this post was submitted on 11 Apr 2024
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They explain very thoroughly on their website why they did it:
https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/9836188988049-Audio-Jack-3-5mm
Yep, same excuses as Apple.
Analogue connector too old, too big, hard to make modular. All proven false by a multitude of other devices.
It might be false, but I think the real reason is that very few people care about a jackstick... I care, but I'm the only one I know, and I only ever hear a small group of people online talk about it being a big deal. In the end I don't think too badly about that specific decision from any phone manufacturer.
Heck, I don't even care about having an audio jack as long as there are two USB-C ports. I'm a down for a unified connector. There just needs to be enough ports for it.
I might be on board with this, especially how simple and reliable the USB-C analog audio system is supposed to be. And my ongoing problem with Bluetooth is just how amazed I am at how slow/unreliable it is to both pair and to reconnect on a slew of different (modern!) hardware.
But it's funny. I have a tablet with 2 USB-C ports. I have USB-C to audio adapters that I've used with it for a while.
Recent trip, I forgot the adapters. So I picked up a pack of adapters at the local Best Buy. Didn't work! Tablet behaved as if they simply weren't plugged in. Rebooted, tried stuff, then bought a different brand of them. Same problem! Got home, original ones I had worked fine.
I don't care if it's the tablet's fault, or the adapters, or what. I've never, ever, ever had to worry about stuff like this with 3.5mm jack on any device. Ever. That's the reason it's worth it to me (plus not having to worry about charging, or various other complications with wireless. Like when enabling Bluetooth headphones on my last laptop crushed wifi performance. Or makes my good ol' Steam Link start to freak out with my 8bitdo, or...)
I’ve had issue with very worn out 3.5mm adapters before! Like: I was on an intercontinental flight earlier this week and my cable barely held in the worn out port of the plane. I agree that there are fewer issues with software refusing to work, but the hardware-connection can be quite sucky on them too.
I’d prefer that to the jack tbh. I’ve been converted to prefer digital wired audio
I'd be more okay with it if that weren't for the fact that there can still be compatibility issues when before there weren't.
In my case, lots of people I know care about it. And I definitely do.
But these are just anecdotes, and I haven't seen real data.
I'm guessing the majority of people would prefer to have it, but don't care enough that it's a major factor for their phone. And the number that care at all continues to shrink. But we're both just guessing.
This is just one search result but it's showing 326 million phones shipped in just Q4 of last year. How many of those new phones do you think shipped with headphone jacks?
https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS51776424
There's plenty of industry analysis out there that, while not perfect, is data showing that new phone sales have not been hampered by the removal of the headphone jack.
I'm rocking a Pixel 5a which does still have it and I do get a warm and fuzzy in my nerd brain by having it there. If I'm honest though, I used it maybe twice in the last year.
Yeah, same here. It's a pretty specific demand when bluetooth headphones have become really good and actually have a lot of advantages compared to wired ones. Also there is always the option to use a USB C dongle so it's really not that big of a deal.
I don't need another hole in my phone that does nothing but collect debris.
So - takes up too much space, is the main reason :)
I don't care, still worth it to me. As long as I have the option, any phone I buy (including the one I bought last year) will have a 3.5mm jack.
I "upgraded" to a new Pixel last year because I thought the battery on my old 4A was getting wonky (and I have not had good luck with doing battery replacements). At the time, I did not know (enough) about the Fairphone, and I could not find a new Pixel with an audio jack (maybe I didn't look hard enough?).
I'd like to go back to having a jack. I do have one scenario where I want to use well-fitting BT buds, but I can do that on any phone. I want wired buds that I don't have to charge, can switch between devices in 0.5 second, without interacting with any software, and don't have misbehaving touch controls that trigger when I brush my long hair back behind my ear(s) or shoulder(s). In fact, I still have a set of completely dumb buds that I use for my work laptop that I'd love to be able to use with my phone -- don't need noise cancelling or controls of any kind. I really hope that I can find a phone with a jack next time I do an upgrade. I don't care if it is thicker, I'm gonna stick on Otterbox (or similar) on it anyway.
I was also concerned about security, but full-power BT is fairly secure now. No one can "drive-by" and monitor or replace the audio; they have to get you during "initial" pairing.