5 reasons I wish the headphone jack was coming back
By Andy Sansom
While it makes for some sleek-looking phones, I find the absence of a headphone
jack on the best smartphones a real shame. Some of the best wireless headphones
and best wireless earbuds are great, but to me, theyâll never match their
analog ancestors.
I long for the days of plug-and-play headphones, and not just for the sake of
nostalgia. Itâll probably never happen, but my one wish for the top
manufacturers is to please bring back the humble headphone jack. Consider these
5 reasons the start of a new grassroots campaign to bring back wired
headphones.
1. Wired headphones are harder to lose
Iâm the kind of person who takes my earbuds everywhere I go, but this means
Iâve also lost my fair share of wireless earbuds. Some are likely deep under
couch cushions but Iâve also been separated from them in more exotic
locations â on airplanes, trains, and vacations â and theyâre never
coming back (I hope theyâre having a good time). The fact that there is no
find my AirPods on Android is criminal. We Android users can be just as
forgetful as iPhone owners.
2. They sound better
While Bluetooth has improved over the years, the best wireless headphones will
never sound as good as wired ones. A Bluetooth connection to headphones is
another degree of separation from the original audio and another level of sound
processing we don't need. An analog connection will always trump a digital
signal in sound quality. While we have to keep waiting for lossless audio on
Spotifyâs Hi-fi tier, I'll take all the audio improvements I can get.
3. You donât have to charge them
Even with the rapid charging of phones today, I struggle to balance charging
all of my devices. When going on a long journey, the last thing I want to hear
is the dreaded beep of my headphones declaring theyâre about to run out of
juice. I hate having to ration listening to music and podcasts to avoid battery
drain. Wired headphones and earbuds never run out of juice, and even if your
phone needs to be plugged in, you can listen while charging.
4. They're less expensive
Not only are they easier to lose, but replacing wireless earbuds is more
expensive. Even the best Airpod deals rarely drop below $100 for entry-level
models while Appleâs wired Earpods are around $20. Thatâs a big difference.
If you do have wireless earbuds or headphones, you better look after them.
5. There's no pairing issues
The amount of time Iâve spent pairing earbuds to my phone is obscene. Pairing
and unpairing to switch between my phone and laptop has become such a pain I
just switch my Bluetooth off completely when not using the other device.
I always have a little moment of panic listening to music on wireless earbuds
in public spaces that it just wonât connect and the whole world will know
Iâm listening to Avril Lavigne. Thatâs not to mention seemingly random
occasions where one headphone will connect while the other stays silent and you
have to disconnect and reconnect again.
I know that deep down, wireless headphones are the future, and particularly
useful for the gym and running, but for now, I'll just turn up the music and
ignore them.
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