A note from one of the authors Android Central touches on a possible trend in the near future – the refusal of device manufacturers from the standard headphone jack in favor of a new jack / wireless connection type.
A few weeks ago, the annual rumor circulated around the network again that Apple was going to abandon the 3.5 mm connector in the next version iPhone. Perhaps the question is not whether it will happen, but rather when it will happen. And, of course, Apple is not alone in its quest to ditch the outdated connector. Perhaps the engineers from Cupertino will become pioneers, perhaps they will follow someone, doing slightly differently and significantly improving the original concept. If we speak in context Android, then here we can also expect an interesting development of events. Such a change is quite feasible from a technological point of view, for example, this was done HTC with the Touch Diamond, a device of the era Windows Mobile, which had an ExtUSB port on board. But since then, the mobile world has undergone significant changes and now we are on the verge of introducing the USB-C standard, which opens up additional possibilities.
I could talk about things like that for a long time, but I don't make a living making phones. Therefore, I decided to find out the opinion of such a transition from some specialists closer to this.
The management Huawei, one of the largest Chinese and one of the five largest global smartphone manufacturers, considers getting rid of the 3.5 mm jack quite possible, given the widespread transition of manufacturers to the USB-C standard. Changzhu Li, Vice President for Smartphone Line of the Company Huawei, sees the prevailing prerequisites: 'The main reason for this is the fact that the Type C connector supports charging functionality, connecting peripherals, and playing audio and video files. The 3.5 mm jack loses its relevance, except for cases when the user needs to connect an external hard drive to the phone via USB while listening to music on headphones. ' It is worth noting that the production Nexus 6P Huawei is one of the first smartphones with a new type of connector.
Moving away from the generally accepted connector will not mean a widespread move to Bluetooth, says Eric Lin, a native of HTC currently working on Nextbit. In addition to potential power and sound quality issues, wired headphones are much cheaper to manufacture. And now, most users, especially outside of North America, expect headphones to be included with the new smartphone. ' The first Nextbit device – Robin – is equipped with 3.5 mm and USB-C connectors.
Getting rid of the headphone jack will undoubtedly free up space inside the device. This will certainly be able to contribute to the appearance of even thinner devices. Of course, the connector itself and the accompanying board are only part of the puzzle. Eric Lin believes that we can witness the appearance in the apparatus of a kind of converters of 'digit' to 'analog'. The already mentioned Lee agrees with him, who touches upon another key principle according to which unnecessary modules are removed from devices – flexibility. “Dropping this connector will provide more flexibility in terms of the distribution of hardware in the case and the thickness of the device, this connector is the thickest peripheral part of the phone.”
So the opportunity exists. In any case, it will be a big leap forward in development. And also, perhaps, a 'bell' for those who prefer to charge their devices and listen to music at the same time. But more importantly, device manufacturers are already mulling the details of this transition.
Original material by Phil Nickinson
Elir: The trend towards the transition to Type C, in my opinion, is positive, it is functionally richer, not to mention the increased data transfer rate. Plus, this transition will have a positive effect on the thickness of the devices. Why not use the won millimeters, if not to create mega-thin devices, but to increase the battery capacity of the device? So, just a thought. Still, the idea of the wireless future of mobile audio is closer to me, in this case it doesn't really matter which connector is present in the device. Modern Bluetooth, albeit not on all devices, is capable of delivering an audio stream of quite tolerable quality to headphones. Of course, audiophiles won't like such changes, I admit it. In favor of the wireless scenario is the gradual appearance of wireless chargers for flagship (and not only) devices.
Let's go back to the usual connector. Yes, it will be quite difficult for many users to imagine their user experience without it: some have favorite wired headphones that have been worn for years or change to the same ones when they fail. It is a pity for the manufacturers of numerous 'smart' and not so smart accessories for the connector, apparently, over time, you will have to look for new ideas. However, due to evolution, one often has to abandon some components of the system in favor of development and movement forward. You can remember the numerous charging connectors, which varied depending on the manufacturer, or even within the lineup of one company. The ensuing attempt to standardize and bring a single connector to the market is seen as an absolutely positive change. Considering the current presence, if not a dozen, but two main connectors (Lightning and MicroUSB), the use of Type C both in devices on Android and iOS will, in my opinion, be a serious step towards ways to bridge the hardware gap between platforms. Another question is, are the manufacturers ready for this? We will see.
Which alternative do you prefer – Type C or wireless?