[General question to the Android community] Have you given up on the audio jack, or do you still only buy devices that have it?

(Posting this here rather than !askandroid as it's a quite general question)

I had a look at the GSM Arena phone finder, and it the choice is getting smaller and smaller every year (only 43 phones from 2023, reviewed by the site, had a jack)

The remaining ones are mostly

  • Xiaomi Redmi
  • Zenfones
  • Sony
  • Samsung entry range

So, has everyone switched to Bluetooth / USB-C dongles, or are there still a few people holding to the jack until the very end?

quinkin ,

Given up. Bought a dongle for if I need it but mostly just Bluetooth now.

MimicJar ,

I'll die alone on this headphone jack hill if I need to, I only buy phones with headphone jacks.

Currently using a Motorola of some sort, replacement for another Motorola.

Lojcs , (edited )

Turkish phone comparison site epey found 174

I switched to Bluetooth before the headphone jack disappeared. Bluetooth earphones stay in my ears easier without the weight of the cable constantly tugging down, and thus are more comfortable and easier to wear while moving / in non-upright positions. They also don't have the constant cable dangling noise. And they don't need the phone to provide their power which helps with battery life.

Edit: why the downvotes? I just answered the question

LaLuzDelSol ,

All the other points are fair but I'd guess you're using more power to encode and transmit bluetoorh than to power a headphone jack. It's like 50mw at full volume out of the jack and a small fraction of that at, say, 25% volume.

ToxicDivinity ,
@ToxicDivinity@hexbear.net avatar

I'll only buy a phone with an audio jack and usbc port.

I think of my phone like a swiss army knife, it's a multi tool that I carry with me at all times and can be used for many different things. I like using wireless headphones and I usually connect via bluetooth but on the occasion that I need to plug a headset into my phone I am able to quickly and easily do that with no extra thought.

Why would I buy a new phone that has less features than my current phone?

thetreesaysbark ,

Why would I buy a new phone that has less features...?

Because of all those time you need to take a picture of your feet underwater!

Blaze OP ,
@Blaze@lemmy.zip avatar

Which phone do you currently use?

ToxicDivinity ,
@ToxicDivinity@hexbear.net avatar

Samsung s10

Blaze OP ,
@Blaze@lemmy.zip avatar

Thanks

femtech ,

No, I stopped using it once I got wireless headphones. I hated hearing the cord brushing against my clothes while moving.

MostlyGibberish ,

Yeah, once I made the switch to wireless earbuds, I didn't miss the jack at all. People have valid complaints about them, like the price and the limited battery, but I think the convenience is worth it.

helenslunch ,

You realize phones with headphone jacks ALSO have Bluetooth, right?

Drigo ,

Why would he buy a phone with headphones jack, when the selection of phones is so shitty. And he is not even using the jack?

sp6 ,

I specifically bought a Pixel 5a because it was the last Pixel with a headphone jack. Then after a year, it died on me, and they sent me a 6a as a replacement.

I miss the jack. A lot. But it's hard to justify buying a whole new phone for one. Once this one dies, I don't know what I'll do.

southsamurai ,
@southsamurai@sh.itjust.works avatar

No jack = no buy.

Blaze OP ,
@Blaze@lemmy.zip avatar

What do you currently use?

southsamurai ,
@southsamurai@sh.itjust.works avatar

One of the one plus that tmobile gave when they required 5g capability. It's partially degoogled, but otherwise pretty standard. Headphone jack + sd slot, and it gets the job done. I can't recall what the general name is, something like a nord 200 or whatever, but the model is de2118.

Decent phone overall tbh. I thought I would hate it, but the battery life is solid, the audio is "good enough" for road trips, and the size is just right for my hands.

Thorny_Insight ,

Wont buy a smartphone without it

Blaze OP ,
@Blaze@lemmy.zip avatar

What do you currently use?

Thorny_Insight ,

Samsung XCover 6 Pro. Has a removable battery aswell.

Alexstarfire ,

My car only works with an aux cord so at least until I get a new car I'm sticking to phones with one. I'm not buying a dongle. They can go fuck themselves.

malios ,

Still holding onto the audio jack. My last few phones are the HTC 10 (2016), Galaxy S10e (2019) and Xperia 1 V (got it last year). I commute to work daily and my car has an audio jack, CD player, and PC card slot for playing audio. I'm avoiding adapters for multiple reasons - others here mentioning static, and annoyance/inconvenience (want to be able to charge my phone when needed without more dongles). I held off on giving up a physical keyboard and getting a larger phone but eventually gave in on those. Also not giving up the microSD slot.

jacktherippah ,

I'm fine with Bluetooth. My earbuds and speakers all have Bluetooth nowadays.

possiblylinux127 ,
@possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip avatar

I only buy phone with a jack although I haven't needed a new phone in a long time.

skullgiver , (edited )
@skullgiver@popplesburger.hilciferous.nl avatar

[Thread, post or comment was deleted by the author]

    •
    Blaze OP ,
    @Blaze@lemmy.zip avatar

    Thanks for the article. It still shows that medium-range Samsung such as the A34 and A54 don't have it anymore, while the A52 and A72 still had it.

    you list three large brands already

    • RedMi have reliability and quality issues
    • Zenfones and Sony prices are quite pricey: Zenfone 9 is 500€ on Ebay in Europe and a Sony Xperia 5 V is 700€

    Indeed, some Nokia phones have jack, but the issue comes from the CPU: the G42 has a Snapdragon 480, while the X30 has a Snapdragon 695, but no headphone jack. Also, the G42 has battery issues

    However, the Nokia G42 5G cannot stand out from comparable phones in any of these areas. The battery life and WLAN speed are also mediocre rather than leading.

    https://www.notebookcheck.net/Nokia-G42-5G-smartphone-review-With-this-eye-catcher-you-can-even-swap-the-battery.740282.0.html#toc-6

    The Nokia G21 mentioned in the article have low performance (which makes sense, it's an entry level device): https://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_g21-review-2389p4.php

    entry range Samsung phones (though I really wouldn’t call $500 phones “entry range”).

    The Samsung I was referring to is the A25, 200€ on Amazon, and the A09, 109€.

    The 500€ you are referring too is the A55, 370€, but no headphone jack.

    not everyone is buying flagship phones.

    I'm not either, and that's what I'm telling you: on top of the flagships, the medium range phones don't have jack anymore either (as shows your article)

    • Samsung A55: no jack, the A52 had (S line is the flaghip)
    • Pixel: 7a: no jack, 5a had (7 is the flagship)

    Having to buy the entry range device, which last longer and provide a worse experiences, probably doesn't compensate getting a jack.

    skullgiver , (edited )
    @skullgiver@popplesburger.hilciferous.nl avatar

    [Thread, post or comment was deleted by the author]

    •
    Blaze OP ,
    @Blaze@lemmy.zip avatar

    I don’t consider €350+ phones entry level.

    Neither do I? I mentioned the 200€ and 109€ as entry level

    That’s mid-range for me.

    Agreed

    if people would’ve bought flagships with headphone jacks during the transition

    They didn't really gave them a choice. As per your article, between 2019 and 2020, Samsung dropped the jack on the S-line. People who upgrade phones regularly tend to stick to a brand they know due to convenience, so indeed most of the people wouldn't have dropped years of satisfying Samsung experience for a jack, especially as phones came with Bluetooth earbuds.

    The loud majority who does care can protest the change by buying from other brands that do sport headphone jacks.

    I tried, I have been researching this topic extensively in the last few months, and when you add on top of that I prefer phones less than 160 mm high, the possibilities are very limited.

    Which I get from a manufacturer perspective: smaller phones sell less (as their audience tends to keep them longer), and most of the people don't care about the jack. But thinking that a specific demographic can influence the whole market doesn't seem realistic.

    Now that I think about it, even the Fairphone dropped the jack...

    Macaroni_ninja ,
    @Macaroni_ninja@lemmy.world avatar

    I use wired in-ear headphones while cycling for convenience of not needing to charge so they are always ready to go when I go for a ride. Also I wear my phone in the back pocket of my jersey, so its an extra string holding my device in case it would fall out (never happened, but just in case).
    I use some half-decent BT headphones for media consumption when home.

    evo ,

    I switched to Bluetooth earbuds long before phones started removing the headphone jack...

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