I just got my ancient iPod classic out. Works perfectly, has jack, no tracking, no stupid ads, just my music whenever the fuck I want. I never thought it would be such a treasure in 2026.
I don’t really see why it’s such a dealbreaker for so many. Hardly any phones have 3.5mm, and for those that don’t, you can just put a dongle on the end of your existing wired headphones.
Hardly any phones have 3.5mm NOW. Google started this shit, and I do not forgive. I do not forget.
However, there is simply no reason why the manufacturers SHOULDN’T put a second USB port down there, since it would allow for dongle-less use of wired headphones, listening while charging, open up many more niche uses for the hardware, AND it would provide a redundancy for what is, in most cases, the only method of charging and accessing the data on the device
Fair enough. I literally do not even mentally consider apple to be a smartphone producer, because the market for apple is “I want a brick that is a slightly smaller status symbol than the last $1000+ brick I paid you for”, while android was a market with competition, open-source development, and hardware selection. When apple removed the headphone jack for a proprietary port, I saw it as just more of apple requiring you to pay $100 for another proprietary cord that would fall apart in 3 months. I remember when google decided to remove the headphone jack, and at that point, I knew that everyone else would follow. that is what I do not forgive. It also happened to occur around the point at which I first read cloud atlas and snow crash, and began to clearly perceive what was coming for our world, so that is one of the primary acts I remember as defining the enshittification of the world of personal computing, as the true death knell of backwards compatibility and flexibility, in favour of a smartphone just being a Propaganda Brick™
I’ve been using a dongle with my phone for almost two years. Now, every time I charge it, I have to find a “sweet spot” where it actually works and be careful not to move the cable around or it’ll stop charging.
Yeah, I think we’re past that point now. I know the Clicks Communicator has a 3.5mm jack but I really don’t see why. If anyone is thinking about fitting an extra port on their phone I’d sooner see a second USB-C jack.
USB C headphones are not a solution unless the device has at least two USB C ports but they can’t be bothered to do that either. Bluetooth headphones have to be charged, are more expensive, and are more fragile so they are also not a solution.
A USB-C dongle requires you to first insert the dongle and then insert the headphones. Otherwise, the phone doesn’t register them.
It is a dealbreaker for me because I hate having to worry about batteries everywhere. I had some in my helmet, and the thing kept interrupting my music because it had to tell me the batteries were low. The entire trip, every damn minute.
Fuck that shit, I already have a battery, it is right in my phone.
And I am not going to spend more than 20€ on headphones either when you can get wired literally for free.
Did they already bring back the 3.5mm jack? o.O
Looks like not, which immediately ruins the phone
I just got my ancient iPod classic out. Works perfectly, has jack, no tracking, no stupid ads, just my music whenever the fuck I want. I never thought it would be such a treasure in 2026.
I don’t really see why it’s such a dealbreaker for so many. Hardly any phones have 3.5mm, and for those that don’t, you can just put a dongle on the end of your existing wired headphones.
Because it’s ubiquitous, allows headphones without needing charged, and allows movement around the jack as opposed to the USB c port.
It’s a great design and the best part is that if it’s included it doesn’t preclude anyone from using Bluetooth headphones if they so choose.
Hardly any phones have 3.5mm NOW. Google started this shit, and I do not forgive. I do not forget.
However, there is simply no reason why the manufacturers SHOULDN’T put a second USB port down there, since it would allow for dongle-less use of wired headphones, listening while charging, open up many more niche uses for the hardware, AND it would provide a redundancy for what is, in most cases, the only method of charging and accessing the data on the device
*Apple started this shit, Google laughed at them. Initially, that is.
Fair enough. I literally do not even mentally consider apple to be a smartphone producer, because the market for apple is “I want a brick that is a slightly smaller status symbol than the last $1000+ brick I paid you for”, while android was a market with competition, open-source development, and hardware selection. When apple removed the headphone jack for a proprietary port, I saw it as just more of apple requiring you to pay $100 for another proprietary cord that would fall apart in 3 months. I remember when google decided to remove the headphone jack, and at that point, I knew that everyone else would follow. that is what I do not forgive. It also happened to occur around the point at which I first read cloud atlas and snow crash, and began to clearly perceive what was coming for our world, so that is one of the primary acts I remember as defining the enshittification of the world of personal computing, as the true death knell of backwards compatibility and flexibility, in favour of a smartphone just being a Propaganda Brick™
I’ve been using a dongle with my phone for almost two years. Now, every time I charge it, I have to find a “sweet spot” where it actually works and be careful not to move the cable around or it’ll stop charging.
Exactly this. All of those adapters from USB-c to 3.5 are ass no matter how many people try to say to just use them.
Give me a thicker, heavier phone if you have to, just give me the damn headphone jack.
Have you tried cleaning the plug? I find this happens a lot with debris etc.
With a fairphone you could replace it for 15 bucks
But with a good phone they wouldn’t need to
Yeah, I think we’re past that point now. I know the Clicks Communicator has a 3.5mm jack but I really don’t see why. If anyone is thinking about fitting an extra port on their phone I’d sooner see a second USB-C jack.
USB C headphones are not a solution unless the device has at least two USB C ports but they can’t be bothered to do that either. Bluetooth headphones have to be charged, are more expensive, and are more fragile so they are also not a solution.
A USB-C dongle requires you to first insert the dongle and then insert the headphones. Otherwise, the phone doesn’t register them.
It is a dealbreaker for me because I hate having to worry about batteries everywhere. I had some in my helmet, and the thing kept interrupting my music because it had to tell me the batteries were low. The entire trip, every damn minute.
Fuck that shit, I already have a battery, it is right in my phone.
And I am not going to spend more than 20€ on headphones either when you can get wired literally for free.
Agreed.
If only… I considered the Fairphone 6, but the missing jack port was a deal-breaker for me. Went with a midrange Motorola instead.