replace theirs because the batteries are dud.

Think I have let my feelings known about it in past threads. No need to remove something that has worked fine for decades all because they want to sell you some of their buds.
 
Associate
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I'm of the opinion that wireless headphones are generally poorer than wired (particularly because of things like Bluetooth codecs), however I don't mind if phones lose the headphone jack. Why? Because if I'm carrying wired headphones, I'm almost certainly going to be carrying a case or sleeve for them (even small in-ear ones) and there's room in that case for a small headphone adapter which I can plug into the phone. It's a minor annoyance. I would say non-replaceable batteries are a far bigger issue (especially for recycling and planned obsolescence!)
 
Soldato
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yep - one less thing to charge for me. I have the Bose QC25s with a couple of spare AAA batteries in the headphone case, just in case the noise cancelling battery runs flat, but obviously they're still usable if the NC battery dies. Can you even charge wireless earphones while using them yet? usb-c earphones are stupid too. How am i meant to charge my phone whilst using earphones? yet another dongle or splitter?

wireless are good for running, though.

basically I like both. manufacturers didn't need to start dropping the headphone jack just because Apple did. we've seen it time and time again :/
 
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Soldato
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usb-c earphones are stupid too. How am i meant to charge my phone whilst using earphones? yet another dongle or splitter?
the apple usb dongle has good reviews, from the recent dedicated thread, haven't they also addressed the charging problem ... since wireless charging is not so efficient anyway

What on earth are you doing where the wire gets in the way? Swimming?
bluetooth ... maybe 5.0 has better penetration - doesn't work in the pool anyway ... that would be the killer application if watches could work

EDIT: amusing .. thought this site had some credibility
Report: 1% of US smartphone buyers think headphone jack is top-three feature
moreover The best phones with a headphone jack
ergh but they do not discuss the audio quality .. think of the children
 
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Caporegime
Joined
21 Jun 2006
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38,372
I'm of the opinion that wireless headphones are generally poorer than wired (particularly because of things like Bluetooth codecs), however I don't mind if phones lose the headphone jack. Why? Because if I'm carrying wired headphones, I'm almost certainly going to be carrying a case or sleeve for them (even small in-ear ones) and there's room in that case for a small headphone adapter which I can plug into the phone. It's a minor annoyance. I would say non-replaceable batteries are a far bigger issue (especially for recycling and planned obsolescence!)

wired is always better than wireless so long as you buy the right equipment.

i could show you wired IEM's for $5 which are better than £200 airpods.

i could show you £60 headphones better than £300 wireless Beats By Dre.

However wireless is much more convenient. Which is why places like takeaways are so busy. Convenience is a factor in most peoples choice.

I agree there should be a headphone jack and people given the choice but if you really feel miffed then vote with your wallet. This is people these days are all sheep. I was at a wedding 2 weeks ago when someone questioned why I didn't have an iphone when I handed them a premium android device to take a photo. They didn't know how the camera worked as people who own iphones apparently have zero intuition.

That is the problem when you have a company like apple pushing something and the masses following them like sheep and not questioning them then other companies end up following suit.
 
Soldato
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That is the problem when you have a company like apple pushing something and the masses following them like sheep and not questioning them then other companies end up following suit.

People do vote with their wallets, though, and they're buying phones that don't have headphone jacks. Whether you see that as sheep behaviour or not is up to you, but you can only push people so far before they switch products. If Apple or Samsung released a phone without a camera, people would stop buying them immediately. A headphone jack is clearly not important for most people when it comes to buying a phone. The most upset people shout the loudest and it doesn't take many people to make a loud noise, even if noise is all it is.
 
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I'd be interested to see those (seriously!)

Honestly, hand on heart, any budget branded IEM is better than Airpods, why? purely down to the fact that they provide a sealed fit with a rubber tip, that makes a massive difference, I honestly can't even comprehend how people can use in ear headphones today without a rubber seal/tip.

To me Airpods are only really useful as a safety device as you can hear whats going on around you while you talk or listen to music.
 
Associate
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There were some cheap Panasonic in-ear headphones I used to swear by which didn't have a sealed tip; the reason I liked them was because you could listen to music but still be aware of your surroundings (e.g. the doorbell ringing). I get what you're saying and obviously sealed ones offer far better clarity but there's something unsettling about not being able to hear what's going on around you!
 
Caporegime
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I'd be interested to see those (seriously!)

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/fao-anyone-with-a-sony-mobile-phone.18862808/

The Sony MH-750 is superior to the $1000 IEMs out there and it only costs $10. The QC is quite bad on it though.

The issue is it's hard to get a hold of and there are a lot of fakes. If you want one you can order a SBH-24 from sony directly for £30 which has the MH-755 included which is the exact same as the MH-750 but with a short cable designed only to be used with a wireless transmitter.

There is a japanese seller on ebay selling the MH-755 legit versions for £8 including postage but then you need a headphone cable extender to use them.

I currently have 3 pairs

MH-750 - the long normal version which i got free with my sony xperia xz2 premium.

i then ordered a MH-755 from ebay from japan.

i also just ordered a sony sbh-24 for £30 from sony so i should get another.

so even though build quality is poor i have 3 authentic pairs to last me. beware of fakes
 
Associate
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2 Jan 2007
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Picked myself up a pair of Jabra 65T Elites to go with the new Note 10+. Honestly, I was apprehensive at first but now I'm already wondering why I took so long to swap over.

I use them for work, commute and the Gym. I do a lot of bag/boxing work at the Gym and not once have I lost one.
 
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