Intel proposes that USB Type-C replaces the 3.5mm audio jack

[scaryjim]

To be fair though guys most people aren't charging their phones or using the connector when they're using headphones are they?!?!?!?!!?

All the time. USB to my work computer for charging and SD card access, plus headphones for music (or Test Match Special, depending on time of year ). Plus I use the phone with a set of speakers for music/radio in the kitchen all the time - charging cable plugged in plus a 3.5mm cable to the speakers. In fact, I think I probably have USB and 3.5mm plugged in more often than just one or the other.

... I don't own any bluetooth headphones, I think I'm talking myself into it

If it's any comfort you're steadily talking me into it too (although I'd probably go for a bluetooth adapter, given I've got a few sets of good headphones already). I've got a couple of other bits I need to order in the next week or two anyway, can't hurt to chuck a BT adapter in to save on postage...

[Frank E]

They'd need to convince the audio industry and manufacturers of proper headphones.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

They'd need to convince the audio industry and manufacturers of proper headphones.

This.

[3dcandy]

I was an hour ago. Low on battery and needed to concentrate on my work.

always one... still a rarity

[scaryjim]

always one... still a rarity

Or two, as I explained above...

[3dcandy]

That's still a rarity.... buy a cheap SD card for work, I wouldn't want my phone used as USB storage particularly or use cloud instead. A lot of people I know are not allowed to use their phones like you are either not allowed to attach them to pc's as security issue or not allowed them out at all. For people like you adaptors will be available if you need them. They're out for Macbooks for example... and yes this announcement is for Apple aswell so they can use it for Macbooks and people will not be bothered if the headphone socket disappears on iPhones

Bluetooth yes works fine for headphones but possible security risks and people wanted cables stands in the way

[3dcandy]

This.

If there is an audio out then an adaptor will be available. Analogue out is on 2 pins already so job done

[Froggywoggy]

Yeah because phones main problem right now is too many ports and not thin enough.

Actually, the 3.5 mm audio jack is currently the largest port on my phone. No less than Apple has cited it as a primary inhibitor to thinner phones. USB-C ports are around 2.6 mm high, saving 0.9 mm or, to put it another way, 26% smaller.

It would actually make more sense to ditch the aged 3.5 mm jack, ignore the whining granddads, and make two USB-C ports standard for phones, e.g. side-by side or top and bottom.

[jag272]

Actually, the 3.5 mm audio jack is currently the largest port on my phone. No less than Apple has cited it as a primary inhibitor to thinner phones. USB-C ports are around 2.6 mm high, saving 0.9 mm or, to put it another way, 26% smaller.

It would actually make more sense to ditch the aged 3.5 mm jack, ignore the whining granddads, and make two USB-C ports standard for phones, e.g. side-by side or top and bottom.

In all honesty that reason alone is enough for me to vote to keep it in. Phones are already getting far too thin, especially the Apple variety. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we should go back to brick phones, but I think were at the point where thinner isn't necessarily better. I have a somewhat rugged case on my LG G3 because it was slightly too thin for my liking, though I think current phones are about right in thickness personally.

I dunno, maybe the rest of the market, and particularly the apple market, want thinner phones. But likewise I'm sure I'm not the only one that thinks phones are already thin enough.

I'm not saying we should keep 3.5mm purely for the sake of thicker phones though, since the 2 have very little correlation, but I still think 3.5mm is still more suited to the job, good luck twisting a USB C when it catches on your clothing for example. If the change is going to be made, make it once USB C has been adopted more widely elsewhere. Trying to "force" a move from 3.5mm to USB C seems like too much of a powerplay to me. It could work, and we could see a universal standard as a result, but who is to say it won't flop and just become yet another standard. 3.5mm is already considered universal as far as audio goes, and thickness aside, doesn't have that many disadvantages, and I certainly don't think the digital audio enhancements intel mention are as good as they say.

[Froggywoggy]

In all honesty that reason alone is enough for me to vote to keep it in. Phones are already getting far too thin, especially the Apple variety. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we should go back to brick phones, but I think were at the point where thinner isn't necessarily better. I have a somewhat rugged case on my LG G3 because it was slightly too thin for my liking, though I think current phones are about right in thickness personally.

I dunno, maybe the rest of the market, and particularly the apple market, want thinner phones. But likewise I'm sure I'm not the only one that thinks phones are already thin enough.

I'm not saying we should keep 3.5mm purely for the sake of thicker phones though, since the 2 have very little correlation, but I still think 3.5mm is still more suited to the job, good luck twisting a USB C when it catches on your clothing for example. If the change is going to be made, make it once USB C has been adopted more widely elsewhere. Trying to "force" a move from 3.5mm to USB C seems like too much of a powerplay to me. It could work, and we could see a universal standard as a result, but who is to say it won't flop and just become yet another standard. 3.5mm is already considered universal as far as audio goes, and thickness aside, doesn't have that many disadvantages, and I certainly don't think the digital audio enhancements intel mention are as good as they say.

That's fair enough and I think I agree on the thickness point - if phones got too thin they would be uncomfortable to hold. Although I think they can get thinner and I'm not opposed to change if it works. But I was specifically responding to OP's misinformation about the size of the ports.

Your point about rotating the jack is also valid, although I tend to avoid doing that in practice as it causes unnecessary wear and may affect connection if done too much - I've had 3.5mm ports become unreliable in the past due to over-use, so, to err on the side of caution, I avoid anything which unnecessarily wears the components, especially with gold being so soft. Instead I just rotate the headphones themselves - so the USB-C port doesn't actually present much of an issue there for me at least.

I also agree that Intel shouldn't use their market might to force in a standard port. They should make the port as good as it can be and prove to tech companies why they should adopt it. But it should be a choice based on merit rather than coercion. Of course, that's probably not what will happen in reality.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

If there is an audio out then an adaptor will be available. Analogue out is on 2 pins already so job done

I don't want to pay for another accessory with less functionality which is only there so companies can make more money. You pay more for less.

[DanceswithUnix]

Bluetooth yes works fine for headphones but possible security risks and people wanted cables stands in the way

What security risk??? Maybe for a headset, something with a microphone where it gets lazily paired with anyone who can be bothered to guess that 0000 is the pin and evesdrop on what is happening.

But headphones? I can see that someone could, again if the pairing isn't implemented properly, take them over and start playing Rick Astley through them which might be irritating but hardly a security hazard.

Plugging anything into a USB socket which can pretty much do *anything* as seen in the "Universal" part of the USB lettering, that seems rather more fraught.

[Xlucine]

Resistance to bending scales with the thickness cubed, if phones get too thin for a 3.5mm jack then we'll see a lot more bent phones. 3.5mm works well, is ubiquitous, and my ears aren't good enough for digital audio to make a difference, so I'll avoid a phone without a 3.5mm jack for the foreseeable future.

[DanceswithUnix]

Resistance to bending scales with the thickness cubed, if phones get too thin for a 3.5mm jack then we'll see a lot more bent phones.

OTOH, they might be springier and better at coping with being dropped.

[peterb]

They'd need to convince the audio industry and manufacturers of proper headphones.

Not really, if you are listening to MP3, it isn't 'proper' audio anyway.

But they can overcome that by gold plating the connectors and/or using oxygen free copper and hiking the price by 2000%

[DaMoot]

A feature that absolutely nobody asked for to solve a problem that doesn't exist... Just keep the standard mini-stereo that everyone has adapters and headphones for. Otherwise you'll end up with yet another adapter/dongle that people have to carry with them to convert your USB 3 connection to an audio jack.