November 2015 - Android users: "How stupid are Apple fan boys paying $100 for a stylus?"

October 2017 - Google releases $100 Pixelpen.

September 2016 - Android users: "OMG! Apple removed the headphone jack! You will have to use a DONGLE! That is ridiculous!"

October 2017 - Google announces Pixel 2 width USB-C for charging and audio playback. Includes a USB-C to 3.5mm audio dongle.

At least they include it right away 😂

And they introduced Pixel Buds : AirPods, Home Max : HomePod,

As an Android user, I completely understand Apple's intent to get rid of the audio jack.

(I keep silent about the pen as it's not for me.)

Bluetooth for the masses has become good enough, and the audio jack will go the way of the Dodo just like the DVD drive did in laptops freeing up space for better hardware or to reduce built space.

I remember, back in the day, being dumbfounded by Apple's decision to remove the DVD tray in their MacBook Air. They were even mocked by a Lenovo ad for it. How many laptops have DVD drives onboard nowadays? If so, how many of those are actually being used?

I cannot even remember the last time I used a DVD, and even though my Android still has an audio jacket, I barely ever use it, as it almost always connects to Bluetooth.

There's a difference between a jack and a DVD. 3.5mm jacks have been a consumer standard for forty or more years, whereas DVD was a limited technology. There isn't anything more you need to do with a jack other than listen to music, make calls, and possibly control the volume and handset. The alternative to the jack is a step backwards in technology, whereas the DVD was replaced by something better and more affordable. The lack of an audio jack is anti-competitive, whereas the inclusion of a jack embraces and encourages competition from almost every electronics manufacturer. All in all, this was a very bad precedent for Apple to set, and its causing some serious damage to the industry.

I thought it was fucking stupid when apple did it, and I thought it was fucking stupid when Google did it.

You've correctly noted the obvious point that Apple are often setting the anti-consumer trends. "let's remove something, then tell people it's better and charge more", then because Apple got away with it, other companies think they can too. They're the hipster asshole of tech companies.

Simple fix, don't buy either. Give me 2 USB C ports where it's actually an improvement, and I'll be fine with no headphone jack.

So, my Samsung has a pen, an sd card slot, and a headphone jack. And I use all of them.. *Written using the pen while listening on music from my memory card through wired headphones*

So why not open source Apple's iOS. Let's see what the other manufacturers can do to with it, and not limited to hardware provided by Apple itself.

Use this 1500 Rupee (25$ or smthing) Jio 4G phone.

I still can't use bt audio everywhere (besides they are expensive, bulky, sound crap, and have to charge them). I use my €200 in ears everywhere.

Google just ruined it for me how do I listen to audiobook/podcast and charge my phone when I'm lying in bed (do this almost every night before I go to sleep)

@Fydrenak is completely correct. Why not two usb-c connectors? If one port breaks you can still charge your phone can probably share chip. Could even wire it to top so you have top and bottom connector.

Mean while I'm here all alone with my two year old phone that I hope survives my debugging sessions as I'm not willing to upgrade not now, not in a 100 years, if I weren't a mobile dev I'd probably go with Nokia 3310 cuz I use don't use apps and not solving world crisis so things can wait till I get home and use my laptop

I though usb-c headsets are going to be a thing and have also higher audio quality.. so. As long as I can plug some fucking headset when the Bluetooth one dies I am all good.

To those of you asking for two usb-c ports... Are you crazy? The problem is the change from 3.5mm to usb-c in the first place! With 3.5mm, any pair of headphones in the world are compatible with your device. Not so, with usb-c.

We thought Apple made retarded decisions so we made fun of them, but then our home boi Google became a snake and did retarded shit too.

@dontbeevil tragic

@monr0e I think you misunderstood us. We need a 3.5mm Jack to put our headphones in but we are fine with an extra usb-c port if an adapter is provided (and it's not too bulky of course). We than also have the general benefits of a secondary versatile port.

@dontbeevil hence my advocacy of a second port 😉. In my first comment I even stated why we need that.

Also was under the assumption that you get the adapter with the phone. If not fuck them and I'll get a different brand. With Oreo we expect less messed up OS by manufacturer. So I don't require nexus/pixel in the future (hopefully)

@runfrodorun yes, there is very clearly a difference - and if you think Ethernet jacks are going anywhere just because some laptops don't have them anymore, you're an idiot.

I use 3.5mm jacks everywhere. A 3.5mm jack connects my computer to my sound system. A 3.5mm jack connects my TV to a sound system. I use headphones with a 3.5mm jack constantly, and when my phone dies I can stick my iPod on and they fit. I use a 3.5mm jack in my car, to hook up a tablet and my HUD. I use a 3.5mm jack to connect modern and legacy equipment together because look! It all uses the same standard! My car doesn't know what a USB-c port is. I'm not buying another car for at least a decade. My daughters toys use a 3.5mm jack to connect her big chunky toddler headphones so I don't have to listen to them too. Hey, guess what! Every single pair of headphones and earphones I own use a 3.5mm jack!

@runfrodorun what about Ethernet cables? I have no WiFi in my house. My entire house is cabled, because that's the way I like it. Even if I did have WiFi, though, I'd cable my desktop and probably my laptop too. Hey, guess what? My TiVo box and my raspberry Pi DVR use ethernet! My networking panel uses, guess what? Ethernet! And it connects my storage to my network! Oh, what about my printer? Another Ethernet cable there. Same goes for my SIP phone!

You can't compare either of these to DVD, because DVD was replaced by something that was more accessible than DVD. Digital media has no flaws like inability to be accessed on old platforms, my 16 year old laptop can play HD films. Can I unplug a pair of earphones from a brand new iPhone, and stick them into that laptop? Can I fuck. Hey, but I could do that a couple of years ago!

Its a foolish move by apple, and its an even more foolish move by Google to follow them - but its even more concerning that apple has such a hold on the market.

@runfrodorun
I agree with you for the most part(ignoring WiFi and LTE is just stupid for example). The only problem here is that the Jack is not superseded by a new technology (unlike your pre CD-ROM example). I think it is very possible to transmit hq audio data trough the air. But before we can replace the wired part we need a lot of technical advances in wireless headphones. It needs to be a HQ DAP and headphone in one. But stay portable fit nicely and good battery life.
Just as wearables suck for most people. BT headphones do too. Until we get a better alternative support the damn thing.

Look at other superior technologies (blue ray wasn't it) adoption is important. I'll stick with the Jack you know the superior technology because it's simple, waterproof, compatible industry standard and provides the highest audio quality.