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Best Smartphones That Still Have a Headphone Jack

304 points by edmoffo 7y ago

namanyayg 7y ago
I'm still on my Samsung S8. The rapid release cycle made me apathetic to every new phone release. Lists like this are good, I want to maximize considering useful features (battery) while ignoring useless additions (1mm thinner!)
anewguy9000 7y ago
the pixel 3a is made with non-gorilla glass. didnt we learn like 10 years ago thats a bad idea on a phone? my keys scratched it up in a single day and the whole thing shattered within a couple of weeks. garbage. edit: i know people are saying its dragontail which is supposedly as strong as gorilla. well empirically speaking, i can say that is false; the same key scratches my pixel 3a easily but doesnt leave a mark on my pixel 2. take that for what its worth. ymmv.
- fredley 7y ago
  It's half the price of phones with similar spec, and there are reasons for that. It also has a plastic shell. I have mine wrapped up in a case/screen protector.
- wlesieutre 7y ago
  By the same token, didn't we learn 10 years ago that cell phones and keys are better off in different pockets?
  - fredley 7y ago
    If you keep your phone in a bag that may not be possible.
  - penagwin 7y ago
    I worked in a phone/computer repair store, based on anecdotal research on glass screen protectors, this isn't necessary anymore. I'm sure this applies to many phones (haven't tested specific ones) but the glass screen protectors refused to scratch for me, I tried screw driver tips, razors, as hard as I could against a flat desk. If I applied enough concentrated force (or jabbed it) it would brake as expected, but anything short of that left a barely visible mark, if anything. I have seen them scratched, but it's not common. I say throw a screen protector on it if you can and don't worry about it.
    - wlesieutre 7y ago
      Having them in the same pocket I'd be worried about the force that could get applied by sitting down in a tight pair of pants with a modern-sized phone. The sort of situation that caused the "bendgate" problems. Maybe it's over cautious, but with phones costing $1000 I'd rather not mess around with it. And I don't love the glass screen protectors, had one on my phone briefly and it seemed like it screwed up the image quality. Subtle, like a faint RGB shimmer over the whole thing. So now I've just got a thin plastic case and I try to not drop it.
      - penagwin 7y ago
        What type of phone? You might want to try a different screen protector - every well applied glass screen protector I've seen on iPhones has been nearly indistinguishable from the glass screen (and I'm really particular about mine). We did have issues on the Galaxy phones with that edge though, we could never get the screen protector to stick properly.
        wlesieutre 7y ago
        iPhone SE. I didn't get the cheapest garbage screen protector or anything either, it was a favorably reviewed one on the wirecutter. No bubbles under it. Maybe "slightly grainy" is the way to describe it? Been a couple of years so it's hard to say.
- izzydata 7y ago
  What I learned 10 years ago is that glass is fragile and to keep it in its own pocket. My Pixel 3a doesn't have a scratch on it.
- fsh 7y ago
  It's a hardened glass, just from a different manufacturer than Corning.
- AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
  I have no idea why the industry switched from aluminum backs to glass. I thought the whole point was to enable wireless charging, but some of the phones don't even support that. As long as they don't, I'd much prefer we went back to the aluminum unibodies of the HTC M7-10 phones. They were gorgeous, in addition to being durable.
  - specialp 7y ago
    Actually plastic is ideal too. I mean almost everyone has either a broken phone, or a giant case on their phone because it is made entirely of glass. Back when Nokia made the Lumia phones and the N9, the solid polycarbonate was really nice looking and durable. But people judge a phone from when they pick it up in the store, and there aluminum/glass is definitely more slick looking. Only to be put in an otter box or something...
    - SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
      I didn't put my phones into cases until I got one with a glass back. Before it was all removable plastic backing, and shattering the glass was never a problem. My phones took tumbles down the stairs, and the worst that would happen is that back would fly one way, the battery another, and with all that kinetic energy dispersed the phone would be perfectly intact.
  - anewguy9000 7y ago
    i have an htc m7 that is still functional! its even been thrown at a brick wall. i guess the industry realized thats bad for business.
    - AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
      I still have an M7 and an M9 in a drawer somewhere. If they were GSM-unlocked, I would probably have thrown LineageOS onto the M9 and continued to use it. Unfortunately, they were both "Verizon" editions (due to the CDMA modem variant), and stopped receiving updates. I debated switching to an HTC 10 at some point, but I had heard alot of anecdotal evidence about high failure rates for the phone after a couple years. Again, it's a real shame. The HTC 10's chamfered aluminum looked gorgeous. I would pay for an identical-looking back on top of a phone with a bezel-less front and modern internals.
- opencl 7y ago
  It's not regular soda lime glass, they just used a different manufacturer of borosilicate glass (Asahi Dragontrail vs Corning Gorilla Glass).
- leetcrew 7y ago
  unless your keys are made of an unusual material, it's pretty unlikely that they scratched the glass on your phone. it's much more likely that you had sand in your pocket.
  - homonculus1 7y ago
    Nyaaaaaah!
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
izzydata 7y ago
I feel like at some point in the near future phone naming conventions will adopt the car manufacturer naming convention of just being the name of the car and then whatever year it is. It would be silly to have the Samsung Galaxy S26 or the Apple iPhone 32 XR instead it should just be the Samsung Galaxy (2028) and the Apple iPhone (2025) or whatever year it is. The updates to the phones will start to get very insignificant from year to year.
- stevewodil 7y ago
  For Apple specifically it seems that they are more keen on keeping their iOS devices on a different naming scheme. The macbook lines already do the naming convention based on 'early' 'mid' and 'late' year, for example mid 2018 macbook pro
- iwasakabukiman 7y ago
  Phil Schiller has openly said that the iPhone names are swiped from car manufacturers[1]. > "I love cars and things that go fast, and R and S are both letters used to denote sport cars that are really extra special," he said with a smile. [1] https://www.engadget.com/2018/10/22/iphone-xr-phil-schiller-interview/ https://www.engadget.com/2018/10/22/iphone-xr-phil-schiller-...
jzwinck 7y ago
The Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro has very good cameras and a headphone jack for about 430 USD: https://www.mi.com/global/mi-9-t-pro https://www.mi.com/global/mi-9-t-pro In some markets it's called the Redmi K20 Pro.
- krzat 7y ago
  This phone is really impressive. I got non pro version for 270$. It has OLED, USB-C, minijack and good battery.
oftenwrong 7y ago
This is just a top-6-best-gadgets list with affiliate links for each pick and a provocative headline.
- arbhassan 7y ago
  And whats wrong with that?
  - radiorental 7y ago
    An argument could be made that it is not in the spirit of HN.
  - oftenwrong 7y ago
    It is an advertisement. The content was crafted to generate fees. Its objectivity is questionable.
- twic 7y ago
  No, it's more than that: it's an excuse for us to get together in the comments and rail against the passing of the headphone jack. I'm serious: the actual article in this case is the stone in a pot of stone soup.
  - humble_engineer 7y ago
    The headphone jack isn't going anywhere. I'm an apple user and I'm still pissed about it.
- iwasakabukiman 7y ago
  You're right. But it is generating some interesting discussion here on HN with people sharing what 3.5mm headphone jack equipped phones they've been using.
rpmisms 7y ago
I sincerely hope that headphone jacks will return as a fad. Not everyone has bluetooth wireless charging everything, nor do many want that. If you must get rid of the 3.5mm port, why not have dual USB-C to charge and listen at once?
- verbify 7y ago
  Like this? https://www.geargeek.co.uk/type-c-to-3-5mm-headphone-jack-audio-adapter-charger-cable/?gclid=CjwKCAjw5fzrBRASEiwAD2OSV701ONxIi7VgI5SC1jq76MFMqypdtCuyPee7gCDjleJf-vNrpf1T9hoCqTIQAvD_BwE https://www.geargeek.co.uk/type-c-to-3-5mm-headphone-jack-au...
  - Onawa 7y ago
    Sure, dongles give you the option when the headphone jack is removed. It's just one more thing to remember to bring and possibly lose though. I like being able to grab just the phone and earbud headphones and not have to worry about it.
    - dobleboble 7y ago
      You could glue the dongle to the headphones.
      - twic 7y ago
        Or just leave it plugged in, i don't think the glue is really necessary. I bought one of these, on the grounds of some good reviews on audiophile sites: https://www.hidizs.net/products/dac-cable https://www.hidizs.net/products/dac-cable It's tiny, so it just becomes part of the earphone cable.
        PyroLagus 7y ago
        Oh wow, I didn't know there were DAC cables, and this is pretty cheap as far as DACs go
chuckgreenman 7y ago
I'm a single-issue voter when it comes to cell phones - if it doesn't have a headphone jack, I won't be buying it.
- bigredhdl 7y ago
  I'm not single-issue, but its definitely at the top of my requirements list. Just bought a pixel 3a to replace my galaxy s8 that broke. The headphone jack was probably the single biggest influence on what I bought. That along with price, camera and iFixit repair score made the 3a hard to pass up.
- goda90 7y ago
  My single-issue is replaceable battery, but no new candidates are being fielded. I still have an LG V20. They're now on V50 I believe but haven't had replaceable batteries since the V20.
  - magduf 7y ago
    Yep, me too, I have the same phone. I'm probably going to upgrade to a newer model in this range eventually because the cameras are fantastic, but I'm annoyed they axed the removable battery.
  - staz 7y ago
    fair phone 3? it has a replaceable battery
    - goda90 7y ago
      I'm still on one of the few CDMA carriers out there, so that's not an option right now.
  - zknz 7y ago
    Curious why you want this? Are you replacing the battery multiple times per day, rather than charging?
tablethnuser 7y ago
I've been using the budget Moto G+ line for the past four years. I can upgrade my phone every year around Black Friday and get the latest model for sub $200. The older phones still work well and get handed down to my less tech savvy family members. I'm not really sure what people are paying for when they get those $800+ beasts for phones. When I use a friend's I can tell they are higher quality; either they feel more fancy or load apps more quickly. But it's marginal like the difference between a workstation and a gaming PC. I think more people should try out budget Android lines. One really nice benefit is they only contain the technologies that have proved themselves. This article focuses on headphone jacks but there's quite a lot of silly phone tech that comes and goes in the name of marketing showmanship.
- feikname 7y ago
  I use the moto G line myself and the only thing I am dissatisfied about is Motorola's constant refusal to make use of it's 64bit hardware, forcing the OS to run in 32-bit mode. Some games (Pokemon Masters for example) are simply unavailable because of this, and Google has already deprecated 32bit native code.
  - SteveMoody73 7y ago
    I've been on the Moto G range for a couple of yeras now. I don't know if it's running on 32 bit or not as i don't use the phone for much more than messaging, browsing and some light gaming. As a budget phone i can't recommend the range enough. Been some solid phone and never had any issues with them
  - abacadaba 7y ago
    Never noticed. Loyal Moto g due to chop for flashlight and minimal crapware. Headphone jack has failed on last on a d starting to on this one though.
- hammock 7y ago
  Pixel camera is pretty amazing/magical. How is the camera app on the Moto G+?
amelius 7y ago
I was wondering, how do people connect two headphones to a single phone? Is that possible with Bluetooth or any other connection method that's not a headphone jack? It seems to me that some people got sloppy with the requirements analysis of their connector.
- Qwertystop 7y ago
  It's definitely possible to have multiple Bluetooth peripherals on a single device in the general case (see: laptop with wireless keyboard and headphones). So that would just come down to software on a per-phone basis (and may or may not be a feature an app could add if it's not supported baseline).
- SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
  Bluetooth 5.0 supports 2 devices being output at once. > It seems to me that some people got sloppy with the requirements analysis of their connector. I guess I'd have to throw this back at you and ask if you know a lot of people who use 2 headphones on a single phone. Considering phones are largely personal items, I feel like that was probably a super small subset of the user base.
  - andrewaylett 7y ago
    Lidl's own-brand headphones have a 3.5mm connector on the opposite earcup to the cable, so you can daisy-chain them. My children do so frequently, so they can watch Minecraft videos without annoying their parents.
    - SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
      Oh, that's a neat feature!
    - Zenst 7y ago
      Also handy if you break the cable as can use that port with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm connector and back working - cutt off the offending broken cable that is a nightmare to fix as are most headphone cables, bit like soldering two hairs together with solder that melts at the same temp as the wire as it is sooo small - though I'm not great at soldering. Ideally wished they would just include a replaceable lead like some do - but the Lidls ones work well, cheap and in recent sale - less than £5 - bargain and also fair quality.
winternett 7y ago
I got a Nokia 7.1 for around $300 and it has the headphone jack and a Micro SD slot, another feature that phone makers are getting rid of... Phone memory is terrible these days, I have a huge collection of Mp3s and wav files I don't want to give up, despite bluetooth stuttering at times in my car. Putting low onboard memory on modern phones should be a crime when USB sticks with 128GB plus are selling for $15... They do that to boost streaming and data charges... It's like car makers intentionally putting a smaller gas tank in a car if carmakers also owned the gas stations.
- css 7y ago
  1,600+ MB/s read on iPhone Xs NAND vs 90 MB/s read on an SDXC card. Of course the USB sticks and the like are cheaper, they're not comparable at all.
  - basch 7y ago
    But I only need 90MB/s for music. Or if the phone can already determine unused apps to offload, it could move them to cold slow storage instead.
    - css 7y ago
      I don't disagree about offloading, but comparing the cost of SDXC to NAND does not make sense.
      - dwild 7y ago
        It does makes sense to complains about the price difference when you don't need 1,600+ MB/s speed for what you want to put on it. He want 128 GB for his MP3, it doesn't make sense he can't get it when USB stick of that size are that cheap.
  - wjoe 7y ago
    Not really relevant. Obviously you want fast I/O for your OS storage, but for external storage that's mostly going to be used for music, videos, and images, it really doesn't matter how fast it is.
foobarbecue 7y ago
Writing this on my Sony Xperia XZ1. It's small, fast, waterproof, high res, and has headphone jack. My only complaint is lack of openness.
- nix0n 7y ago
  Unfortunately, the XZ1 and XZ1c (which I have) seem to be discontinued.
  - Broken_Hippo 7y ago
    Sony's newer models have gotten rid of the headphone jack. I know this because I replaced mine earlier this year after dropping my old one on a bus floor. I don't really mind so much most of the time, though, since my headphones were wireless anyway. I only really use the dongle if the headphones are low on battery.
- foobarbecue 7y ago
  Oops I meant XZ1 compact.
pwenzel 7y ago
Still rocking my iPhone SE. Gonna keep using it until it no longer charges, the headphone port dies, or Apple stops putting out iOS updates for it.
- celticmusic 7y ago
  I have the same phone, and in fact I purchased it used when I accidentally dropped my old SE into my coffee. It's small, is usable as a phone and gps, and has a headphone jack (something I never thought I'd consider a feature...). Why in the world would I change?
- tambourine_man 7y ago
  Same. Unfortunately, it looks like iOS 13 will be the last one to support it
- RijilV 7y ago
  Also same. Annoyed by the articles claims the SE is obsolete or nearly so. Does everything I need it to - email, calendar, typing this message now, maps etc. I have enough distraction apps on it to get me through domestic flight. Wish the modem was better for international travel. Humorously with respect to the article I do typically use Bluetooth headphones with it, except when flying as planes still have a headphone jack and I travel so light I won’t take two pairs.
- iwasakabukiman 7y ago
  I love my iPhone SE but even with a brand new battery, it can barely make it through a day of extremely light use on iOS 13.
  - javagram 7y ago
    Isn’t iOS 13 not out yet? I don’t have such issues on iOS 12 and my SE. Of course “light usage” may be different between us...
- b3b0p 7y ago
  I'm still rocking an iPhone 6 and Apple stopped updates for me. I can't install iOS 13. I honestly don't have much desire to upgrade. I only use it for Music and podcasts with the occasional call or text message anyway.
beat 7y ago
Why is it so hard to just use a dongle? I use old-school wired studio headphones with my iPhone... I just leave the dongle that came with the phone on them.
- leetcrew 7y ago
  if you only use that pair on headphones for your phone, it's only a minor inconvenience to just keep it attached to the headphones. if not, it becomes yet another small item that you can forget or lose. the real issue with dongles from my perspective is that they move the DAC out of the phone. manufacturers already tend to cut corners with onboard DACs, and they're likely to use even worse components in a $5 dongle. in theory, usb-c could enable headphone manufacturers to move the DAC to the headphones themselves and use much better components than a mass market phone would. unfortunately I think the future is probably "good enough" but convenient wireless protocols.
  - beat 7y ago
    I actually use those headphones for other things (I'm a studio recording musician in my copious spare time, and they're my favorite studio headphones). I just put the dongle in the same pocket as my wallet and loose change. Haven't lost it yet. I'm not sure the iPhone dongle is even a DAC. It seems like an analog pass-through, but I could be wrong. At any rate, after decades of playing music and producing numerous albums, I figure I'm as golden-eared as anyone, and I don't feel the sound is compromised.
    - wilsonnb3 7y ago
      It is a DAC, and according to this source a pretty good one. https://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/lightning-adapter-audio-quality.htm https://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/lightning-adapter-audio-qu...
      - twic 7y ago
        When it comes to cameras, Ken Rockwell is infamous for never giving a bad review. Apparently everything is awesome.
LoSboccacc 7y ago
weird there's no mention of the mi a3. under display fingerprint scanner, the headphone jack, Android One and an interesting price. if it wasn't for the 720p display it'd be a best buy
- flumberbug 7y ago
  > If it wasn't for the slow fingerprint scanner, it'd be a best buy. Fixed.
  - JohnFen 7y ago
    Personally, I couldn't care less about the fingerprint scanner since I'm not going to use it anyway.
kitd 7y ago
A 1% problem. I upgrade my budget Android (ie < GBP150) every 3ish years. Never had this issue.
huntermeyer 7y ago
LG V30+ > LG has crafted the best-sounding headphone audio in any smartphone yet. The V30’s quad-DAC audio system is a legitimate technological advancement that delivers real joy https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/16/16481024/lg-v30-headphone-jack-awesome-futile https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/16/16481024/lg-v30-headphon...
- magduf 7y ago
  I have a V20 and it's pretty fantastic. It even has a removable battery, and dual camera lenses. Unfortunately, it's the last Vx0 phone with the removable battery.
- twic 7y ago
  > Eventually, I think the headphone jack will follow the same path as matte computer displays. I will always argue that matte screens are better, because they are less affected by glare and distracting reflections and, therefore, can remain usable even in sunlit environments. But glossy displays make colors pop and seem more vibrant, and Apple popularized them with its MacBook Pro line, so now more than 90 percent of the laptops you can purchase come with a glossy display. Oh god how i miss matte screens!
- qzx_pierri 7y ago
  All of LG’s phones either have bootloop issues, or display issues. It’s been consistent for years. If I could trust them, I would check this out. I got burned with the V10, and one of my friends got burned with the V20. Check their forums, it’s crazy.
  - ThatPlayer 7y ago
    It was only for about 2 years during the V10 and G4. I'm still using a V20 and it has not bootloop, and is probably effected by it. I did have my G4 bootloop and they did fix it out of warranty. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_smartphone_bootloop_issues https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_smartphone_bootloop_issues
baxtr 7y ago
Best Computers That Still Have a Floppy Drive
- spookthesunset 7y ago
  Best new laptops with a VGA output. Best new laptops with an centronics port. Best new desktops with a turbo button.
manbearpiggy 7y ago
Iphone SE - when you don't need a spaceship in your pocket. also limits the Alphabet co. reach - but I keep a tinfoil hat for extra protection.
sg47 7y ago
I bought a Google Pixel 3a when it came out. After trading in my Pixel 1 (with a damaged screen) and a rebate, it came out to $230 incl. taxes. I've been extremely happy with the phone. It's a huge upgrade over the Pixel 1 and I can use Apple wired earphones when I need to. For anyone looking into buying a new Android phone, I highly recommend the Pixel 3a.
- JohnFen 7y ago
  > For anyone looking into buying a new Android phone, I highly recommend the Pixel 3a. Honestly, I'd only recommend it to people who really value the camera.
  - TheCapn 7y ago
    What's your recommendation? I'm about to look at upgrading from my Pixel 1 and the 3a has been a frontrunner for me so far. I'm waiting to see what the rumored 4 & 4a bring to the table before I jump on anything.
    - JohnFen 7y ago
      It's hard to make a recommendation without knowing your needs. However, if the Pixel 1 makes you happy, then I'm likely to recommend that you just get another Pixel.
      - TheCapn 7y ago
        It was more of a question to see your rational honestly. If you're saying the only quality feature of the Pixel 3a is the camera I wanted to see what you valued in smartphones to make that comment. For me: ease of use/configuration. I don't want Samsung bloat, I'd prefer to buy direct from manufacturer to avoid mobile carrier shit. I don't want to deal with rooting and have been happy with Google's smartphone offer since the Nexus line. I'd prefer wireless charging, not an overly large phone, and a fingerprint reader on the back, but after that I'm flexible.
chasedehan 7y ago
Totally happy with my SE (I am locked into Apple phones unfortunately and this is my only option). Outside of the headphone jack, I also really like the smaller size. Plus, I love people's reactions "how old is your phone!?" and then get surprised when I say I bought it new 6 months ago.
sand500 7y ago
No love for Asus ROG II?
- gundmc 7y ago
  Woah, I didn't realize ASUS made ROG branded phones. I had a ROG laptop for years that I was very happy with.
lovehashbrowns 7y ago
I'm pretty excited for the ROG Phone 2. I honestly hate the look of it; it's far too "gamer-y" for me. I mean, it makes sense since it's a gamer product. But everything else about it looks great. High refresh rate for the screen, double USB-C ports, really good battery life. And it comes with a headphone jack! If it has water resistance, that's what I'm gonna go for. Otherwise, I guess I'm gonna keep my Note9 for a while.
- zeroDivisible 7y ago
  I didn't hear about ROG Phone 2 and it has some features which I really like, but I think the killer for me was lack of Micro SD and a better camera. If only there would be a flagship phone which has all: an awesome camera (I snap loads of photos, the whole "best camera is the one you have with yourself" mantra), big battery and a Micro SD slot, it would be an instant buy for me. So far I've been upgrading my Samsung Galaxy from 2 -> 4 -> 8+ as that was the closest I could find to what I wanted from the phone, but I'm happy to change to any other brand.
  - lovehashbrowns 7y ago
    I can understand the lack of focus on the camera, but yeah the missing MicroSD slot for a gamer phone doesn't make much sense to me. That seems like an important feature for that kind of phone to have. Honestly, I'm very disappointed that Samsung also started stripping down its Note line. That's the phone that should have all the features--MicroSD, headphone jack, stylus, amazing camera, etc. I'm in the same boat as you are. I've been going from Samsung phone to Samsung phone for ages now, but they've taken their "pro" line and started taking out "pro" features...just like Apple. :\
deleted 7y ago
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alistproducer2 7y ago
Sorry but this list is trash. Every smartphone on that list was overpriced and runs some horrid vendor customized version of Android that's sure to become obsolete because the vendors will stop updating it with a year or two. the one that was around $200 (Motorola) had specs way worse than the phone I'm using (Nokia 2.2) to type this message, which is $70 cheaper than the Motorola and has a headphone jack btw.
- gruez 7y ago
  >Every smartphone on that list was overpriced and runs some horrid vendor customized version of Android Literally the first phone on the list: "Pixel 3A and 3A XL" (by google).
  - giancarlostoro 7y ago
    Not only that but I've had LG G series phones for years (G2, G5, and now the G7) and never lost support within my reasonable time owning each model phone.
    - _1tan 7y ago
      Also generally good third party ROM availability! Still happily rocking a G5 after switching from a G4 for the USB-C connector.
  - baddox 7y ago
    For reference, the first-generation Pixel phones just received the new Android 10 update, nearly three years after the release of the phones. This will presumably be the final major Android update the first-generation Pixel phones receive. iOS 13 (being released this week) will support the iPhone 6s, which was released four years ago.
  - Rebelgecko 7y ago
    Don't the Pixel phones have a lot of features that aren't part of stock Android?
jjuhl 7y ago
I really like my Nokia 8 (and its headphone jack). Much cheaper than most devices on that list, but easily up there with them in terms of every day perceived performance.
lostgame 7y ago
Apple’s lack of follow-up to the iPhone SE means the SE is still the best iPhone with a headphone jack. I honestly can’t believe Apple did an iPhone event without introducing a new model in that size. I know at least a dozen people (especially women) who had been saying for at least a year that until the SE had a replacement, they’d be using one, or swapping to Android. With the weakest offerings for iPhones yet, in terms of reason to upgrade - and intense consumer demand for such a product, I’m just starting to get sick of Apple not listening to what it’s userbase is asking for. Shoving a limited number of options in our faces only works if the consumers actually want any of those options. For a time, the ‘MacBook’ was lighter than the ‘MacBook Air’. For years, Apple’s flagship iOS phones wouldn’t even connect to their flagship MacBooks and MacBook pros without an additional cable or adapter. They’ve killed the non Touch Bar MacBook Pro, while the industry laments the Touch Bar’s existence. It’s one thing not to listen to your customers. Apple has always been a certain level of compromise (price, features) as compared to other options. It’s another thing to completely ignore industry and user base response. Reasons to make that compromise have run out for me, and are running out for others. I have been an Apple-exclusive computer (especially laptop) user for 15 years. My next laptop will be a hackintoshed Lenovo.
- CDSlice 7y ago
  Is Apple really not listening to it's customers, or just not listening to a small, vocal subset? I've really only heard complaints about the touchbar from software devs, which are not Apple's main customers. Apple's main customers are creatives and people that want to spend a lot of money for what amounts to a well made (MacBook pro keyboard issues notwithstanding), functional status symbols. Making a smaller, cheaper iPhone isn't really useful for the creatives and just devalues Apple as a status symbol for the people that buy it for that. > For years, Apple’s flagship iOS phones wouldn’t even connect to their flagship MacBooks and MacBook pros without an additional cable or adapter. > My next laptop will be a hackintoshed Lenovo. I really don't think you are Apple's target audience. Most iPhone users don't connect their phone to a computer anymore, especially the people that are buying flagship Macs and iPhones, and the few that do generally don't mind buying the extra cable. And most people with the skills and patience to tinker with their systems to make functional hackintoshes probably aren't big on buying services, which is what Apple is trying to transition into.
mehrdadn 7y ago
OnePlus 5, 5T, 6 have headphone jacks too, and they're decent phones.
Roboprog 7y ago
If you do any kind of music creation on your mobile device, Bluetooth is completely unacceptable. When you push a key/knob, you want to hear the sound NOW, clearly. One of iOS selling points is music production, otherwise, save the money???
- lostgame 7y ago
  Thank you. Someone needed to say this. I’m sure some would argue that you could use the adapter - but do I really want to carry an adapter and have to find it within a moment of inspiration?
  - Roboprog 7y ago
    To clarify, I mean for audio. For MIDI it works well enough most of the time. I think note-on/off messages are 3 or 4 bytes, though, which is quite a bit less of a chunk to buffer and verify or whatever Bluetooth does
    - PascLeRasc 7y ago
      Note-on/offs are 3 bytes exactly [1] and take 320μs to send [2], but I'm not sure what kind of overhead Bluetooth adds. [1]: http://www.music-software-development.com/midi-tutorial.html http://www.music-software-development.com/midi-tutorial.html [2] https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~music/cmsip/readings/davids-midi-spec.htm https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~music/cmsip/readings/davids-midi-spe...
      - Roboprog 7y ago
        Thanks, gotcha. Half byte for on/off header, half for channel, byte for the note/pitch, byte for the velocity. This snippet probably xmits even faster at higher bps.
- brandonmenc 7y ago
  There is an adapter. It works just fine. If you're a musician, you were probably also carrying around some 3.5 to quarter inch headphone adapters before this.
Causality1 7y ago
I'm very surprised the article listed the LG G8 and not the Asus Zenfone 6.
old-gregg 7y ago
I've been quite happy with my 6s, going to replace the battery again soon. But eventually iOS updates will cease coming, yet I absolutely cannot live without a headphone jack. Honest question: how would you even approach the Android? My smartphone is basically a more mobile extension of my laptop: sending document snapshots directly from the phone's camera to my MacOS desktop, starting iMessage conversations with anyone with a phone number on a Mac and continuing on my phone, copy-pasting from my laptop into my phone, etc. Android seems to be designed to run in "I'm an island" mode, i.e. the phone is one and only computer a user is supposed to use. I understand that my usage pattern isn't what manufacturers (and Google) are optimizing for, but what would be the closest approximation?
- jgtrosh 7y ago
  Probably not what you have in mind, but today I saw that KDE interacts well with a phone app to ease device interaction. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.kde.kdeconnect_tp https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.kde.kdecon...
  - elkos 7y ago
    I'm an oldtime KDE user and honestly I love using KDE connect. I never used a Apple product so I'm not familiar with how this ecosystem manages device interaction. On the other hand I'm too cheap to use something more than second a hand Lenovo, a Dell tower and a midrange Xiaomi.
- mattmcknight 7y ago
  "Android seems to be designed to run in "I'm an island" mode" Not at all, if anything it is more flexible, as it syncs cloud first, making what's on your phone accessible through a browser on any device, although with numerous sync programs available on the desktop as well. Scan docs into Google Drive (or dropbox) and the file appears in a synced folder on your laptop. Photos can drop straight into Google Photos. I use Android Messages on the web, can drop a chrome app to the Mac desktop if you want, it is seamless with the phone (and Hangouts still works too). I don't have any need for a shared clipboard, (maybe I use things like Google Keep for that?), but I know you can use pushbullet or the like.
metaphor 7y ago
It's ironic how the author chose to omit one of the last viable smartphones with both a headphone jack and QWERTY keypad that still receives regular security updates[1], yet includes one whose headphone pinout deviates from the rest of standardized industry. [1] https://blackberrymobile.com/us/product/blackberry-key2/ https://blackberrymobile.com/us/product/blackberry-key2/
Seb-C 7y ago
I'm surprised that the OnePlus 6 is not in this list. It is the best smartphone I have owned so far and it has a headphone jack. There is no way for this list to be exhaustive anyway, there are still a lot of models with a headphone jack (but this trend is indeed annoying).
- em-bee 7y ago
  indeed, i found the list rather underwhelming. i just bought a OnePlus 5t. i didn't get a 6 because it was not supported by /e/ ( https://e.foundation https://e.foundation ) those were effectively the two criteria: /e/ support, and a headphone jack (also 128GB of space and a price limit of $300)
egypturnash 7y ago
My 6S still has a headphone jack, and I haven't had any real desire to upgrade it.
- vuln 7y ago
  Well until now you still received security updates so now you have a choice. Get a new phone and continue to get security updates or ???
  - egypturnash 7y ago
    As far as I can tell it’s gonna get IOS13, so I don’t have to worry about that choice yet.
mkertajaya 7y ago
Since I discovered a USB DAC/Pre-amp, I no longer miss headphone jack. My headphone sounds even better using usb dac/pre-amp from audioques. I recommend this setup if your phone don't have headphone jack and you still want to use your expensive headphone. Link here: https://www.audioquest.com/page/aq-dragonfly-series.html https://www.audioquest.com/page/aq-dragonfly-series.html
Whatarethese 7y ago
Headphone jacks are dumb when a majority of the populous does not use them. They are a dust and water ingress point and just take up space that could be used for something more useful. Such as more battery or haptic engine.
thiht 7y ago
I just bought the Pixel 3a as a replacement for my Nexus 5x because I had two requirements: - headphone jack - no stupid notch I love it and would strongly recommend it, it feels like the actual successor of the 5x
cmarschner 7y ago
The lack of a headphone jack is the only reason I haven’t upgraded my iPhone 6s. I tend to use them at night, phone plugged in. I have at least five cables and don’t want to buy five dongles which I would lose. I would lose bluetooth earplugs in a matter of days. I just want to keep my system which works perfectly. If at least they had put in two lightning connectors - these are not nearly as durable and start failing now after 5 years. That and the battery would be the only reason for me to get a new phone.
nikofeyn 7y ago
this list is silly in that it doesn’t even mention the lg v series phones. not only do they have audio jacks, they have audio DACs built-in such that you get better sound with better headphones. they are really quite good with my buyer dynamic headphones. the lg v35 and v40 are insanely good value right now, and the lg v50 is yet another sleeper flagship, high-end phone that does it all, aside from removable battery. however, unlike apple, lg offers a reasonable repair service directly with lg. also, my lg v35 has the same water rating as the iPhone xs line and is thinner and lighter despite still retaining the audio jack and expandable storage.
RawChicken 7y ago
For the small phone seekers, I've been eyeing the Sharp Aquos R2 Compact. Its a small phone (like they don't make them any more) with a headphone jack. Only problem in my opinion is the non-replaceable battery. Furthermore, since the phone is sold just in Japan, I'm fearing that the always-on shutter sound will still be active in Europe (I read it was sim dependent)
quirkafleeg3 7y ago
There are many people who's defence of headphone jack removal is 'Bluetooth works for me'. That's not the point though. You may like it, but this is about choice. By removing the audio jack, we have has a choice taken from us, and choice makes or brakes a device.
newen 7y ago
Best Smartphones That Still Have Removable Batteries, when? They keep taking away useful features from the good phones.

304 points by edmoffo 7y ago

I'm still on my Samsung S8. The rapid release cycle made me apathetic to every new phone release. Lists like this are good, I want to maximize considering useful features (battery) while ignoring useless additions (1mm thinner!)

anewguy9000 7y ago

the pixel 3a is made with non-gorilla glass. didnt we learn like 10 years ago thats a bad idea on a phone? my keys scratched it up in a single day and the whole thing shattered within a couple of weeks. garbage. edit: i know people are saying its dragontail which is supposedly as strong as gorilla. well empirically speaking, i can say that is false; the same key scratches my pixel 3a easily but doesnt leave a mark on my pixel 2. take that for what its worth. ymmv.

fredley 7y ago
It's half the price of phones with similar spec, and there are reasons for that. It also has a plastic shell. I have mine wrapped up in a case/screen protector.
wlesieutre 7y ago
By the same token, didn't we learn 10 years ago that cell phones and keys are better off in different pockets?
- fredley 7y ago
  If you keep your phone in a bag that may not be possible.
- penagwin 7y ago
  I worked in a phone/computer repair store, based on anecdotal research on glass screen protectors, this isn't necessary anymore. I'm sure this applies to many phones (haven't tested specific ones) but the glass screen protectors refused to scratch for me, I tried screw driver tips, razors, as hard as I could against a flat desk. If I applied enough concentrated force (or jabbed it) it would brake as expected, but anything short of that left a barely visible mark, if anything. I have seen them scratched, but it's not common. I say throw a screen protector on it if you can and don't worry about it.
  - wlesieutre 7y ago
    Having them in the same pocket I'd be worried about the force that could get applied by sitting down in a tight pair of pants with a modern-sized phone. The sort of situation that caused the "bendgate" problems. Maybe it's over cautious, but with phones costing $1000 I'd rather not mess around with it. And I don't love the glass screen protectors, had one on my phone briefly and it seemed like it screwed up the image quality. Subtle, like a faint RGB shimmer over the whole thing. So now I've just got a thin plastic case and I try to not drop it.
    - penagwin 7y ago
      What type of phone? You might want to try a different screen protector - every well applied glass screen protector I've seen on iPhones has been nearly indistinguishable from the glass screen (and I'm really particular about mine). We did have issues on the Galaxy phones with that edge though, we could never get the screen protector to stick properly.
      - wlesieutre 7y ago
        iPhone SE. I didn't get the cheapest garbage screen protector or anything either, it was a favorably reviewed one on the wirecutter. No bubbles under it. Maybe "slightly grainy" is the way to describe it? Been a couple of years so it's hard to say.
izzydata 7y ago
What I learned 10 years ago is that glass is fragile and to keep it in its own pocket. My Pixel 3a doesn't have a scratch on it.
fsh 7y ago
It's a hardened glass, just from a different manufacturer than Corning.
AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
I have no idea why the industry switched from aluminum backs to glass. I thought the whole point was to enable wireless charging, but some of the phones don't even support that. As long as they don't, I'd much prefer we went back to the aluminum unibodies of the HTC M7-10 phones. They were gorgeous, in addition to being durable.
- specialp 7y ago
  Actually plastic is ideal too. I mean almost everyone has either a broken phone, or a giant case on their phone because it is made entirely of glass. Back when Nokia made the Lumia phones and the N9, the solid polycarbonate was really nice looking and durable. But people judge a phone from when they pick it up in the store, and there aluminum/glass is definitely more slick looking. Only to be put in an otter box or something...
  - SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
    I didn't put my phones into cases until I got one with a glass back. Before it was all removable plastic backing, and shattering the glass was never a problem. My phones took tumbles down the stairs, and the worst that would happen is that back would fly one way, the battery another, and with all that kinetic energy dispersed the phone would be perfectly intact.
- anewguy9000 7y ago
  i have an htc m7 that is still functional! its even been thrown at a brick wall. i guess the industry realized thats bad for business.
  - AdmiralAsshat 7y ago
    I still have an M7 and an M9 in a drawer somewhere. If they were GSM-unlocked, I would probably have thrown LineageOS onto the M9 and continued to use it. Unfortunately, they were both "Verizon" editions (due to the CDMA modem variant), and stopped receiving updates. I debated switching to an HTC 10 at some point, but I had heard alot of anecdotal evidence about high failure rates for the phone after a couple years. Again, it's a real shame. The HTC 10's chamfered aluminum looked gorgeous. I would pay for an identical-looking back on top of a phone with a bezel-less front and modern internals.
opencl 7y ago
It's not regular soda lime glass, they just used a different manufacturer of borosilicate glass (Asahi Dragontrail vs Corning Gorilla Glass).
leetcrew 7y ago
unless your keys are made of an unusual material, it's pretty unlikely that they scratched the glass on your phone. it's much more likely that you had sand in your pocket.
- homonculus1 7y ago
  Nyaaaaaah!
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

izzydata 7y ago

I feel like at some point in the near future phone naming conventions will adopt the car manufacturer naming convention of just being the name of the car and then whatever year it is. It would be silly to have the Samsung Galaxy S26 or the Apple iPhone 32 XR instead it should just be the Samsung Galaxy (2028) and the Apple iPhone (2025) or whatever year it is. The updates to the phones will start to get very insignificant from year to year.

stevewodil 7y ago
For Apple specifically it seems that they are more keen on keeping their iOS devices on a different naming scheme. The macbook lines already do the naming convention based on 'early' 'mid' and 'late' year, for example mid 2018 macbook pro
iwasakabukiman 7y ago
Phil Schiller has openly said that the iPhone names are swiped from car manufacturers[1]. > "I love cars and things that go fast, and R and S are both letters used to denote sport cars that are really extra special," he said with a smile. [1] https://www.engadget.com/2018/10/22/iphone-xr-phil-schiller-interview/ https://www.engadget.com/2018/10/22/iphone-xr-phil-schiller-...

jzwinck 7y ago

The Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro has very good cameras and a headphone jack for about 430 USD: https://www.mi.com/global/mi-9-t-pro https://www.mi.com/global/mi-9-t-pro In some markets it's called the Redmi K20 Pro.

krzat 7y ago
This phone is really impressive. I got non pro version for 270$. It has OLED, USB-C, minijack and good battery.

oftenwrong 7y ago

This is just a top-6-best-gadgets list with affiliate links for each pick and a provocative headline.

arbhassan 7y ago
And whats wrong with that?
- radiorental 7y ago
  An argument could be made that it is not in the spirit of HN.
- oftenwrong 7y ago
  It is an advertisement. The content was crafted to generate fees. Its objectivity is questionable.
twic 7y ago
No, it's more than that: it's an excuse for us to get together in the comments and rail against the passing of the headphone jack. I'm serious: the actual article in this case is the stone in a pot of stone soup.
- humble_engineer 7y ago
  The headphone jack isn't going anywhere. I'm an apple user and I'm still pissed about it.
iwasakabukiman 7y ago
You're right. But it is generating some interesting discussion here on HN with people sharing what 3.5mm headphone jack equipped phones they've been using.

rpmisms 7y ago

I sincerely hope that headphone jacks will return as a fad. Not everyone has bluetooth wireless charging everything, nor do many want that. If you must get rid of the 3.5mm port, why not have dual USB-C to charge and listen at once?

verbify 7y ago
Like this? https://www.geargeek.co.uk/type-c-to-3-5mm-headphone-jack-audio-adapter-charger-cable/?gclid=CjwKCAjw5fzrBRASEiwAD2OSV701ONxIi7VgI5SC1jq76MFMqypdtCuyPee7gCDjleJf-vNrpf1T9hoCqTIQAvD_BwE https://www.geargeek.co.uk/type-c-to-3-5mm-headphone-jack-au...
- Onawa 7y ago
  Sure, dongles give you the option when the headphone jack is removed. It's just one more thing to remember to bring and possibly lose though. I like being able to grab just the phone and earbud headphones and not have to worry about it.
  - dobleboble 7y ago
    You could glue the dongle to the headphones.
    - twic 7y ago
      Or just leave it plugged in, i don't think the glue is really necessary. I bought one of these, on the grounds of some good reviews on audiophile sites: https://www.hidizs.net/products/dac-cable https://www.hidizs.net/products/dac-cable It's tiny, so it just becomes part of the earphone cable.
      - PyroLagus 7y ago
        Oh wow, I didn't know there were DAC cables, and this is pretty cheap as far as DACs go

chuckgreenman 7y ago

I'm a single-issue voter when it comes to cell phones - if it doesn't have a headphone jack, I won't be buying it.

bigredhdl 7y ago
I'm not single-issue, but its definitely at the top of my requirements list. Just bought a pixel 3a to replace my galaxy s8 that broke. The headphone jack was probably the single biggest influence on what I bought. That along with price, camera and iFixit repair score made the 3a hard to pass up.
goda90 7y ago
My single-issue is replaceable battery, but no new candidates are being fielded. I still have an LG V20. They're now on V50 I believe but haven't had replaceable batteries since the V20.
- magduf 7y ago
  Yep, me too, I have the same phone. I'm probably going to upgrade to a newer model in this range eventually because the cameras are fantastic, but I'm annoyed they axed the removable battery.
- staz 7y ago
  fair phone 3? it has a replaceable battery
  - goda90 7y ago
    I'm still on one of the few CDMA carriers out there, so that's not an option right now.
- zknz 7y ago
  Curious why you want this? Are you replacing the battery multiple times per day, rather than charging?

tablethnuser 7y ago

I've been using the budget Moto G+ line for the past four years. I can upgrade my phone every year around Black Friday and get the latest model for sub $200. The older phones still work well and get handed down to my less tech savvy family members. I'm not really sure what people are paying for when they get those $800+ beasts for phones. When I use a friend's I can tell they are higher quality; either they feel more fancy or load apps more quickly. But it's marginal like the difference between a workstation and a gaming PC. I think more people should try out budget Android lines. One really nice benefit is they only contain the technologies that have proved themselves. This article focuses on headphone jacks but there's quite a lot of silly phone tech that comes and goes in the name of marketing showmanship.

feikname 7y ago
I use the moto G line myself and the only thing I am dissatisfied about is Motorola's constant refusal to make use of it's 64bit hardware, forcing the OS to run in 32-bit mode. Some games (Pokemon Masters for example) are simply unavailable because of this, and Google has already deprecated 32bit native code.
- SteveMoody73 7y ago
  I've been on the Moto G range for a couple of yeras now. I don't know if it's running on 32 bit or not as i don't use the phone for much more than messaging, browsing and some light gaming. As a budget phone i can't recommend the range enough. Been some solid phone and never had any issues with them
- abacadaba 7y ago
  Never noticed. Loyal Moto g due to chop for flashlight and minimal crapware. Headphone jack has failed on last on a d starting to on this one though.
hammock 7y ago
Pixel camera is pretty amazing/magical. How is the camera app on the Moto G+?

amelius 7y ago

I was wondering, how do people connect two headphones to a single phone? Is that possible with Bluetooth or any other connection method that's not a headphone jack? It seems to me that some people got sloppy with the requirements analysis of their connector.

Qwertystop 7y ago
It's definitely possible to have multiple Bluetooth peripherals on a single device in the general case (see: laptop with wireless keyboard and headphones). So that would just come down to software on a per-phone basis (and may or may not be a feature an app could add if it's not supported baseline).
SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
Bluetooth 5.0 supports 2 devices being output at once. > It seems to me that some people got sloppy with the requirements analysis of their connector. I guess I'd have to throw this back at you and ask if you know a lot of people who use 2 headphones on a single phone. Considering phones are largely personal items, I feel like that was probably a super small subset of the user base.
- andrewaylett 7y ago
  Lidl's own-brand headphones have a 3.5mm connector on the opposite earcup to the cable, so you can daisy-chain them. My children do so frequently, so they can watch Minecraft videos without annoying their parents.
  - SketchySeaBeast 7y ago
    Oh, that's a neat feature!
  - Zenst 7y ago
    Also handy if you break the cable as can use that port with a 3.5mm to 3.5mm connector and back working - cutt off the offending broken cable that is a nightmare to fix as are most headphone cables, bit like soldering two hairs together with solder that melts at the same temp as the wire as it is sooo small - though I'm not great at soldering. Ideally wished they would just include a replaceable lead like some do - but the Lidls ones work well, cheap and in recent sale - less than £5 - bargain and also fair quality.

winternett 7y ago

I got a Nokia 7.1 for around $300 and it has the headphone jack and a Micro SD slot, another feature that phone makers are getting rid of... Phone memory is terrible these days, I have a huge collection of Mp3s and wav files I don't want to give up, despite bluetooth stuttering at times in my car. Putting low onboard memory on modern phones should be a crime when USB sticks with 128GB plus are selling for $15... They do that to boost streaming and data charges... It's like car makers intentionally putting a smaller gas tank in a car if carmakers also owned the gas stations.

css 7y ago
1,600+ MB/s read on iPhone Xs NAND vs 90 MB/s read on an SDXC card. Of course the USB sticks and the like are cheaper, they're not comparable at all.
- basch 7y ago
  But I only need 90MB/s for music. Or if the phone can already determine unused apps to offload, it could move them to cold slow storage instead.
  - css 7y ago
    I don't disagree about offloading, but comparing the cost of SDXC to NAND does not make sense.
    - dwild 7y ago
      It does makes sense to complains about the price difference when you don't need 1,600+ MB/s speed for what you want to put on it. He want 128 GB for his MP3, it doesn't make sense he can't get it when USB stick of that size are that cheap.
- wjoe 7y ago
  Not really relevant. Obviously you want fast I/O for your OS storage, but for external storage that's mostly going to be used for music, videos, and images, it really doesn't matter how fast it is.

foobarbecue 7y ago

Writing this on my Sony Xperia XZ1. It's small, fast, waterproof, high res, and has headphone jack. My only complaint is lack of openness.

nix0n 7y ago
Unfortunately, the XZ1 and XZ1c (which I have) seem to be discontinued.
- Broken_Hippo 7y ago
  Sony's newer models have gotten rid of the headphone jack. I know this because I replaced mine earlier this year after dropping my old one on a bus floor. I don't really mind so much most of the time, though, since my headphones were wireless anyway. I only really use the dongle if the headphones are low on battery.
foobarbecue 7y ago
Oops I meant XZ1 compact.

pwenzel 7y ago

Still rocking my iPhone SE. Gonna keep using it until it no longer charges, the headphone port dies, or Apple stops putting out iOS updates for it.

celticmusic 7y ago
I have the same phone, and in fact I purchased it used when I accidentally dropped my old SE into my coffee. It's small, is usable as a phone and gps, and has a headphone jack (something I never thought I'd consider a feature...). Why in the world would I change?
tambourine_man 7y ago
Same. Unfortunately, it looks like iOS 13 will be the last one to support it
RijilV 7y ago
Also same. Annoyed by the articles claims the SE is obsolete or nearly so. Does everything I need it to - email, calendar, typing this message now, maps etc. I have enough distraction apps on it to get me through domestic flight. Wish the modem was better for international travel. Humorously with respect to the article I do typically use Bluetooth headphones with it, except when flying as planes still have a headphone jack and I travel so light I won’t take two pairs.
iwasakabukiman 7y ago
I love my iPhone SE but even with a brand new battery, it can barely make it through a day of extremely light use on iOS 13.
- javagram 7y ago
  Isn’t iOS 13 not out yet? I don’t have such issues on iOS 12 and my SE. Of course “light usage” may be different between us...
b3b0p 7y ago
I'm still rocking an iPhone 6 and Apple stopped updates for me. I can't install iOS 13. I honestly don't have much desire to upgrade. I only use it for Music and podcasts with the occasional call or text message anyway.

beat 7y ago

Why is it so hard to just use a dongle? I use old-school wired studio headphones with my iPhone... I just leave the dongle that came with the phone on them.

leetcrew 7y ago
if you only use that pair on headphones for your phone, it's only a minor inconvenience to just keep it attached to the headphones. if not, it becomes yet another small item that you can forget or lose. the real issue with dongles from my perspective is that they move the DAC out of the phone. manufacturers already tend to cut corners with onboard DACs, and they're likely to use even worse components in a $5 dongle. in theory, usb-c could enable headphone manufacturers to move the DAC to the headphones themselves and use much better components than a mass market phone would. unfortunately I think the future is probably "good enough" but convenient wireless protocols.
- beat 7y ago
  I actually use those headphones for other things (I'm a studio recording musician in my copious spare time, and they're my favorite studio headphones). I just put the dongle in the same pocket as my wallet and loose change. Haven't lost it yet. I'm not sure the iPhone dongle is even a DAC. It seems like an analog pass-through, but I could be wrong. At any rate, after decades of playing music and producing numerous albums, I figure I'm as golden-eared as anyone, and I don't feel the sound is compromised.
  - wilsonnb3 7y ago
    It is a DAC, and according to this source a pretty good one. https://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/lightning-adapter-audio-quality.htm https://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/lightning-adapter-audio-qu...
    - twic 7y ago
      When it comes to cameras, Ken Rockwell is infamous for never giving a bad review. Apparently everything is awesome.

LoSboccacc 7y ago

weird there's no mention of the mi a3. under display fingerprint scanner, the headphone jack, Android One and an interesting price. if it wasn't for the 720p display it'd be a best buy

flumberbug 7y ago
> If it wasn't for the slow fingerprint scanner, it'd be a best buy. Fixed.
- JohnFen 7y ago
  Personally, I couldn't care less about the fingerprint scanner since I'm not going to use it anyway.

kitd 7y ago

A 1% problem. I upgrade my budget Android (ie < GBP150) every 3ish years. Never had this issue.

huntermeyer 7y ago

LG V30+ > LG has crafted the best-sounding headphone audio in any smartphone yet. The V30’s quad-DAC audio system is a legitimate technological advancement that delivers real joy https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/16/16481024/lg-v30-headphone-jack-awesome-futile https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/16/16481024/lg-v30-headphon...

magduf 7y ago
I have a V20 and it's pretty fantastic. It even has a removable battery, and dual camera lenses. Unfortunately, it's the last Vx0 phone with the removable battery.
twic 7y ago
> Eventually, I think the headphone jack will follow the same path as matte computer displays. I will always argue that matte screens are better, because they are less affected by glare and distracting reflections and, therefore, can remain usable even in sunlit environments. But glossy displays make colors pop and seem more vibrant, and Apple popularized them with its MacBook Pro line, so now more than 90 percent of the laptops you can purchase come with a glossy display. Oh god how i miss matte screens!
qzx_pierri 7y ago
All of LG’s phones either have bootloop issues, or display issues. It’s been consistent for years. If I could trust them, I would check this out. I got burned with the V10, and one of my friends got burned with the V20. Check their forums, it’s crazy.
- ThatPlayer 7y ago
  It was only for about 2 years during the V10 and G4. I'm still using a V20 and it has not bootloop, and is probably effected by it. I did have my G4 bootloop and they did fix it out of warranty. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_smartphone_bootloop_issues https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG_smartphone_bootloop_issues

baxtr 7y ago

Best Computers That Still Have a Floppy Drive

spookthesunset 7y ago
Best new laptops with a VGA output. Best new laptops with an centronics port. Best new desktops with a turbo button.

manbearpiggy 7y ago

Iphone SE - when you don't need a spaceship in your pocket. also limits the Alphabet co. reach - but I keep a tinfoil hat for extra protection.

sg47 7y ago

I bought a Google Pixel 3a when it came out. After trading in my Pixel 1 (with a damaged screen) and a rebate, it came out to $230 incl. taxes. I've been extremely happy with the phone. It's a huge upgrade over the Pixel 1 and I can use Apple wired earphones when I need to. For anyone looking into buying a new Android phone, I highly recommend the Pixel 3a.

JohnFen 7y ago
> For anyone looking into buying a new Android phone, I highly recommend the Pixel 3a. Honestly, I'd only recommend it to people who really value the camera.
- TheCapn 7y ago
  What's your recommendation? I'm about to look at upgrading from my Pixel 1 and the 3a has been a frontrunner for me so far. I'm waiting to see what the rumored 4 & 4a bring to the table before I jump on anything.
  - JohnFen 7y ago
    It's hard to make a recommendation without knowing your needs. However, if the Pixel 1 makes you happy, then I'm likely to recommend that you just get another Pixel.
    - TheCapn 7y ago
      It was more of a question to see your rational honestly. If you're saying the only quality feature of the Pixel 3a is the camera I wanted to see what you valued in smartphones to make that comment. For me: ease of use/configuration. I don't want Samsung bloat, I'd prefer to buy direct from manufacturer to avoid mobile carrier shit. I don't want to deal with rooting and have been happy with Google's smartphone offer since the Nexus line. I'd prefer wireless charging, not an overly large phone, and a fingerprint reader on the back, but after that I'm flexible.

chasedehan 7y ago

Totally happy with my SE (I am locked into Apple phones unfortunately and this is my only option). Outside of the headphone jack, I also really like the smaller size. Plus, I love people's reactions "how old is your phone!?" and then get surprised when I say I bought it new 6 months ago.

sand500 7y ago

No love for Asus ROG II?

gundmc 7y ago
Woah, I didn't realize ASUS made ROG branded phones. I had a ROG laptop for years that I was very happy with.

lovehashbrowns 7y ago

I'm pretty excited for the ROG Phone 2. I honestly hate the look of it; it's far too "gamer-y" for me. I mean, it makes sense since it's a gamer product. But everything else about it looks great. High refresh rate for the screen, double USB-C ports, really good battery life. And it comes with a headphone jack! If it has water resistance, that's what I'm gonna go for. Otherwise, I guess I'm gonna keep my Note9 for a while.

zeroDivisible 7y ago
I didn't hear about ROG Phone 2 and it has some features which I really like, but I think the killer for me was lack of Micro SD and a better camera. If only there would be a flagship phone which has all: an awesome camera (I snap loads of photos, the whole "best camera is the one you have with yourself" mantra), big battery and a Micro SD slot, it would be an instant buy for me. So far I've been upgrading my Samsung Galaxy from 2 -> 4 -> 8+ as that was the closest I could find to what I wanted from the phone, but I'm happy to change to any other brand.
- lovehashbrowns 7y ago
  I can understand the lack of focus on the camera, but yeah the missing MicroSD slot for a gamer phone doesn't make much sense to me. That seems like an important feature for that kind of phone to have. Honestly, I'm very disappointed that Samsung also started stripping down its Note line. That's the phone that should have all the features--MicroSD, headphone jack, stylus, amazing camera, etc. I'm in the same boat as you are. I've been going from Samsung phone to Samsung phone for ages now, but they've taken their "pro" line and started taking out "pro" features...just like Apple. :\

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alistproducer2 7y ago

Sorry but this list is trash. Every smartphone on that list was overpriced and runs some horrid vendor customized version of Android that's sure to become obsolete because the vendors will stop updating it with a year or two. the one that was around $200 (Motorola) had specs way worse than the phone I'm using (Nokia 2.2) to type this message, which is $70 cheaper than the Motorola and has a headphone jack btw.

gruez 7y ago
>Every smartphone on that list was overpriced and runs some horrid vendor customized version of Android Literally the first phone on the list: "Pixel 3A and 3A XL" (by google).
- giancarlostoro 7y ago
  Not only that but I've had LG G series phones for years (G2, G5, and now the G7) and never lost support within my reasonable time owning each model phone.
  - _1tan 7y ago
    Also generally good third party ROM availability! Still happily rocking a G5 after switching from a G4 for the USB-C connector.
- baddox 7y ago
  For reference, the first-generation Pixel phones just received the new Android 10 update, nearly three years after the release of the phones. This will presumably be the final major Android update the first-generation Pixel phones receive. iOS 13 (being released this week) will support the iPhone 6s, which was released four years ago.
- Rebelgecko 7y ago
  Don't the Pixel phones have a lot of features that aren't part of stock Android?

jjuhl 7y ago

I really like my Nokia 8 (and its headphone jack). Much cheaper than most devices on that list, but easily up there with them in terms of every day perceived performance.

lostgame 7y ago

Apple’s lack of follow-up to the iPhone SE means the SE is still the best iPhone with a headphone jack. I honestly can’t believe Apple did an iPhone event without introducing a new model in that size. I know at least a dozen people (especially women) who had been saying for at least a year that until the SE had a replacement, they’d be using one, or swapping to Android. With the weakest offerings for iPhones yet, in terms of reason to upgrade - and intense consumer demand for such a product, I’m just starting to get sick of Apple not listening to what it’s userbase is asking for. Shoving a limited number of options in our faces only works if the consumers actually want any of those options. For a time, the ‘MacBook’ was lighter than the ‘MacBook Air’. For years, Apple’s flagship iOS phones wouldn’t even connect to their flagship MacBooks and MacBook pros without an additional cable or adapter. They’ve killed the non Touch Bar MacBook Pro, while the industry laments the Touch Bar’s existence. It’s one thing not to listen to your customers. Apple has always been a certain level of compromise (price, features) as compared to other options. It’s another thing to completely ignore industry and user base response. Reasons to make that compromise have run out for me, and are running out for others. I have been an Apple-exclusive computer (especially laptop) user for 15 years. My next laptop will be a hackintoshed Lenovo.

CDSlice 7y ago
Is Apple really not listening to it's customers, or just not listening to a small, vocal subset? I've really only heard complaints about the touchbar from software devs, which are not Apple's main customers. Apple's main customers are creatives and people that want to spend a lot of money for what amounts to a well made (MacBook pro keyboard issues notwithstanding), functional status symbols. Making a smaller, cheaper iPhone isn't really useful for the creatives and just devalues Apple as a status symbol for the people that buy it for that. > For years, Apple’s flagship iOS phones wouldn’t even connect to their flagship MacBooks and MacBook pros without an additional cable or adapter. > My next laptop will be a hackintoshed Lenovo. I really don't think you are Apple's target audience. Most iPhone users don't connect their phone to a computer anymore, especially the people that are buying flagship Macs and iPhones, and the few that do generally don't mind buying the extra cable. And most people with the skills and patience to tinker with their systems to make functional hackintoshes probably aren't big on buying services, which is what Apple is trying to transition into.

mehrdadn 7y ago

OnePlus 5, 5T, 6 have headphone jacks too, and they're decent phones.

Roboprog 7y ago

If you do any kind of music creation on your mobile device, Bluetooth is completely unacceptable. When you push a key/knob, you want to hear the sound NOW, clearly. One of iOS selling points is music production, otherwise, save the money???

lostgame 7y ago
Thank you. Someone needed to say this. I’m sure some would argue that you could use the adapter - but do I really want to carry an adapter and have to find it within a moment of inspiration?
- Roboprog 7y ago
  To clarify, I mean for audio. For MIDI it works well enough most of the time. I think note-on/off messages are 3 or 4 bytes, though, which is quite a bit less of a chunk to buffer and verify or whatever Bluetooth does
  - PascLeRasc 7y ago
    Note-on/offs are 3 bytes exactly [1] and take 320μs to send [2], but I'm not sure what kind of overhead Bluetooth adds. [1]: http://www.music-software-development.com/midi-tutorial.html http://www.music-software-development.com/midi-tutorial.html [2] https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~music/cmsip/readings/davids-midi-spec.htm https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~music/cmsip/readings/davids-midi-spe...
    - Roboprog 7y ago
      Thanks, gotcha. Half byte for on/off header, half for channel, byte for the note/pitch, byte for the velocity. This snippet probably xmits even faster at higher bps.
brandonmenc 7y ago
There is an adapter. It works just fine. If you're a musician, you were probably also carrying around some 3.5 to quarter inch headphone adapters before this.

Causality1 7y ago

I'm very surprised the article listed the LG G8 and not the Asus Zenfone 6.

old-gregg 7y ago

I've been quite happy with my 6s, going to replace the battery again soon. But eventually iOS updates will cease coming, yet I absolutely cannot live without a headphone jack. Honest question: how would you even approach the Android? My smartphone is basically a more mobile extension of my laptop: sending document snapshots directly from the phone's camera to my MacOS desktop, starting iMessage conversations with anyone with a phone number on a Mac and continuing on my phone, copy-pasting from my laptop into my phone, etc. Android seems to be designed to run in "I'm an island" mode, i.e. the phone is one and only computer a user is supposed to use. I understand that my usage pattern isn't what manufacturers (and Google) are optimizing for, but what would be the closest approximation?

jgtrosh 7y ago
Probably not what you have in mind, but today I saw that KDE interacts well with a phone app to ease device interaction. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.kde.kdeconnect_tp https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.kde.kdecon...
- elkos 7y ago
  I'm an oldtime KDE user and honestly I love using KDE connect. I never used a Apple product so I'm not familiar with how this ecosystem manages device interaction. On the other hand I'm too cheap to use something more than second a hand Lenovo, a Dell tower and a midrange Xiaomi.
mattmcknight 7y ago
"Android seems to be designed to run in "I'm an island" mode" Not at all, if anything it is more flexible, as it syncs cloud first, making what's on your phone accessible through a browser on any device, although with numerous sync programs available on the desktop as well. Scan docs into Google Drive (or dropbox) and the file appears in a synced folder on your laptop. Photos can drop straight into Google Photos. I use Android Messages on the web, can drop a chrome app to the Mac desktop if you want, it is seamless with the phone (and Hangouts still works too). I don't have any need for a shared clipboard, (maybe I use things like Google Keep for that?), but I know you can use pushbullet or the like.

metaphor 7y ago

It's ironic how the author chose to omit one of the last viable smartphones with both a headphone jack and QWERTY keypad that still receives regular security updates[1], yet includes one whose headphone pinout deviates from the rest of standardized industry. [1] https://blackberrymobile.com/us/product/blackberry-key2/ https://blackberrymobile.com/us/product/blackberry-key2/

Seb-C 7y ago

I'm surprised that the OnePlus 6 is not in this list. It is the best smartphone I have owned so far and it has a headphone jack. There is no way for this list to be exhaustive anyway, there are still a lot of models with a headphone jack (but this trend is indeed annoying).

em-bee 7y ago
indeed, i found the list rather underwhelming. i just bought a OnePlus 5t. i didn't get a 6 because it was not supported by /e/ ( https://e.foundation https://e.foundation ) those were effectively the two criteria: /e/ support, and a headphone jack (also 128GB of space and a price limit of $300)

egypturnash 7y ago

My 6S still has a headphone jack, and I haven't had any real desire to upgrade it.

vuln 7y ago
Well until now you still received security updates so now you have a choice. Get a new phone and continue to get security updates or ???
- egypturnash 7y ago
  As far as I can tell it’s gonna get IOS13, so I don’t have to worry about that choice yet.

mkertajaya 7y ago

Since I discovered a USB DAC/Pre-amp, I no longer miss headphone jack. My headphone sounds even better using usb dac/pre-amp from audioques. I recommend this setup if your phone don't have headphone jack and you still want to use your expensive headphone. Link here: https://www.audioquest.com/page/aq-dragonfly-series.html https://www.audioquest.com/page/aq-dragonfly-series.html

Whatarethese 7y ago

Headphone jacks are dumb when a majority of the populous does not use them. They are a dust and water ingress point and just take up space that could be used for something more useful. Such as more battery or haptic engine.

thiht 7y ago

I just bought the Pixel 3a as a replacement for my Nexus 5x because I had two requirements: - headphone jack - no stupid notch I love it and would strongly recommend it, it feels like the actual successor of the 5x

cmarschner 7y ago

The lack of a headphone jack is the only reason I haven’t upgraded my iPhone 6s. I tend to use them at night, phone plugged in. I have at least five cables and don’t want to buy five dongles which I would lose. I would lose bluetooth earplugs in a matter of days. I just want to keep my system which works perfectly. If at least they had put in two lightning connectors - these are not nearly as durable and start failing now after 5 years. That and the battery would be the only reason for me to get a new phone.

nikofeyn 7y ago

this list is silly in that it doesn’t even mention the lg v series phones. not only do they have audio jacks, they have audio DACs built-in such that you get better sound with better headphones. they are really quite good with my buyer dynamic headphones. the lg v35 and v40 are insanely good value right now, and the lg v50 is yet another sleeper flagship, high-end phone that does it all, aside from removable battery. however, unlike apple, lg offers a reasonable repair service directly with lg. also, my lg v35 has the same water rating as the iPhone xs line and is thinner and lighter despite still retaining the audio jack and expandable storage.

RawChicken 7y ago

For the small phone seekers, I've been eyeing the Sharp Aquos R2 Compact. Its a small phone (like they don't make them any more) with a headphone jack. Only problem in my opinion is the non-replaceable battery. Furthermore, since the phone is sold just in Japan, I'm fearing that the always-on shutter sound will still be active in Europe (I read it was sim dependent)

quirkafleeg3 7y ago

There are many people who's defence of headphone jack removal is 'Bluetooth works for me'. That's not the point though. You may like it, but this is about choice. By removing the audio jack, we have has a choice taken from us, and choice makes or brakes a device.

newen 7y ago

Best Smartphones That Still Have Removable Batteries, when? They keep taking away useful features from the good phones.