The loss of the headphone jack was mainly sparked off in two years ago (2016) when Apple released its iPhone 7 and 7s. This was after another company called LeEco had also dropped the technology in mid-April. The two devices had no 3.5mm jack for our traditional headsets. Although Apple came out with reasons such as need to create space for better battery and that the technology was absolute, most people perceived this as one of the technology giants trying to set a new trend in the smartphone world.
Smartphone manufacturers like Google who came out to criticize Apple’s move a year later on launched their Google Pixel 2/2 plus without headphone jack this time relating the excuse to the need to create and edge design on their phones whereas the Samsung Galaxy s8 which boasts of this design had maintained the technology.
Other companies finally followed the namely HTC in their U11s, Essential phones, Motorola (Z,Z Force Droid), Xiaomi Mi 6 among others had picked up the trend.
But we ask ourselves one question, despite the presence of various wireless sound technologies available in the gadget world, is this the right time for us to cross the headphone-jack sea just like we crossed from floppy disks and tapes to CDs/DVDs, USB type A to B and not picking up type C, the transition from the 30-pin conductor via Apple devices (last on the iPhone 4s) to lightning cables?
There have been evolving technologies in the smartphone world which the world such as dependence on mainly internal memory doing away with memory cards, non-removable battery tech, large sized sim cards to Micro-Nano and now e-sim cards. These can be characterized by trying to away with need of add-ons such as memory cards or adoption of wireless technologies such as wireless technologies.
The technologies have also faced minimal criticism as they have offered better substitute technology for instance the lightning tech was a good replacement for 30 pin conductor on iPhones as it offers more power and better data transmission just as the CDs/DVDs occupied less space than tapes but do headphone jack-less phones offer better alternatives or its simply forced transition.
We therefore take a look at the alternatives the trend has brought as we usher into 2019 where very few phones will present such phones.
Bluetooth headsets
Bluetooth technology traces from the first smartphone mainly running on Symbian OS where we used it to share media. Gadgets have since then come up to utilize the technology such as Bluetooth headsets, smart watches, pairing in a car and so on.
Bluetooth technology’s reliability is however dependent on factors such as the tech version that is 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and so on, distance between the pairing devices among others. For purposes of listening to music using Bluetooth headsets, one has to recharge the headsets from time to time which the case has not been for headsets.
Considering the trade-off of doing away with headset wires, Bluetooth technology is not a guarantee for better sound quality. In addition to the above, smartphone manufacturers have different technologies they want their phones to rhyme with Apple-AAC whereas Android prefers Bluetooth 5.0.
This explains as to why some companies have launched wireless alternatives such as AirPods, wireless Beats headsets for Apple devices, Google Pixel Buds which offer faster and better connection as compared to other headsets.
All Bluetooth headsets either universal or device targeted like AirPods come at higher prices as compared to our 3.5mm jack headphones.
Are we ready for the transition that will require us to charge both our phones and now more costly headsets?
Headset dongles/adapters
Whereas companies urged that the 3.5mm was becoming outdated, these provided customers with USB/Lightning – 3.5mm connectors which accommodate the technology externally but not internally.
There is no difference whatsoever in sound quality when the headsets are connected externally but comes with a burden of one having to move around with this dongle place to place.
The dongles too do not come for free/ in the box for some manufactures calling for an extra cost for you to get one.
USB/Lightning headphones
To do away with the connector, one could directly connect headsets with their respective input technologies. Phones with USB type B and C can accommodate USB connecting headsets whereas Apple devices can have lightning connecting headsets.
With these alternative, one could buy the argument that we are getting rid of wired-sound technology but it may be the first step in getting rid of it.
Using the above technology does not allow one to charge or connect their phones to PCs/ laptops while listening to music as the only port connector is already occupied.
This accessory usually comes boxed for most manufactures but when it comes to replacement, these are rare (especially UBS type C headsets) on the market which calls for high cost during the time of replacement.
Whereas some phones have made the paradigm shift, here is a list of phones that you could buy to continue using your headsets especially all Samsung phones. So are you ready to do away with your traditional headsets in 2019 for either Bluetooth or new connecting technology (USB or lightning)?
