Sony: We removed the headphone jack due to the XZ2's design

[D13H4RD]

Chuck this one into the "Stuff you REALLY wished they had said very differently" bin. 

 

In response to concerns over the reasons Sony removed the headphone jack on the XPERIA XZ2, Sony's official FAQ had this to say;

Quote

Why did you remove the headphone jack on XZ2 and XZ2 Compact?

 

This is part of the shift to our new Ambient Flow design language. In order to create the beautiful seamless design, our designers needed to remove the headphone jack. Plus, we’re aware of the major market trend toward wireless headphones over wired headphones.

Source: https://blogs.sonymobile.com/2018/03/04/sony-mobile-mwc-2018-faq/amp/

 

The phone itself is 153mm tall, 72mm wide and around 11mm thick. Unless Sony used every ounce of available space or it's messed up, they could have found space for a jack, no? Even the LG G6, which is thinner and shorter, while packing in a bigger capacity battery, has a headphone jack. 

 

Sony, just say anything else that's relevant and maybe you won't get ridiculed so hard. Hell, the wireless headphones statement actually give more prudence. 

 

 

[Guest]

No Sony, no.

It's 2018, yeah... but you make like 100 different models of headphones.

Most of them wired.

Stop it.

[Energycore]

Sony thinking they can out-apple Apple

Quote

In order to create the beautiful seamless design

Next up, beautiful seamless computer cases without front IO.

[8uhbbhu8]

Fuck off Sony.

[Jurrunio]

5 minutes ago, Energycore said:

Next up, beautiful seamless computer cases without front IO.

After that, removal of rear I/O because a plate full of holes is ugly.

[DrMacintosh]

I really hope people realize that this is happening and will stop complaining. The headphone jack is dying, accept it. 

[D13H4RD]

4 minutes ago, Legendarypoet said:

No Sony, no.

It's 2018, yeah... but you make like 100 different models of headphones.

Most of them wired.

Stop it.

Nah, they're all too happy to sell you one of these. 

 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

Nah, they're all too happy to sell you one of these. 

 

Sticking w/ my ultra compact wired solution.

[ARikozuM]

4 minutes ago, Energycore said:

Next up, beautiful seamless computer cases without front IO.

Suspicious... More motherboard manufacturers are putting a start button on the back of the I/O... 

 

Also, I can't wait for the XZ2 Compact Tactical .45 with extended totally-not-tactical-whatsoever magazine with raised antenna and a Picatinny Micro-USB port. 

[D13H4RD]

5 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

I really hope people realize that this is happening and will stop complaining. The headphone jack is dying, accept it. 

Dude, maybe take a step back. 

 

Apple is in a far better position to actually do it because at least their dongle situation isn't as fucked up as the Android side. Anything that has a Lightning connector, unless it is broken to shit, will work with any iOS device with that port from the iPhone 5 onwards. 

 

Android's situation is a clusterfuck. I've said multiple times before, but Android OEMs with the exception of some are complete idiots. There is a huge problem when the dongle supplied with a Motorola phone only works with Moto phones and nothing else. Same goes for HTC, Xiaomi and even Sony. Only Google and Essential to date have dongles which work on everything else. 

 

The headphone jack may be headed towards being trended off, but now is not the time to do it. I own a pair of very good WH-1000XM2 over ear wireless noise cancelling headphones, and while they sound excellent for being wireless, they still fall victim to the BT skipping issue, particularly in areas of heavy wireless activity. And many USB-C options just plain suck. 

[DrMacintosh]

1 minute ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

The headphone jack may be headed towards being trended off, but now is not the time to do it. I own a pair of very good WH-1000XM2 over ear wireless noise cancelling headphones, and while they sound excellent for being wireless, they still fall victim to the BT skipping issue, particularly in areas of heavy wireless activity. And many USB-C options just plain suck. 

Well there are solutions to that......You described it earlier in that post  

[DrMacintosh]

2 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

not sure how the stage and recording audio people feels about this ._.

Stage and Audio people aren't buying the XZ2 to do their job.....

[D13H4RD]

1 minute ago, DrMacintosh said:

Well there are solutions to that......You described it earlier in that post  

I would be happy to accept it IF we actually have USB-C dongles that have beefy DAC and amps which work universally across everything USB-C. 

 

Right now, nah. Not when companies like Sony make dongles which only work on one phone and also has a split dongle which charges at a paltry 5V/0.5A.

 

Yes, that's slower than the supplied charger with the iPhones 

[ARikozuM]

2 minutes ago, VegetableStu said:

not sure how the stage and recording audio people feels about this ._.

We're talking about phones, not studios or large sets of equipment. 

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

I would be happy to accept it IF we actually have USB-C dongles that have beefy DAC and amps which work universally across everything USB-C. 

 

Right now, nah. 

I wasn't referring to USB-C lol

[D13H4RD]

Just now, DrMacintosh said:

I wasn't referring to USB-C lol

Well, it's probably going to be the standard. Maybe when Apple makes a Lightning to USB-C dongle. 

[Enderman]

Did you read what you quoted?

"In order to create the beautiful seamless design"

 

Maybe you don't understand, but this is not saying "we had no space".

It is saying "we don't want a large hole in the bottom of the phone"

[DrMacintosh]

2 minutes ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

Well, it's probably going to be the standard.

It will be a standard, but as long as Apple exists they have no reason to pay additional royalties to have the USB-C connector in the iPhone and therefore won't become "the standard". Eventually Apple hopes to eliminate the lighting connector all together and believe it or not, they could do that now if they felt the market was ready for it. 

[ARikozuM]

2 minutes ago, huilun02 said:

Welcome to the Konami club

*Konami Pachinco Arcade*

[vanished]

Quote

Plus, we’re aware of the major market trend toward wireless headphones over wired headphones.

No, this is not a thing   Companies would sure like it to be, and I'm sure some people have just bent over and accepted it but it's not like consumers are actively running to replace their wired headphones without a good reason.  I'm sure a few have but most are just forced into it because they care more about getting a certain phone than what headphones they use.

[MoonSpot]

20 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

I really hope people realize that this is happening and will stop complaining. The headphone jack is dying, accept it. 

Nope.  Not dying today, and not gonna be dead for years to come.

[DrMacintosh]

Just now, MoonSpot said:

Nope.  Not dying today, and not gonna be dead for years to come.

Thats what they said about every major port that has ever been made obsolete. 

[D13H4RD]

35 minutes ago, Enderman said:

Maybe you don't understand, but this is not saying "we had no space".

It is saying "we don't want a large hole in the bottom of the phone"

Which only adds to the absurdity. 

 

Plus, if they don't want a hole, remove the USB-C port and go all-in on Qi. It's just baffling to me. They said they needed to, but I just don't see a need for it to be gone. 

 

Seriously, I don't think people care much about a hole on the bottom or top of a device 

[MaxBunny]

39 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

I really hope people realize that this is happening and will stop complaining. The headphone jack is dying, accept it. 

Mainly it's bluetooth and wireless still having inconsistent performance across devices after having so much time to perfect itself. Less people complain about analog audio devices compared to BT ones for a reason.

[Nowak]

45 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

I really hope people realize that this is happening and will stop complaining. The headphone jack is dying, accept it. 

On phones. Still alive and kicking on literally everything else.

 

I'm keeping my wired headphones and ability to listen to music on YouTube while charging my phone, thanks ^^