The author has stopped using smartphones with headphone jacks.

I have witnessed several audio innovations, such as the decline of cassettes, the rise and fall of CDs, the MP3 era, and the emergence of smartphones.

I constantly used headphones, and my microSD cards were always full. I appreciated the convenience of smartphones and defended the 3.5 mm headphone jack. However, my perspective has changed.

To recap, Oppo's Finder model in 2012 was the first to remove the headphone jack, not Apple.

Apple removed the 3.5 mm jack from the iPhone 7 in 2016, and Samsung followed suit with the Galaxy Note 10 in 2019.

The reasons for this change included companies promoting Bluetooth headphones, design limitations, thin phone designs, and waterproofing issues. Regardless, the outcome was the same.

I was unhappy because I was in a band and owned high-quality monitor headphones and Sennheisers.

I used a Sony Z5 Compact, which worked well with my headphones. However, the phone was aging, and my options were limited.

Initially, it wasn't just nostalgia. A decade ago, Bluetooth headphones had unstable connections, noticeable latency, and inferior quality compared to wired headphones.

Wireless earbuds and headphones were expensive, and replacing my wired headphones seemed wasteful.

I recall being disappointed with the sound quality and two-hour battery life of Samsung Gear IconX earbuds.

Wired headphones are simple, universal, and powered by the smartphone's battery. They also lack batteries that degrade over time.

I continued using Xperia phones and wired headphones for a while. So, what caused my change of heart?

People often describe sudden epiphanies, but my shift was gradual.

Over the past year, I have increasingly used the wireless earbuds that we review.

The audio quality has improved significantly, and some models offer all-day battery life.

My "WOW" moment was realizing that Bluetooth is now used across many devices at home.

I used to believe that wired or wireless didn't matter because smartphones are always with you. Now, I value the freedom to move around and connect to multiple Bluetooth devices.

Wireless audio has its flaws, but it has become the dominant technology.

I abandoned my preference for wired audio and the 3.5 mm jack on smartphones. Wireless audio isn't perfect; it still has latency, some earbuds have short battery life, and batteries degrade over time.

We were also forced to adapt as phones eliminated the 3.5 mm headphone jack. Change is difficult when it is forced.

Wireless prevailed not because it's superior, but because it's "good enough" for most, including myself.

Will iPhones and Galaxy phones ever bring back the 3.5 mm jack?

I doubt it. Wireless audio standards are improving, silicon-carbon batteries are appearing in smartwatches and are expected in headphones, and the tradeoffs are becoming less significant.

The vision of a portless smartphone persists, excluding the 3.5 mm jack. My wired Sennheisers still sound better than Bluetooth, but I no longer need a 3.5 mm jack on my smartphone.

What are your thoughts? Do you still want this audio port on your smartphone? In 2021, 76% wanted it back, but in 2022, that number dropped to 62%. Let's see what happens by 2025.

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