Samsung's Next-Generation Galaxy S8 Won't Include a Headphone Jack

[Runkel]

Replacing the headphone jack with wireless is too soon...

I don't think it's too soon - it's exactly the right time.
I'm using wireless headphones since i have a smartphone that's capable to store enough music beside of all apps and data. This was over 5 years ago. I never liked cables, so i switched to bluetooth as early as i could.
Over these 5 years, the quality, range and battery time was increased by magnitudes. If you hear a pair of Bose QC35, Sennheiser Momentum or Beats Studio Wireless, you will not listen any difference to wired headphones at all. Not as long you will listen only MP3/AAC and you'll need excellent ears and a very silent environment to hear the difference to uncompressed, high bitrate audio.
The only remarkable difference is the price tag. A good pair of wireless headphones will cost you almost twice the price of wired headphones at the same quality level.

Now, we have low energy Bluetooth, we have high quality audio profiles for Bluetooth, we have great wireless headphones, we have the W1 chip to make pairing easier than before.

When will be the right time, if not now?
What are you waiting for?

 

[coolfactor]

But they made a point to call out the headphone jack during the S7 and Note keynotes... So was that their "no one wants video on an iPod" moment?

Yah, but taking this past comment of Jobs out of context only works for so long... iPods at the time had really small screens. Of course nobody wants to watch video on those tiny screens. It wasn't until that Apple's mobile screens got significantly larger (since 2007 iPhone release) that this really changed.

 

[iSteve-O]

As an iPhone 7+ user and owner of multiple wired high-end headphones, I REALLY miss the headphone jack. Wired headphones' sound quality is still superior to bluetooth.

The cost of dongles get expensive real fast. I've lost 2 of them and 3 have started to tear, having wires exposed.

 

[jerryk]

Of course this was coming. No phones will have 3.5mm jacks in 5 years.

Apple once again leads the way in dropping outdated technology to drag us into the future.

The Lighting connector is outdated technology. Apple should have went with USB-C, like the MacBook Pros.

 

[coolfactor]

This isn't as bad as a move than Apple. Samsung is ditching an old wired peripheral with a new, universally accepted port: USB C. Even if you got a new Mac and this Samsung phone, you could share your headphones across devices, not to mention they'll be cheaper. Replacing the headphone jack with wireless is too soon, but replacing it with a new standard is a great transition that would also help push USB C even more

Now that USB-C is getting fairly well established, Apple may make the switch from Lightning. It would be a shame since Lightning is so small and elegant, but it's not significantly smaller than USB-C. It does have a more robust design (no inner 'tongue' to break off), but what other technical advantages does Lightning have over USB-C? Some? None?

 

[Appurushido]

Samsung: It took courage to copy Apple.

Phil Schiller: Tell me about it.

 

[Lennyvalentin]

What. A. Shocker. They really have no shame.

No major corporation, including Apple of course, have any shame whatsoever.

It's not surprising this is happening of course. Personally I don't really care - the only time I've missed the headphone jack on my iPhone 7 has been when I've been skyping and sort of been in need to re-charge, but all those times there's still been plenty battery left (20-30%), and typically I've been on the phone for hours already so time to hang up and go to bed.

With a set of wireless earbuds I wouldn't even have needed to stop the call to recharge the phone. Also, there are docks like Apple's own lightning dock, with a headphones jack on it.

 

[Balaamsdonkey]

Oh man, this is hilarious.

I'm sure that if Apple removes its home button, Samsung will do the same.
It is a matter of time to know it, I guess...

That said, at least Samsung will have a rather standard connector as it is USB Type-C. Lightning connector on the other hand...

Lightning to USB-C?

 

[apolloa]

But surveys have shown most folks only have one other headset and Apple gives you one for free and others at essentially their cost of $9.00. It doesn't seem like they thought this diabolical plan to take your money through very carefully.

The adapter was free in the box and is quite cheap.

Haha you two need to go and read the post I was actually replying to, unless you know where the lightning port on the Apple Macs are that is?

 

[barthrh]

Apple's next big "courage" move is to transition to USB-C. Lightning made a ton of sense at the time. Small, reversible, modern, simple to insert. There was no other alternative. If USB-C does all of those things, they should switch. The only issue is how Apple said that Lightning would be their connector for the next 10 years to appease those who were upset about all of the 30-pin accessories they owned. They need the courage to just say "screw it" and take the heat for a switch if in fact USB-C is as good or better than Lightning.

I can see it happening. Apple wants to sell their Beats wired phones to a wide audience and this means having a USB-C connector on it. Needing models with now 3 connectors (or 2 if they phase out analog) would just complicate inventory and supply chain. We'll all still need dongles / adaptors though to plug into airplanes or other devices.

 

[iGeek2014]

The only time I tend to miss my 3.5mm jack is in my car which still has an AUX port. It comes with Bluetooth but doesn't support wireless playback on any device (hence my iPod Touch).

However Bluetooth quality does need to improve somewhat before I'd consider wireless headphones-hopefully whenever Bluetooth 5.0 comes around!

 

[costeta]

Now that's real courage.

 

[bladerunner2000]

If a phone has a 3.5mm jack and it also has Bluetooth which you use....

Why do you care if the 3.5mm jack is there or not? Does it impede your use of bluetooth or is this just a snide way of saying 'You dont deserve 3.5mm jack because I don't use it'

???

@Donoban You gonna answer this?

 

[Chris in DC]

How so? Bluetooth has it's flaws. I tried using Bluetooth earbuds on a flight to Europe a couple months ago and had to switch to my wired buds halfway over the Atlantic when the battery died. If Bluetooth can't get me through an 8 hour flight then it's useless to me. And true audiophiles will never want to go wireless.

Right now, the solution is buy a pair of headphones with a 3.5mm plug and a dongle, either Lightning->3.5 or USB-C->3.5 for all your devices, but if the headphone jack is truly killed off and manufacturers only make Lightning and USB-C headphones, then at some point when buying an expensive pair of headphones, you're going to have to decide if you want Lightning headphones that only work on your iDevices, or USB-C headphones that work on everything else, including your computer.

Never say never, my friend! Especially when it comes to technology.

 

[H2SO4]

Of course this was coming. No phones will have 3.5mm jacks in 5 years.

Apple once again leads the way in dropping outdated technology to drag us into the future.

No. Apple have dragged your wallet further into their eco system with the dead end lightning connector.
Samsung did this particular job properly.

 

[akfgpuppet]

How about two usb-c so we can charge and listen to music at the same time.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

We can rip on Samsung all we want for copying Apple. But hey, at least they're using USB-C instead of stupid Lightning.

Apple has been one of the pioneers of USB-C implementation, yet they don't even want to use it in their mobile devices....It's SUCH a HUGE inconvenience!

I don't think Apple ever planned on using USB C on i-devices, especially as iPhones get more space constrained in the coming years. USB C requires a port that's even larger than the micro USB it's replacing.

 

[Swazaloo]

Apple really needs to ditch lightning, it's worse than USB-C in every category.

 

[nofear1az]

Oh get over it. Wireless is the way forward. If you don't like it, well, tough luck. Every phone will be like it in a few years time.

why don't you get over the fact that some people still prefer to have a 3.5mm connector. Jeeps, why does that bother you so much? Wireless is NOT the way forward just because you think it is. Were you one of those that threw out your old TV for one of those 3D TVs that were trending? Better throw it out again for the 4K TV since it's the way way forward now. Best you throw out everything you bought that was not made in 2016. You know how ridiculous this sounds?

 

[agsystems]

The only time I tend to miss my 3.5mm jack is in my car which still has an AUX port. It comes with Bluetooth but doesn't support wireless playback on any device (hence my iPod Touch). However Bluetooth quality does need to improve somewhat before I'd consider wireless headphones-hopefully whenever Bluetooth 5.0 comes around!

I solved this issue for my wife with this 'dongle' - 1 for her car and kitchen radio and boom

Mpow Bluetooth Receiver
https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetoo...rd_wg=78Ssf&psc=1&refRID=F0560YQXEBAH50A3SW6P

 

[andy.ringwood]

why don't you get over the fact that some people still prefer to have a 3.5mm connector. Jeeps, why does that bother you so much? Wireless is NOT the way forward just because you think it is. Were you one of those that threw out your old TV for one of those 3D TVs that were trending? Better throw it out again for the 4K TV since it's the way way forward now. Best you throw out everything you bought that was not made in 2016. You know how ridiculous this sounds?

Wireless IS the way forward. Fact.

And nope. Never had a 3D TV, I knew 4K was going to take off and bought one ages ago.

Get over it! Thanks!

 

[citysnaps]

Apple will def migrate next gen iPhones to USB-C as that will be standard on all future macs. USB-C wasn't available when Apple changed to Lightning.

Still, it will be great watching all the crybabies moan about needing a new cable for the next iPhone, or gasp, a DONGLE, to hook up to their highly coveted refurbished 2015 MBPs with last generation USB-A connectors. And, don't forget the tiny whines about Apple being greedy foisting another money grab through high-margin cables.

 

[KrayZier]

If a phone has a 3.5mm jack and it also has Bluetooth which you use....

Why do you care if the 3.5mm jack is there or not? Does it impede your use of bluetooth or is this just a snide way of saying 'You dont deserve 3.5mm jack because I don't use it'

???

I will answer it. It does not give manufacturers an incentive to invest in R&D and move the wireless technology forward. They will keep launching the same old 3.5mm jack headphones. Looking at the sheer amount of new wireless headphones announced since the removal of headphone jack on the iPhone is an indicator. I am thankful for this leap, albeit an inconvenience in the short run.

RIP headphone jack, you have served us well.

 

[DCINKC]

I suspect that Apple surveyed a cross section of iPhone users and potential purchasers regarding including/excluding a headphone jack on the iPhone 7. Collecting use-case "data" is a standard business practice when designing a new product and it seems unlikely that Apple wouldn't do thorough research. Apple (and apparently Samsung) concluded that the removal of jack was a non-issue for the majority (but not all) users. Couple the collected data with the well known issues with 3.5 mm jack technology (bulky, additional required shielding, difficult to waterproof... etc. etc.) and the choice was probably clear to them. Case closed for Apple and Samsung. The 3.5 mm jack is gone and will IMO not be back in their smartphones. Moving on...

Regarding USB C: As stated elsewhere on this thread - since USB C wasn't finalized/vetted until near the end of the iPhone design process Apple continued on with Lightning rather than redesign/retool and possibly delay the introduction of the iPhone 7 (imagine the howling). Should they have delayed the iPhone 7 for a redesign? They apparently didn't believe it was necessary for this phones release and people are buying them. Should they have "rushed" through a design change to replace Lightning with USB C? I don't know. Maybe rushing things is how you get exploding phones.

On balance, I like the iPhone 7. Adapters don't trouble me. Lightning is fine with me. I am looking forward to the iPhone 8. I would love to see a completely sealed iPhone with wireless charging. No ports - jacks - buttons. Probably will not be the 8 (although I'm hoping) but I believe that is the future.

Just expressing my thoughts on the matter. Not trying to pick a fight with anyone.

 

[StayPuft]

RIP headphone jack, you have served us well.

3.5 mm jacks aren't going anywhere, I assure you.