Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 Will Both Ditch the Headphone Jack

Megalith

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9to5Google’s managing editor, Stephen Hall, has received another tip that the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 will ditch the headphone jack: if you look at his latest tweets, you will find increasing indication that Google has terminated the 3.5mm plug. For instance, OnLeaks has revealed that the headphone-jack cutouts on those leaked cases are actually cutouts for the microphone. I guess I'm going to have to buy a new car stereo, since the Bluetooth functionality on mine is broken and I have to use AUX...
 
We should be more courageous and do this kind of thing on our PC's. Every PC should only have 1 usb port. We can always add more and more and more dongles so why would anyone need more than 1 port?
 
We should be more courageous and do this kind of thing on our PC's. Every PC should only have 1 usb port. We can always add more and more and more dongles so why would anyone need more than 1 port?

That scenario, strictly speaking, isn't actually a huge problem because USB hubs exist. So you can survive with a PC with only a single USB port. Smartphones don't have that luxury.

As long as the Pixel 2 has front facing stereo speakers I'll probably be moving to it from my Nexus 6P. Gonna have to start hunting for decent bluetooth earbuds....
 
That scenario, strictly speaking, isn't actually a huge problem because USB hubs exist. So you can survive with a PC with only a single USB port. Smartphones don't have that luxury.

As long as the Pixel 2 has front facing stereo speakers I'll probably be moving to it from my Nexus 6P. Gonna have to start hunting for decent bluetooth earbuds....
Until you need that bandwidth for any reason and then your hubs goto shit fast.
 
Well, google can say goodbye to any potential sale from me. Getting rid of this is a kick in the pants to what? Like 40+ years of use of something that never needed replacing. Are they really that stingy about saving a small amount of money on an output DAC? (As I type this on a Nexus 5x.)
 
Buy new headphones and a new headset for calls just because Google thinks Bluetooth is super cool? Hard no.
 
I'm hesitant to upgrade my iPhone because of the lack of a headphone jack (can't use Android for work).

Apple has discontinued their iPod Nano/Shuffle lines, so the phone would be my main travel music player. Lack of headphone jack would kill it.

While I wouldn't have bought one of these (unless I move jobs and need a personal phone, which I'd go Android), it's still something that is a big mistake, IMO.
 
Makes fun of the iPhone for removing it on their phones during the release of the Google Pixel.

Makes fun of itself for removing it on their Google Pixel 2?

o_O

That was Samsung from what I remember, and we all know how that turned out :)
 
6 months after release:

"Do you think the lack of an aux jack has contributed to the lackluster sales of the new Pixel 2?"
- GizTechModoReviewShite

"It's not our fault that those neanderthals cannot figure out how to use an adapter dongle or a Bluetooth headset!"
- Google
 
All you guys griping are going to have to deal with it. Ditching the headphone jack is a major cost-cutting measure for cell phone makers (no DAC, analog output stage, or physical interface). It's gone and not coming back.
 
I'm hesitant to upgrade my iPhone because of the lack of a headphone jack (can't use Android for work).

Apple has discontinued their iPod Nano/Shuffle lines, so the phone would be my main travel music player. Lack of headphone jack would kill it.

While I wouldn't have bought one of these (unless I move jobs and need a personal phone, which I'd go Android), it's still something that is a big mistake, IMO.

I don't use earbuds (then again I don't need the mobility). I use AKG and Grado sets for recording, and other audio work, and prefer to use them on my phone as well. I'm not going to get into the discussion of conversion and compression, but I do prefer my sets, and don't want wireless headphones, or extra adapters to use wired. I'm also sticking with my iPhone 6S for as long as I can get away with it now. Not sure what I'll do after it's no longer viable.
 
All you guys griping are going to have to deal with it. Ditching the headphone jack is a major cost-cutting measure for cell phone makers (no DAC, analog output stage, or physical interface). It's gone and not coming back.

Oh because a half decent DAC is SSSSOOOOOOOO expensive right? No, it's to get you locked into buying their accessories, and spending extra money on bullshit.
 
All you guys griping are going to have to deal with it. Ditching the headphone jack is a major cost-cutting measure for cell phone makers (no DAC, analog output stage, or physical interface). It's gone and not coming back.
50 cents to a dollar is a major cost cutting tool? Fuck outta here with that. This isn't some high dollar, high power DAC, this is a cheap 22 cent piece that will output some halfway decent audio to some average headphones. Hell, you can go on Amazon and find external DACs for dirt cheap these days.

I'll admit, I rarely use wired headphones, but having the option available is a very useful backup for when I've forgotten my bluetooth set at home/work or when the battery dies, or when I'm in a high RF area.
 
I know I'm not exactly their target use-case here, but it still sucks to see this. Once everywhere is completely saturated with bluetooth sets, and nobody can hear anything I suspect we'll see something different. I'm guessing it will start with major metropolitan areas with mass transit systems. People will start complaining because they can't hear anything but static or someone else' music. Then some grandma will hear gangster rap from the guy across the aisle, and start a major uproar about hearing bad things in her earbuds. Mass hysteria!!

You know, if some nice little boutique audio company wants to make a decently powerful Android phone with high(ish)-end DAC, 3.5mm or even 1/4" headphone jack, a robust player, and lots of storage in a nice milled case, I'd buy it.
 
I kinda thought this was a dumb idea when Apple first announced it...the headphone jack is useful!

Then I thought about it, and realized I haven't used the headphone jack on my phone ever. I have a set of BT headphones for the gym (mainly so I don't get tangled in the wires). Other than that, I've never used it on the phone I've owned for >18 months now. I don't think I'd miss it if it was gone right now...

Crap..I'm actually agreeing with a decision Apple made! Do I have to hand in my man-card? Someone help me!
 
I don't use earbuds (then again I don't need the mobility). I use AKG and Grado sets for recording, and other audio work, and prefer to use them on my phone as well. I'm not going to get into the discussion of conversion and compression, but I do prefer my sets, and don't want wireless headphones, or extra adapters to use wired. I'm also sticking with my iPhone 6S for as long as I can get away with it now. Not sure what I'll do after it's no longer viable.

While I'd love to get into more high def stuff, grabbing a cheap pair of Sennheiser headphones and an iPod/iPhone while chilling outside or wherever is easy and 'good enough'.

Inside, I'd love to go with a nice high quality set. But, I wouldn't be using the iPod/iPhone for any high fidelity stuff, either. It's kind of like using a Surface Pro for real work and an iPad for casual stuff. :)

Guy at my work said he hesitates to upgrade as he travels a lot. Always needing to charge his phone on long trips and listens to music the whole trip. He doesn't like wireless stuff, either. He loses enough things as it is!
 
While I'd love to get into more high def stuff, grabbing a cheap pair of Sennheiser headphones and an iPod/iPhone while chilling outside or wherever is easy and 'good enough'.

Inside, I'd love to go with a nice high quality set. But, I wouldn't be using the iPod/iPhone for any high fidelity stuff, either. It's kind of like using a Surface Pro for real work and an iPad for casual stuff. :)

Guy at my work said he hesitates to upgrade as he travels a lot. Always needing to charge his phone on long trips and listens to music the whole trip. He doesn't like wireless stuff, either. He loses enough things as it is!

Yeah, mine are more workhorse studio types. AKGs for flat response, and Grados for a bit more color for just listening. Yeah, a phone isn't exactly ideal for just listening, but a decent set still makes a difference. Good enough is usually just fine. I actually do quite a bit of recording (and design analog synthesizers as well,) so between a couple of decent head sets, and two different pairs active monitors, I can get a decent idea of how something is going to sound.

I definitely don't need to use those sets for just listening to music, but they sound good, and since I'm used to them I just throw them on. They aren't particularly convenient though :D
 
You know what's courage? Getting that new phone, be it an iPhone or a Pixel2, and putting a 3.5mm bit in your drill and making your own headphone jack.

;)
 
Oh because a half decent DAC is SSSSOOOOOOOO expensive right? No, it's to get you locked into buying their accessories, and spending extra money on bullshit.

50 cents to a dollar is a major cost cutting tool? Fuck outta here with that. This isn't some high dollar, high power DAC, this is a cheap 22 cent piece that will output some halfway decent audio to some average headphones. Hell, you can go on Amazon and find external DACs for dirt cheap these days.

I'll admit, I rarely use wired headphones, but having the option available is a very useful backup for when I've forgotten my bluetooth set at home/work or when the battery dies, or when I'm in a high RF area.

Be as mad as you want. The margins on Android phones are razor thin; every penny counts for these guys. You better believe they'll shave 22 cents off if they can.
 
You know what's courage? Getting that new phone, be it an iPhone or a Pixel2, and putting a 3.5mm bit in your drill and making your own headphone jack.

;)

Now, if you had a logic probe, milling machine, and enough space in the case for a tiny daughterboard...
 
This seems incredibly foolish to me, as there are lots of benefits from a headphone jack/line out etc... and I was looking to pick up a Pixel 2 to replace my Nexus 6 if there feature set is right (ie I want to see true wireless Qi compatible charging again! Its so convenent and the Galaxy side has finally gotten onboard with it, so fuck... lets see what the Pixel and other Android OEMs can do). However, how much will this really impact things?

I assume that the Pixel 2 will have a USB 3.1 TypeC connector right? So, I am guessing there will be adapters for 3.5mm headphone/headset jacks. Now, is it possible there will be "splitter" style jacks to say, allow USB passthrough (charging/data etc.) and split off the audio 3.5mm jack to both be used at the same time? If so, its the minor annoyance of an adapter. If not, and you have to choose either USB vs Headphone Adapter, that's a bit more disappointing. Lastly, is there anything specifically that you can't do with an adapter 3.5mm versus a native one? I was wondering about any sort of raw output etc... but I wasn't sure if that was a real impact or not.

In any event it seems a waste to avoid a hardline 3.5mm jack but depending on the above it goes from a minor inconvenience to a more significant one. However one thing that really annoys me however is - if the push is for Bluetooth audio and whatnot - that audio quality on most Android devices when using the handset mics etc... massively trumps even the highest quality (ie PlantronicsVoyager Edge) Bluetooth headsets. I spend a significant amount of time talking on my Nexus 6, often using something like Skype/Discord / Mumble or other VOIP like Signal / Wire, and I'm told that my voice is a lot clearer and whatnot - less compressed sounding etc - if II use hardline headset or the handset vs Bluetooth. I remember reading that could be because of audio quality limitations in Bluetooth 4.x, but also because Android or various Android apps like Skype actually put through lower quality when using BT vs hardline? So all of this in mind, if the push from the industry is to get rid of 3.5mm headsets and hardline audio etc... then they need to do much better with wireless audio quality, both incoming and outgoing.
 
The main problem I have with dongles, especially ones that plug into a slot/edge style port, is reliability. It's SO easy to snap them. A 3.5mm headphone plug isn't the strongest thing in the world. Far from it, but it holds up better than any other flat connector of a similar size that I've ever seen. USB C seems a lot better than mini/micro USB, and Apple's other charging/data offerings of the past, but it wouldn't take too much pressure from a heavier headset cord (like the coiled one on my AKGs) to snap it off I don't think, and then you run the risk of damaging your data/charging connection to the phone.

Kind of an extreme example, but it's something that bothers me. The more discrete parts plugged together... the more something will get lost, broken, etc.

But... eventually I'm going to need a new phone, and by around that time, I'm guessing that all of the good ones that I'd want are going to be going this route. I'm under no delusions that I'm going to have to eventually just deal with it where my phone is concerned. I don't have to like it though.
 
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You know, (and maybe this exists, I haven't tried looking yet) if a decent, reputable company made some decent (studio grade, open-back headphones with a nice flat response) that had the DAC internal to them, and worked off of a USB C cable that could be plugged into a phone or other device. That would go a long way to me being ok with this sort of thing. No dongles, no antiquated connectors. It would need a lossless transfer prototcol. (a lot of USB media devices use isochronous transfer to maintain timing, but lose data in high-traffic conditions) Not that audio streams are terribly high data rates anyway, I'd just want them lossless and synced.
 
Oh because a half decent DAC is SSSSOOOOOOOO expensive right? No, it's to get you locked into buying their accessories, and spending extra money on bullshit.

Bluetooth headphones aren’t only made by google.
 
Not having a 3.5mm audio jack is a non-starter for me as I don't own anything that is Bluetooth compatible that can output sound (my car doesn't have Bluetooth and I don't have any Bluetooth headsets/speakers). I own quality headphones that use a 3.5mm jack and I hate having to charge wireless anything (other than a tablet or cell phone).
 
Not sanctioning ditching the 3.5mm port, this is really stupid, BUT a possible solution is buying a cheap, quality bluetooth DAC/amp, for example Creative's E3 (no aptx but still good quality), or something else with aptX, which allows you to use any headphones or IEMs or whatever you want. Plus it doubles as a DAC/amp for your desktop if you so desire. The E3 is under $100 usually.

I find bluetooth headphones and IEMs to be overpriced for what you get, that way you're not overpaying for anything. (Other than buying a BT accessory you maybe did not need or want....which sucks, I agree. I guess this just might suck less?)

There are also very cheap car audio BT receivers that plug into aux ports in cars/tape deck converters, if you have one.

I do this anyway, just to divorce my phone from the headset wires for convenience.
 
All you guys griping are going to have to deal with it. Ditching the headphone jack is a major cost-cutting measure for cell phone makers (no DAC, analog output stage, or physical interface). It's gone and not coming back.

Has speakers, Has DAC, has analog output stage. Literally the only thing you save is the physical interface which is literally pennies on a multi-hundred $ device.
 
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Has speakers, Has DAC, has analog output stage. Literally the only thing you save is the physical interface which is literally pennies on a multi-hundred $ device.

The jack itself is cheap, but it's likely become a problem to design around as they keep pushing thinner and lighter.
 
Maybe they'll have the courage to jack up the price another $200-300, too. Stupid.
 
Wireless headphones will NEVER replace a good set of hardwired cans. Google and Apple, you can keep your $800 bricks.
 
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