Why can’t we miss the audio jack at all

Audio Jack, 3.5mm Port or Phone Slot: There are many names for the 3.5mm phone jack you use to connect wired earbuds. In 2016, Facebook wrote with astonishment that a Chinese smartphone supplier offered a phone without this coming out. A little crazy, but it turns out he’s a trendsetter. Some don’t miss it, but there are people who search their phones for the presence of this little thing. These are the advantages and disadvantages of the audio jack.

Pro: Your earbuds last longer

You can argue how often people get stuck in wired earbuds and break, but in theory earbuds that don’t require a charge last much longer. They do not have a corrosive battery, and if you take good care of them, they will last you many years longer than their cordless counterparts.

Cons: The design of the phone is less fluid

One of the main reasons for many manufacturers 3.5 mm Ban, for design reasons. If you want to make a modern device with rounded corners, the result is that the audio jack is on the way quickly. Without this connection, the smartphone can also be made thinner. It is more comfortable in the hand due to its smooth, rounded edges.

Pro: You can always use your own earphones

It’s easy not to get tangled in the wire when using the wireless earbuds, but you have to charge it. Many copies are ready in ten minutes for at least an hour of listening pleasure, but then you should have a charger (or a full charging case) nearby. Wired headphones You can always use it. You also don’t have to pair them with your phone first: you just plug them in and you’re ready to listen.

Cons: The phone is less water and dust resistant

The IP rating of the phone is important. The higher the IP rating numbers, the higher the resistance of the smartphone to water and dust. Some phones can even be submerged one meter under water for a while, while others get hiccups from a few sprays. This 3.5mm port is not conducive to an IP rating, as this is a hole in the smartphone. It is not impossible to make a smartphone with this output waterproof, but not adding it is, of course, less dangerous.

Pro: It maintains better sound quality

There is a reason why many gamers prefer to play with a wired mouse rather than the wireless alternative. Information is transmitted by cable slightly faster than by air. The same goes for earplugs. If you want to listen to music in the best possible quality, you will benefit from the wire. With bluetooth, you’ll lose quality faster that you don’t have with wired earbuds or headphones. Of course, it depends on the materials you use: the €10 headphones with wires of course still can’t compete with the €100 or more Bluetooth earplugs in terms of the audio experience.

Con: Your smartphone battery life is less

We have already mentioned some advantages in terms of design from the outside, but also think about the inside. The lack of an audio jack means more space for other things, like the battery. With our big screens, we need more powerful batteries. What helps is that the battery can be as large as possible. If phone designers don’t have to take into account a sudden input in the form of an audio jack, there’s more room for the battery, for example. This ultimately results in better battery life.

There is a caveat to this article. There are also “tails” available for your smartphone. This allows you to use your phone’s USB-C port with wired earplugs, because you have an adapter plug for it. This way you can still use wired or wired earplugs headphones Without using a 3.5 mm port. The disadvantage is that you have to buy this “tail” separately and that you have to carry it with you.

USB-C . port

In the end, the USB-C port has already overtaken the audio jack on many phones. That’s because the port is multi-deployable. You can still attach wired headphones or earbuds to it, while you can also charge your phone with it. Not at the same time, which is a small drawback, unless your phone can charge wirelessly. In short, there are many variables and therefore many options when it comes to this audio jack. More pros and cons for you depend on what type of phone user you are. Do you often walk around in the rain, are you a music lover? These two things alone make a huge difference when choosing a phone with or without a 3.5mm port.

Does your phone have a 3.5mm port? Was that a conscious choice? Leave your audio jack preferences in the comments.