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Samsung’s Galaxy S9 looks set to retain the headphone jack

187 points by _ao789 9y ago

rando444 9y ago
When I went from S7 to S8, I really thought Samsung did an amazing job learning from their mistakes and creating an excellent phone. Everything except the Bixby button. A feature I will never use and is difficult for users to work around without sufficient knowledge and investment of time. Sad to see after all of the backlash them not learning from this particular mistake and doubling down on it instead.
- jordache 9y ago
  what mistakes with the S7?
- Tade0 9y ago
  Ah, the infamous Bixby button. I also activate this feature only by accident. I wonder how is the usage data on it. Surely the must have had some justification for keeping it?
  - josu 9y ago
    It reminds me of the damn internet button on the Motorola V3. Thankfully this time I was able to repurpose the Bixby button to turn on the flashlight.
- dschn_dstryr 9y ago
  This kills the S9 for me. I was hoping that they ditch the bixby button. I would rather deal with bluetooth headphones than having a useless button.
- Gustomaximus 9y ago
  This and the volume warning. I think by now on my 3rd Samsung I've got the message that if I turn the volume up past 2/3's I could damage my hearing. Worse is when.your driving and turn the volume up only to have a message.on screen you need to hit the ok button for.
  - elboru 9y ago
    Oh man I really hate phones treating me like a child, I want to control my volume with my audio system, let me do it! I know I only have 5% of battery, I know my phone will turn off, but I want to have a bright screen for the last couple of minutes don't dim it! Also I really need to take a picture with my freaking flashlight on, let me do it! And finally I don't get what functionality does it serve to turn my screen on when it starts charging, I already have a red led indicating it is charging, don't make me turn off my screen specially when I'm wireless charging!!
fredley 9y ago
The presence of a headphone is very, very high up the feature priority list for me. It's why for the first time ever the next smartphone I buy will not be a Nexus/Pixel device (I'm still on my 1st gen Pixel). I hope I'm with the market, and market forces prevail, consigning the jack-less models to a failed experiment.
- hackme1234 9y ago
  Sadly the jack-less models are gaining steam.
- lasgsf 9y ago
  As someone who has used BT headsets for 2 years now could you explain why it such a big deal? Is it the audio quality?
  - cryptoz 9y ago
    I'm not OP but I have a Pixel 2 with no headphone jack and it ruins me daily. I have the adapter yes, but it is lost 100% of the time. And when I want to use it I cannot find it. I find myself literally standing in the cold with my ears freezing off and headphones in with no music. Because I left the house without the 1mm thick nearly invisible adapter. Not once in two months have I remembered it when I go out. I hate hate hate hate hate how much this phone cost and how vastly more inconvenient is compared to my last phone. I cannot wait for the return of the headphone jack on phones if true! Edit: how long does it take to switch your Bluetooth headphones from a computer to a phone? If it is more than 1 second, it's a stupid waste of time as well. I'm not putting up with that decline in usability especially if am expected to spend money on it and throw into the landfill my perfectly good headphones. No thanks.
    - umanwizard 9y ago
      The person you’re replying to mentioned Bluetooth.
      - 9y ago
hackme1234 9y ago
Glad to see Samsung bucking the trend. I want to use the same earphones on my laptop, desktop and my mobile without fiddling with different connectors.
- pasta 9y ago
  Isn't this what the promise of BlueTooth is? No connector at all but connects to everything. But no headphoneless smartphone for me. I love my (Audio-Technica) headphone.
  - lawlessone 9y ago
    I don't want to have to use a separate battery for my headphones or waste phone battery on powering a Bluetooth radio.
  - pjc50 9y ago
    > connects to everything Except when it doesn't. Or you left it paired to the wrong thing, which results in a lot of comedy bluetooth speaker moments. (It's only recently that the industry converged on BTLE that actually worked on both Apple and non-Apple devices)
  - jjevanoorschot 9y ago
    It could be, but e.g. Apple has implemented their own bluetooth chip that makes stuff like pairing easier. While super convenient, it shows that the wireless headphone market will probably be somewhat divided, while headphones used to be universal.
  - squid_ca 9y ago
    My experience with BlueTooth devices has been sub-optimal. They never seem to connect "cleanly" and always involve some degree of turning the device off and on again, turning BT on the computer off and on again, trying both in a different order, trying to figure out the magical combination of buttons to press on the device to get it to try to "re-pair", etc. I have had this problem with multiple devices and multiple computers. And then, yes, if it does connect, the quality is poor. All I want to do is use the solution that simply and easily works for me and CONTINUES to work and isn't being replaced for what seems to be a money-making opportunity.
anonymfus 9y ago
Considering that one of the main complaints about devices without headphone jacks is a problem with using audio connection simultaneously with charging or data, why phones with two USB-C connectors almost don't exist?
arvinsim 9y ago
Considering the prices of bluetooth headsets, bluetooth ubiquity for audio will still remain a niche for the rest of the world.
- Numberwang 9y ago
  I don't really understand this though. I bought a nice Philips Bluetooth headset for $60. I would not say that is prohibitively expensive. Also, you can always connect the head-phone jack to the phone via the converter cable.
  - ck425 9y ago
    Those are not good headphone. £100+ are decent if wired, £200+ for good. Add another ~£150 for equivalent quality if bluetooth. Also adaptors frequently limit the power available from devices, greatly reducing quality on good headphones.
    - Numberwang 9y ago
      I don't think you can generalize 'good' like that. I only listen to podcasts and I'm very happy with these. My datapoint of 'good' says these are 'good'
      - lorenzhs 9y ago
        This whole thread seems very 'No True Scotsman' and a bit snobbish to me. Labelling the entire $140 - $280 wired headphone range as 'decent' but not 'good' for wired headphones is just ridiculous. Even more so calling every pair Bluetooth headphones below $350 not-even-decent. My Sennheiser PXC 550s (which regularly go for $300 on Amazon) would like to disagree. There's also a whole lot of outdated information in this thread, e.g. concerning the quality of Bluetooth audio. It's really come a long way.
        ck425 9y ago
        The point is that good quality Bluetooth headphones are still expensive. And as someone who has invested a lot of money in good quality wired headphones I don't want reinvest even more when we have a functioning technology that already does the job extremely well.
ptero 9y ago
I am very glad S9 keeps the headphone jack. If only it would add a user replaceable battery and add-on memory card. I wonder why those three features that appear to be much loved by users are almost never present in modern phones.
- dingo_bat 9y ago
  It's almost certain to retain the memory card slot, just like all Galaxy phones.
  - adrr 9y ago
    Galaxy s6 doesn't have a memory card slot not sure about other galaxy phones.
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
    - cbg0 9y ago
      S7 and S8 have it.
    - dragonwriter 9y ago
      Memory card slot was restored in the S7/Note7 generation and retained in the subsequent one; keeping/restoring features other manufacturers are eliminating seems to be a key differentiating aspect of the Samsung flagship line.
- vturner 9y ago
  Target customer + planned obsolescence.
- zouhair 9y ago
  What, no memory card? S8 has one. This is quite disappointing.
  - ztoben 9y ago
princess-aslaug 9y ago
Not sure how this is news worthy. This is a minor feature of one of the many Android devices out there.
- neolefty 9y ago
  Flagship devices have been losing headphone jacks. iPhone & Pixel stand out, but here's a longer list: https://smartphones.gadgethacks.com/news/always-updated-list-phones-with-no-headphone-jack-built-0181441/ https://smartphones.gadgethacks.com/news/always-updated-list...
  - oneeyedpigeon 9y ago
    I wish Apple/Google would just make two versions of their next phone: one with the headphone jack, that's half a millimetre thicker, for a dollar or two more; and a version without. I can understand why they would drop it if there were no market for it, I just can't accept that there's no market for it.
    - tazjin 9y ago
      I think there is a market for it, but a large number of consumers feel "held hostage" by technology. They're just being told that they can't have this feature anymore, and then all the major companies remove it simultaneously (via the standard mechanism of copying Apple, of course). Even if you wanted to "vote with your wallet", you couldn't. There are no more phones being sold at reasonable sizes (besides the iPhone SE, which will probably go away soon). None of the current big-name flagships (this S9 potentially being the exception) have headphone jacks. If my current phone (an SE) breaks I'm not sure I'll buy another smartphone.
      - oneeyedpigeon 9y ago
        These are the reasons why I'm pretty much looking at an SE as my next purchase. My Nexus 6p is hopefully good for another year, but I've realised I want to go back to a smaller phone.
jcadam 9y ago
My iPhone SE died and I just bought an Xperia X Compact. Has a headphone jack :) My main criteria for a phone are: small, has a headphone jack, and isn't a low-end POS. That leaves an extremely limited set of options. I'm dismayed that there isn't much choice if you're looking for a phone that can be comfortably operated with one hand and fits easily in a pocket. Make an S9 mini, Samsung.
- oneeyedpigeon 9y ago
  Is there a reason you didn't stick with the SE? Appears to fulfil all your criteria, but I guess you might have experienced some problems...
  - jcadam 9y ago
    Touchscreen went wonky after about a year. Plus, all of the iOS 11 issues were infuriating. Apple doesn't do regression testing, apparently.
- untog 9y ago
  I'm the same. I had an Xperia Z5 Compact but it was terrible - would frequently overheat and slow the phone to a crawl. Sony insisted there was nothing wrong with it. Samsung actually does have a not bad small device - the A3: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a3-6762.php https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a3-6762.php. Problem is that it doesn't work with the US LTE bands I need it to. Right now I'm waiting to see what the iPhone SE 2 looks like...
- lovamova 9y ago
  I got the XZ1 Compact. I love it. It's faster and smaller than iPhone X and doesn't overheat. USB-C with QuickCharge 3.0 takes 1h to get to 85% charge then battery last 2 days and 8h of screen usage. It has backlight bleeding around the ambient light sensor. I can't replace it, but I can live with it. GMSArena reported Sony is working on a Compact with 5-inch screen and 18:9 aspect ratio. This will be the perfect phone to own.
LeonM 9y ago
Why does everyone (including here on HN) focus on the darn headphone jack, if the article/tweet shows an exciting feature that may finally make the computer-in-your-pocket dream a reality... I am WAY more exited about that 'DeX pad' than the darn headphone connector!
- rainbowmverse 9y ago
  It looks like an ordinary docking station. Can't people care about a docking station and headphones?
- dschn_dstryr 9y ago
  I prefer the Huawei approach. There you just need a usb-c to dp or hdmi cable and you can choose between mirroring the phone screen or desktop mode. you can also use the phone as touchpad in desktop mode and connect a bluetooth keyboard.
- lloeki 9y ago
  > Why does everyone (including here on HN) focus on the darn headphone jack Because it's been nearly universal for even longer than computers have existed, serves the purpose perfectly, and the alternative is hard pressed to be compelling in any way, whether on sound quality, convenience, device size, cost, robustness, complexity, usability, or versatility (it's really an analog port that turns out to be mostly used for audio signals). Previous removals (magnetic or optical disk drives, vga, serial, or ethernet ports) were dealt with when they were obsoleted by outperforming, or at the very least vastly more convenient alternatives. > finally make the computer-in-your-pocket dream a reality The dock is the easy part, the hard part is the OS/UI and making the thing super convenient.
  - cat199 9y ago
    > compelling in any way, whether on sound quality, convenience, device size, cost, robustness, complexity, usability, or versatility compelling for DRM rights holders, and all the manufacturers are trying to setup their walled garden 'content stores' and need to make rights agreements with content producers..
dingo_bat 9y ago
The hype is real! I can't wait to see what new stuff they bring to the table. Probably time to upgrade my S7e.
sapphire_tomb 9y ago
Is anyone else as depressed as me that this is actual news?
- _ao789 9y ago
  You hit the nail on the head!
talktime 9y ago
That's good news - the headphone jack is essential to me, but the reason that my next phone won't be a Samsung is because Samsung disables Android's native multiple user profile feature.
- paulie_a 9y ago
  And they insist on adding their garbage replacement apps instead of just using the stock Android ones. I never understood why mfgs insist on doing that. Why make a worse app that can't be uninstalled?
  - camgunz 9y ago
    I just put all that stuff into a drawer in the launcher called 'zzzzzzzzz'. I never see it and never think about it.
    - ztoben 9y ago
      There is a rootless app that you can install that lets you uninstall the bloatware samsung apps. Can't remember the name of it but it isn't hard to find.
- qplex 9y ago
  It's sad that Samsung cripples their good hardware with crap software. Thankfully many of their phones can run aftermarket operating systems.
  - junkscience2017 9y ago
    "Stock" Android and iOS aren't much better these days...both come with non-essential apps you cannot uninstall.
cletus 9y ago
Apparently Samsung lacks courage.
DanCarvajal 9y ago
Meh, I was skeptical of losing the headphone jack but my $18 Anker wireless earbuds have been fantastic so now I'm a believer in the wireless audio future.
- zach43 9y ago
  Yep, I also ordered a $20 set of Mpow bluetooth headphones on Amazon ~3 years back, and they have been just great. While the sound quality is not that good, it is good enough for my daily gym and running sessions. Ive also used them in the rain without any problems It’s a little surprising that a lot of people seem to think that decent Bluetooth headphones must be fairly expensive
- pymai 9y ago
  I've been using Bluetooth in my car to stream music for a long time now and ive had bluetooth earbuds for the last year so im believer, i just don't believe in taking away features that dont need to be taken away. there are still plenty of times where a headphone jack can be useful. when you run out of charge, if youre at someone elses house but then dont have any bluetooth receiver. maybe in the future when bt headphone batteries last more than a day i might be able to get behind the idea a bit more
kentosi 9y ago
Aside from the headphone jack, many earlier leaks/rumours indicated an on-screen fingerprint scanner. It's unfortunate that this technology still isn't ready for phone manufacturers to use. Anyone know of what the status is on this?
- eganist 9y ago
  It's ready for prod. https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/1/9/16867536/vivo-fingerprint-reader-integrated-display-biometric-ces-2018 https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/1/9/16867536/vi... Samsung might be waiting for a cost dip, OR current Samsung leaks mask a decision to use it.
- cbg0 9y ago
  While this is a cool concept, it will be interesting to see how well it holds up in terms of security, as the one under the screen will be an optical fingerprint reader as opposed to the capacitive ones we have now, which is in theory be much harder to fool than the optical one.
dep_b 9y ago
The great thing about a headphone port is that if you stick something in it you won't ever hear anything over the speaker. A bluetooth headset might not be connected (anymore) and you won't notice until it starts blaring. I use it a lot when debugging applications that have sound and drive me nuts if I have to listen to the sound all day long. Apart from that I don't really miss it on newer phones but my SE remains my go-to testing phone just because things like that (also you need to dogfood the UX on smaller phones in my opinion). Aside I have een looking into nice headphone amps for iPhones and that market seems really small. It seems that audiophiles would skip the built in DAC yes or yes if audio quality would really matter?
- jdc0589 9y ago
  > Aside I have een looking into nice headphone amps for iPhones and that market seems really small. It seems that audiophiles would skip the built in DAC yes or yes if audio quality would really matter? The market it there, but like you said it is very boutique and specific. Step 1: be an audiophile, step 2: have good portable headphones where a good dac/amp will actually make a difference, step 3: user your phone as an audio source enough to care, step 4: be willing to spend a bunch of money on it. I fall in to the audiophile category, have very nice custom IEMs (64 Audio, being upgraded + remolded from v6-s to a6 right now actually), and would be willing to spend money. However, I almost NEVER use my phone as an audio source, so I just don't care enough to invest in a portable dac/amp setup. Hence the limited availability.
- taoistextremist 9y ago
  >The great thing about a headphone port is that if you stick something in it you won't ever hear anything over the speaker. This still kind of depends on good software. On the Galaxy S5 (which I've managed to get along with still), the built-in voicemail app will play over the speakers despite having headphones in. Led to some embarrassing moments the few times I've listened to voicemail in public.
- bsder 9y ago
  > Aside I have een looking into nice headphone amps for iPhones and that market seems really small. It seems that audiophiles would skip the built in DAC yes or yes if audio quality would really matter? https://www.jdslabs.com/products/35/objective2-headphone-amplifier/ https://www.jdslabs.com/products/35/objective2-headphone-amp... This is a design created by NwAvGuy (who has since gone AWOL) because all the headphone amp manufacturers pissed him off with all the hooey. It's got a Creative Commons license and the design is actually public.
api 9y ago
Looks like I'm sticking with Samsung for the foreseeable future.
nixpulvis 9y ago
Maybe it's finally time to switch.
chisleu 9y ago
I've not used a wired headset since I stopped gaming several years ago. Sony's bluetooth headphones have very good noise cancellation and very good sound quality. It's not quite as my old JVC HA-RX700 wired headphones. I understand how audiophiles might really enjoy that quality gap, but beyond that niche market, I don't get it. My bluetooth headphones even have wires to plug into 3.6mm / airplane connectors as well. It seems that most people don't care about the headphone jack given companies have decided to ditch them en-mass. Certainly online forums give a voice to those that still want it, but I've not read any comments that seem to be valid for ME. Problems I've seen described: * connecting to airplanes (I have connectors on my bluetooth headphones) * not wanting to use multiple dongles (bluetooth has no dongles) * pairing sucks (modern bluetooth versions don't have the pairing issues of old. I don't have to repair to get it to connect. I just hold the button and tell it to connect to the already-paired device and it works every time.) * "Considering the prices of bluetooth headsets, bluetooth ubiquity for audio will still remain a niche for the rest of the world." - bluetooth is CHEAP. high quality bluetooth are definitely more expensive than high quality wired. Are there any arguments that I've not seen?
- davrosthedalek 9y ago
  How long does the battery in your headset last? I fly often for 7h+, and with travel to/from airport, waiting etc, it can be more than 12.
  - zimpenfish 9y ago
    I'm using the TT-BA08 dongle and it gets about 20h of battery life - substantially more than any Bluetooth headphones I've seen (and Etymotic don't make any AFAIK.)
  - chisleu 9y ago
    Mine lasts about a week. I usually only use it for a few hours at a time, but it's never been a problem before. It charges way faster than it discharges.
- kiddico 9y ago
  I don't want to have to keep another device charged. Wired headphones will always work no matter how forgetful I was the night before.
dandare 9y ago
I will vote with my wallet for keeping the jack.
fulafel 9y ago
New Sony Xperias have these too.
nkkollaw 9y ago
Jesus, this is a feature now. I am voting with my money and saved about 1,000 last year from now buying anything Apple anymore. I think tech companies need to focus on features that are only good for marketing less, and more on what consumers want.
sporkland 9y ago
I was super nervous about buying the pixel 2 xl with no jack as I used to use earbuds that connect to the jack. I switched to some Bluetooth headphones and it has totally improved my quality of life not needing to manage that wire. I use headphones way more now that I ever did.
pasbesoin 9y ago
Well, having had my Nexus 5x die and then the Motorolla I (temporarily...) replaced it with take 5 months to get the Bluetooth vulnerability patch (and still waiting on the KRACK patch), I would have been screwed with respect to the Motorola if it didn't have a headphone jack. I'm to the point of thinking/feeling that any new "feature" they tout, I don't actually want. A lot of which get connected in the marketing-speak with "thin" and "water-resistant". Whatever's driving this, it seems pretty clear now it's not consumer demand. (And with our "thin" phones, the first thing many of us have to do is slap a case on them, anyway. And recently all the people with even bulkier and heavier battery cases...)

187 points by _ao789 9y ago

When I went from S7 to S8, I really thought Samsung did an amazing job learning from their mistakes and creating an excellent phone. Everything except the Bixby button. A feature I will never use and is difficult for users to work around without sufficient knowledge and investment of time. Sad to see after all of the backlash them not learning from this particular mistake and doubling down on it instead.

jordache 9y ago
what mistakes with the S7?
Tade0 9y ago
Ah, the infamous Bixby button. I also activate this feature only by accident. I wonder how is the usage data on it. Surely the must have had some justification for keeping it?
- josu 9y ago
  It reminds me of the damn internet button on the Motorola V3. Thankfully this time I was able to repurpose the Bixby button to turn on the flashlight.
dschn_dstryr 9y ago
This kills the S9 for me. I was hoping that they ditch the bixby button. I would rather deal with bluetooth headphones than having a useless button.
Gustomaximus 9y ago
This and the volume warning. I think by now on my 3rd Samsung I've got the message that if I turn the volume up past 2/3's I could damage my hearing. Worse is when.your driving and turn the volume up only to have a message.on screen you need to hit the ok button for.
- elboru 9y ago
  Oh man I really hate phones treating me like a child, I want to control my volume with my audio system, let me do it! I know I only have 5% of battery, I know my phone will turn off, but I want to have a bright screen for the last couple of minutes don't dim it! Also I really need to take a picture with my freaking flashlight on, let me do it! And finally I don't get what functionality does it serve to turn my screen on when it starts charging, I already have a red led indicating it is charging, don't make me turn off my screen specially when I'm wireless charging!!

fredley 9y ago

The presence of a headphone is very, very high up the feature priority list for me. It's why for the first time ever the next smartphone I buy will not be a Nexus/Pixel device (I'm still on my 1st gen Pixel). I hope I'm with the market, and market forces prevail, consigning the jack-less models to a failed experiment.

hackme1234 9y ago
Sadly the jack-less models are gaining steam.
lasgsf 9y ago
As someone who has used BT headsets for 2 years now could you explain why it such a big deal? Is it the audio quality?
- cryptoz 9y ago
  I'm not OP but I have a Pixel 2 with no headphone jack and it ruins me daily. I have the adapter yes, but it is lost 100% of the time. And when I want to use it I cannot find it. I find myself literally standing in the cold with my ears freezing off and headphones in with no music. Because I left the house without the 1mm thick nearly invisible adapter. Not once in two months have I remembered it when I go out. I hate hate hate hate hate how much this phone cost and how vastly more inconvenient is compared to my last phone. I cannot wait for the return of the headphone jack on phones if true! Edit: how long does it take to switch your Bluetooth headphones from a computer to a phone? If it is more than 1 second, it's a stupid waste of time as well. I'm not putting up with that decline in usability especially if am expected to spend money on it and throw into the landfill my perfectly good headphones. No thanks.
  - umanwizard 9y ago
    The person you’re replying to mentioned Bluetooth.
    - 9y ago

hackme1234 9y ago

Glad to see Samsung bucking the trend. I want to use the same earphones on my laptop, desktop and my mobile without fiddling with different connectors.

pasta 9y ago
Isn't this what the promise of BlueTooth is? No connector at all but connects to everything. But no headphoneless smartphone for me. I love my (Audio-Technica) headphone.
- lawlessone 9y ago
  I don't want to have to use a separate battery for my headphones or waste phone battery on powering a Bluetooth radio.
- pjc50 9y ago
  > connects to everything Except when it doesn't. Or you left it paired to the wrong thing, which results in a lot of comedy bluetooth speaker moments. (It's only recently that the industry converged on BTLE that actually worked on both Apple and non-Apple devices)
- jjevanoorschot 9y ago
  It could be, but e.g. Apple has implemented their own bluetooth chip that makes stuff like pairing easier. While super convenient, it shows that the wireless headphone market will probably be somewhat divided, while headphones used to be universal.
- squid_ca 9y ago
  My experience with BlueTooth devices has been sub-optimal. They never seem to connect "cleanly" and always involve some degree of turning the device off and on again, turning BT on the computer off and on again, trying both in a different order, trying to figure out the magical combination of buttons to press on the device to get it to try to "re-pair", etc. I have had this problem with multiple devices and multiple computers. And then, yes, if it does connect, the quality is poor. All I want to do is use the solution that simply and easily works for me and CONTINUES to work and isn't being replaced for what seems to be a money-making opportunity.

anonymfus 9y ago

Considering that one of the main complaints about devices without headphone jacks is a problem with using audio connection simultaneously with charging or data, why phones with two USB-C connectors almost don't exist?

arvinsim 9y ago

Considering the prices of bluetooth headsets, bluetooth ubiquity for audio will still remain a niche for the rest of the world.

Numberwang 9y ago
I don't really understand this though. I bought a nice Philips Bluetooth headset for $60. I would not say that is prohibitively expensive. Also, you can always connect the head-phone jack to the phone via the converter cable.
- ck425 9y ago
  Those are not good headphone. £100+ are decent if wired, £200+ for good. Add another ~£150 for equivalent quality if bluetooth. Also adaptors frequently limit the power available from devices, greatly reducing quality on good headphones.
  - Numberwang 9y ago
    I don't think you can generalize 'good' like that. I only listen to podcasts and I'm very happy with these. My datapoint of 'good' says these are 'good'
    - lorenzhs 9y ago
      This whole thread seems very 'No True Scotsman' and a bit snobbish to me. Labelling the entire $140 - $280 wired headphone range as 'decent' but not 'good' for wired headphones is just ridiculous. Even more so calling every pair Bluetooth headphones below $350 not-even-decent. My Sennheiser PXC 550s (which regularly go for $300 on Amazon) would like to disagree. There's also a whole lot of outdated information in this thread, e.g. concerning the quality of Bluetooth audio. It's really come a long way.
      - ck425 9y ago
        The point is that good quality Bluetooth headphones are still expensive. And as someone who has invested a lot of money in good quality wired headphones I don't want reinvest even more when we have a functioning technology that already does the job extremely well.

ptero 9y ago

I am very glad S9 keeps the headphone jack. If only it would add a user replaceable battery and add-on memory card. I wonder why those three features that appear to be much loved by users are almost never present in modern phones.

dingo_bat 9y ago
It's almost certain to retain the memory card slot, just like all Galaxy phones.
- adrr 9y ago
  Galaxy s6 doesn't have a memory card slot not sure about other galaxy phones.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
  - cbg0 9y ago
    S7 and S8 have it.
  - dragonwriter 9y ago
    Memory card slot was restored in the S7/Note7 generation and retained in the subsequent one; keeping/restoring features other manufacturers are eliminating seems to be a key differentiating aspect of the Samsung flagship line.
vturner 9y ago
Target customer + planned obsolescence.
zouhair 9y ago
What, no memory card? S8 has one. This is quite disappointing.
- ztoben 9y ago

princess-aslaug 9y ago

Not sure how this is news worthy. This is a minor feature of one of the many Android devices out there.

neolefty 9y ago
Flagship devices have been losing headphone jacks. iPhone & Pixel stand out, but here's a longer list: https://smartphones.gadgethacks.com/news/always-updated-list-phones-with-no-headphone-jack-built-0181441/ https://smartphones.gadgethacks.com/news/always-updated-list...
- oneeyedpigeon 9y ago
  I wish Apple/Google would just make two versions of their next phone: one with the headphone jack, that's half a millimetre thicker, for a dollar or two more; and a version without. I can understand why they would drop it if there were no market for it, I just can't accept that there's no market for it.
  - tazjin 9y ago
    I think there is a market for it, but a large number of consumers feel "held hostage" by technology. They're just being told that they can't have this feature anymore, and then all the major companies remove it simultaneously (via the standard mechanism of copying Apple, of course). Even if you wanted to "vote with your wallet", you couldn't. There are no more phones being sold at reasonable sizes (besides the iPhone SE, which will probably go away soon). None of the current big-name flagships (this S9 potentially being the exception) have headphone jacks. If my current phone (an SE) breaks I'm not sure I'll buy another smartphone.
    - oneeyedpigeon 9y ago
      These are the reasons why I'm pretty much looking at an SE as my next purchase. My Nexus 6p is hopefully good for another year, but I've realised I want to go back to a smaller phone.

jcadam 9y ago

My iPhone SE died and I just bought an Xperia X Compact. Has a headphone jack :) My main criteria for a phone are: small, has a headphone jack, and isn't a low-end POS. That leaves an extremely limited set of options. I'm dismayed that there isn't much choice if you're looking for a phone that can be comfortably operated with one hand and fits easily in a pocket. Make an S9 mini, Samsung.

oneeyedpigeon 9y ago
Is there a reason you didn't stick with the SE? Appears to fulfil all your criteria, but I guess you might have experienced some problems...
- jcadam 9y ago
  Touchscreen went wonky after about a year. Plus, all of the iOS 11 issues were infuriating. Apple doesn't do regression testing, apparently.
untog 9y ago
I'm the same. I had an Xperia Z5 Compact but it was terrible - would frequently overheat and slow the phone to a crawl. Sony insisted there was nothing wrong with it. Samsung actually does have a not bad small device - the A3: https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a3-6762.php https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_a3-6762.php. Problem is that it doesn't work with the US LTE bands I need it to. Right now I'm waiting to see what the iPhone SE 2 looks like...
lovamova 9y ago
I got the XZ1 Compact. I love it. It's faster and smaller than iPhone X and doesn't overheat. USB-C with QuickCharge 3.0 takes 1h to get to 85% charge then battery last 2 days and 8h of screen usage. It has backlight bleeding around the ambient light sensor. I can't replace it, but I can live with it. GMSArena reported Sony is working on a Compact with 5-inch screen and 18:9 aspect ratio. This will be the perfect phone to own.

LeonM 9y ago

Why does everyone (including here on HN) focus on the darn headphone jack, if the article/tweet shows an exciting feature that may finally make the computer-in-your-pocket dream a reality... I am WAY more exited about that 'DeX pad' than the darn headphone connector!

rainbowmverse 9y ago
It looks like an ordinary docking station. Can't people care about a docking station and headphones?
dschn_dstryr 9y ago
I prefer the Huawei approach. There you just need a usb-c to dp or hdmi cable and you can choose between mirroring the phone screen or desktop mode. you can also use the phone as touchpad in desktop mode and connect a bluetooth keyboard.
lloeki 9y ago
> Why does everyone (including here on HN) focus on the darn headphone jack Because it's been nearly universal for even longer than computers have existed, serves the purpose perfectly, and the alternative is hard pressed to be compelling in any way, whether on sound quality, convenience, device size, cost, robustness, complexity, usability, or versatility (it's really an analog port that turns out to be mostly used for audio signals). Previous removals (magnetic or optical disk drives, vga, serial, or ethernet ports) were dealt with when they were obsoleted by outperforming, or at the very least vastly more convenient alternatives. > finally make the computer-in-your-pocket dream a reality The dock is the easy part, the hard part is the OS/UI and making the thing super convenient.
- cat199 9y ago
  > compelling in any way, whether on sound quality, convenience, device size, cost, robustness, complexity, usability, or versatility compelling for DRM rights holders, and all the manufacturers are trying to setup their walled garden 'content stores' and need to make rights agreements with content producers..

dingo_bat 9y ago

The hype is real! I can't wait to see what new stuff they bring to the table. Probably time to upgrade my S7e.

sapphire_tomb 9y ago

Is anyone else as depressed as me that this is actual news?

_ao789 9y ago
You hit the nail on the head!

talktime 9y ago

That's good news - the headphone jack is essential to me, but the reason that my next phone won't be a Samsung is because Samsung disables Android's native multiple user profile feature.

paulie_a 9y ago
And they insist on adding their garbage replacement apps instead of just using the stock Android ones. I never understood why mfgs insist on doing that. Why make a worse app that can't be uninstalled?
- camgunz 9y ago
  I just put all that stuff into a drawer in the launcher called 'zzzzzzzzz'. I never see it and never think about it.
  - ztoben 9y ago
    There is a rootless app that you can install that lets you uninstall the bloatware samsung apps. Can't remember the name of it but it isn't hard to find.
qplex 9y ago
It's sad that Samsung cripples their good hardware with crap software. Thankfully many of their phones can run aftermarket operating systems.
- junkscience2017 9y ago
  "Stock" Android and iOS aren't much better these days...both come with non-essential apps you cannot uninstall.

cletus 9y ago

Apparently Samsung lacks courage.

DanCarvajal 9y ago

Meh, I was skeptical of losing the headphone jack but my $18 Anker wireless earbuds have been fantastic so now I'm a believer in the wireless audio future.

zach43 9y ago
Yep, I also ordered a $20 set of Mpow bluetooth headphones on Amazon ~3 years back, and they have been just great. While the sound quality is not that good, it is good enough for my daily gym and running sessions. Ive also used them in the rain without any problems It’s a little surprising that a lot of people seem to think that decent Bluetooth headphones must be fairly expensive
pymai 9y ago
I've been using Bluetooth in my car to stream music for a long time now and ive had bluetooth earbuds for the last year so im believer, i just don't believe in taking away features that dont need to be taken away. there are still plenty of times where a headphone jack can be useful. when you run out of charge, if youre at someone elses house but then dont have any bluetooth receiver. maybe in the future when bt headphone batteries last more than a day i might be able to get behind the idea a bit more

kentosi 9y ago

Aside from the headphone jack, many earlier leaks/rumours indicated an on-screen fingerprint scanner. It's unfortunate that this technology still isn't ready for phone manufacturers to use. Anyone know of what the status is on this?

eganist 9y ago
It's ready for prod. https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/1/9/16867536/vivo-fingerprint-reader-integrated-display-biometric-ces-2018 https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/1/9/16867536/vi... Samsung might be waiting for a cost dip, OR current Samsung leaks mask a decision to use it.
cbg0 9y ago
While this is a cool concept, it will be interesting to see how well it holds up in terms of security, as the one under the screen will be an optical fingerprint reader as opposed to the capacitive ones we have now, which is in theory be much harder to fool than the optical one.

dep_b 9y ago

The great thing about a headphone port is that if you stick something in it you won't ever hear anything over the speaker. A bluetooth headset might not be connected (anymore) and you won't notice until it starts blaring. I use it a lot when debugging applications that have sound and drive me nuts if I have to listen to the sound all day long. Apart from that I don't really miss it on newer phones but my SE remains my go-to testing phone just because things like that (also you need to dogfood the UX on smaller phones in my opinion). Aside I have een looking into nice headphone amps for iPhones and that market seems really small. It seems that audiophiles would skip the built in DAC yes or yes if audio quality would really matter?

jdc0589 9y ago
> Aside I have een looking into nice headphone amps for iPhones and that market seems really small. It seems that audiophiles would skip the built in DAC yes or yes if audio quality would really matter? The market it there, but like you said it is very boutique and specific. Step 1: be an audiophile, step 2: have good portable headphones where a good dac/amp will actually make a difference, step 3: user your phone as an audio source enough to care, step 4: be willing to spend a bunch of money on it. I fall in to the audiophile category, have very nice custom IEMs (64 Audio, being upgraded + remolded from v6-s to a6 right now actually), and would be willing to spend money. However, I almost NEVER use my phone as an audio source, so I just don't care enough to invest in a portable dac/amp setup. Hence the limited availability.
taoistextremist 9y ago
>The great thing about a headphone port is that if you stick something in it you won't ever hear anything over the speaker. This still kind of depends on good software. On the Galaxy S5 (which I've managed to get along with still), the built-in voicemail app will play over the speakers despite having headphones in. Led to some embarrassing moments the few times I've listened to voicemail in public.
bsder 9y ago
> Aside I have een looking into nice headphone amps for iPhones and that market seems really small. It seems that audiophiles would skip the built in DAC yes or yes if audio quality would really matter? https://www.jdslabs.com/products/35/objective2-headphone-amplifier/ https://www.jdslabs.com/products/35/objective2-headphone-amp... This is a design created by NwAvGuy (who has since gone AWOL) because all the headphone amp manufacturers pissed him off with all the hooey. It's got a Creative Commons license and the design is actually public.

api 9y ago

Looks like I'm sticking with Samsung for the foreseeable future.

nixpulvis 9y ago

Maybe it's finally time to switch.

chisleu 9y ago

I've not used a wired headset since I stopped gaming several years ago. Sony's bluetooth headphones have very good noise cancellation and very good sound quality. It's not quite as my old JVC HA-RX700 wired headphones. I understand how audiophiles might really enjoy that quality gap, but beyond that niche market, I don't get it. My bluetooth headphones even have wires to plug into 3.6mm / airplane connectors as well. It seems that most people don't care about the headphone jack given companies have decided to ditch them en-mass. Certainly online forums give a voice to those that still want it, but I've not read any comments that seem to be valid for ME. Problems I've seen described: * connecting to airplanes (I have connectors on my bluetooth headphones) * not wanting to use multiple dongles (bluetooth has no dongles) * pairing sucks (modern bluetooth versions don't have the pairing issues of old. I don't have to repair to get it to connect. I just hold the button and tell it to connect to the already-paired device and it works every time.) * "Considering the prices of bluetooth headsets, bluetooth ubiquity for audio will still remain a niche for the rest of the world." - bluetooth is CHEAP. high quality bluetooth are definitely more expensive than high quality wired. Are there any arguments that I've not seen?

davrosthedalek 9y ago
How long does the battery in your headset last? I fly often for 7h+, and with travel to/from airport, waiting etc, it can be more than 12.
- zimpenfish 9y ago
  I'm using the TT-BA08 dongle and it gets about 20h of battery life - substantially more than any Bluetooth headphones I've seen (and Etymotic don't make any AFAIK.)
- chisleu 9y ago
  Mine lasts about a week. I usually only use it for a few hours at a time, but it's never been a problem before. It charges way faster than it discharges.
kiddico 9y ago
I don't want to have to keep another device charged. Wired headphones will always work no matter how forgetful I was the night before.

dandare 9y ago

I will vote with my wallet for keeping the jack.

fulafel 9y ago

New Sony Xperias have these too.

nkkollaw 9y ago

Jesus, this is a feature now. I am voting with my money and saved about 1,000 last year from now buying anything Apple anymore. I think tech companies need to focus on features that are only good for marketing less, and more on what consumers want.

sporkland 9y ago

I was super nervous about buying the pixel 2 xl with no jack as I used to use earbuds that connect to the jack. I switched to some Bluetooth headphones and it has totally improved my quality of life not needing to manage that wire. I use headphones way more now that I ever did.

pasbesoin 9y ago

Well, having had my Nexus 5x die and then the Motorolla I (temporarily...) replaced it with take 5 months to get the Bluetooth vulnerability patch (and still waiting on the KRACK patch), I would have been screwed with respect to the Motorola if it didn't have a headphone jack. I'm to the point of thinking/feeling that any new "feature" they tout, I don't actually want. A lot of which get connected in the marketing-speak with "thin" and "water-resistant". Whatever's driving this, it seems pretty clear now it's not consumer demand. (And with our "thin" phones, the first thing many of us have to do is slap a case on them, anyway. And recently all the people with even bulkier and heavier battery cases...)