Sony on why it dropped the headphone jack: the other kids were doing it

14 March 2018
Sony designers noticed a "major market trend" and didn't want to spoil their beautiful Ambient Flow design with an extra hole.

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • 0BG
  • 15 Mar 2018

AnonD-740707, 15 Mar 2018Im ok with no headphone jack. It's our future. But WHO is... moreLOL the "future" argument is another ridiculous nonsense. We always live in the present, not the future. So i don't care what is the future. In the future there won't be petrol cars either...doesn't mean we should immediately get rid of petrol stations, does it?

    • D
    • AnonD-740707
    • g3U
    • 15 Mar 2018

    Im ok with no headphone jack. It's our future.
    But WHO is Sony designer? Why they're changed the design? We want Only reduced bezel and hidden speaker like z5 to be put in.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • KSE
      • 15 Mar 2018

      Lol, Sony... your excuse is pityful!! Even your fanboys are shamed to talk.

        • A
        • Anonymous
        • vjt
        • 15 Mar 2018

        Wow.. No more headphone jack is like end of the world to someone and quickly change their loyalty to Samsung or LG... Humans... Really??!! And now this proves that Apple is making a brave move and ithers will just follow... Butthurt Android fans lol...

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          • AnonD-3124
          • sxs
          • 15 Mar 2018

          I just cant brush this idea in my mind. Notwithstanding the "trend" in the market, Sony dropped the 3.5 mm jack because of their shift to new design? And take a look at the new design? It is sophisticated to the point that you need to remove the jack? Then, why would samsung still keep it despite HAVING a more sophisticated design?(the edges, the lesser bezels). Where's the logic?

            • K
            • KiaKK
            • J1T
            • 15 Mar 2018

            No,no,no... This change makes higher profit for the consumer electronic market, because most of people have wired headphones, and especially expensive, good quality wired headphones in this level of the cellphone market.
            But I understand the policy. Who can buy a flagship phone they can afford to change their headphones as well. So the companies can push Us slowly to another and more expensive headphone market to the wireless headphones.... That is the true.
            Designers are very good to design a headphone jack too a sleek design. Just see iphone SE and so on. Also they could dedign even thinner jack connector. I have idea about it, probably they have as well.

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • 0BG
              • 15 Mar 2018

              Aslipundit, 15 Mar 2018Thanks for making my mind up fpr me Sony. Thanks for being ... moreLG is on the notch bandwagon too, not to mention their phones are shit. No respect for them either.

                Thanks for making my mind up fpr me Sony. Thanks for being a part of isheep and following pointless and illogical 'market trends'.

                Thank you Sony,HTC, Huawei and Xiaomi, you've made me realize Samsung and LG are the only two flagship brands worth buying.
                Supporters of the 3.5 mm jack, please buy Samsung S9/S9 or LG V30/30+ if you are looking to buy flagship phones.
                Stop giving business to these anti-consumer companies.

                I have seen NOT ONE credible argument for not having the 3.55 port. Thinness, design and aesthetics are BS reasons, they do not justify taking away one of the most if not the most commonly used audio output port in the world, with thousands of brand with hundreds of thousands of great audio products from 5 to 50000 USD, compatible with a myriad of things from televisions, car entertainment systems, gps, tablets, laptops, computers, gaming consoles, even guitars and synthesizers. One utilitarian port that works in so many different devices.

                But hey, why have that when you can coerce customers into buying proprietary one device earphones or expensive but poor quality wireless solutions?

                If anyone has a different credible argument apart from the tired old arguments, please let us know.

                  • D
                  • AnonD-733804
                  • 05U
                  • 15 Mar 2018

                  Supa_Fly, 15 Mar 2018Hmmm. I think Sony isn't following a trend per se ... t... moreI agree they did this because they want people to buy their wireless headphones and who here would buy a Sony flagship but not buy Sony wireless headphones? Very few. But why didn't they consider this scenario... You have Sony wireless headphones that came with a 3.5mm audio cable for when you are out of battery but you can't use them with their new flagship in a seamless way in that most critical of situations. What gives? They go out of their way to include adapters in the box with the 1000MX2 so you can use them with everybody else's audio connector but you can't seamlessly use them with their own flagship if they are out of juice. Isn't that a bit annoying and also contradicts some of your reasoning? My point is they should make a phone as good as it can be and that offers full usability with their other products if they want to create an ecosystem that works. Ecosystems should not keep you locked in but rather make you want to be there. What keeps you locked in more often than not is your respect and admiration for what a brand is doing.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • 0BG
                    • 15 Mar 2018

                    AnonD-733804, 15 Mar 2018According to Sony themselves that is not the reason. The ph... moreHow is it not a bad thing? This is a totally dishonest business practice which should never be tolerated.

                    Besides, only fan-boys would feel obligated to buy headphones from the same company and obviously Sony doesn't have enough fan-boys, so driving away non-fan-boys is definitely not a good business model. And yet that's what most companies are trying to do. HTC, Sony...they cripple their phones so badly only fan-boys would buy them.

                    It's the same with Apple, except they do have enough hardcore fan-boys, so their business model makess sense to them. But the rest with their jack removal and notches...they are insane and 100% working against their own interests.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • DSB
                      • 15 Mar 2018

                      Just drill a hole at the top, and make a headphone jack. Simple.

                        • D
                        • AnonD-733804
                        • 05U
                        • 15 Mar 2018

                        peachy001 , 14 Mar 2018They added a massive vibration motor, so no room. Check the... moreAccording to Sony themselves that is not the reason. The phone should be big enough to accommodate a headphone jack. We will see in a teardown but even then it will only confirm a bad design on their part. I still believe the real reason is they want to sell more wireless headphones and that is not necessarily a bad thing. If someone buys a Sony phone I can guarantee you they will want Sony headphones as well. Hell, I have Sony headphones and I don’t have a Sony phone. I am disappointed because I think Sony, LG, Samsung, HTC and any other respectable company should make a phone as good as it can be today. Especially their flagship. No excuses! I would happily pay extra for the headphone jack and so the majority of us considering it costs almost nothing.

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                          • Dave
                          • MDf
                          • 15 Mar 2018

                          Notches and the lack of the headphone jack are the cancer of the mobile industry. This needs to stop.
                          Screw Apple for setting dumb trends.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • k7d
                            • 15 Mar 2018

                            Sony ZR looks more like the inspiration.

                              • S
                              • Supa_Fly
                              • q}p
                              • 15 Mar 2018

                              Oathbreaker, 14 Mar 2018Sony doesn't need an explanation. Not buying it. Shame, rea... moreHmmm.

                              I think Sony isn't following a trend per se ... their learning from a major player and WHY they really chose to to remove a legacy jack.

                              Read my points in a calm voice and see where I'm heading and you'll agree this was a SMART calculated future revenue and profits move by Sony and Apple and soon others.

                              Apple.
                              - iPhone 7 removed the headphone jack, claiming space is a premium (for them it was yet not fully) inside the device and future hardware within their designs.
                              - Did anyone NOT notice their "courage" statement for this reasoning and then almost 4mins after that WWDC announcement (in the same presentation) announced their AirPods true wireless headphones that took months to ship and stock pile?
                              > Apple owns Beats Inc ... for 3 billion US dollars they didn't just purchase music negotiation producers and experts but their respect in the industry for artists and future contracts for their music business (iTunes and Apple Music streaming). BUT it was the brand success and leading consumer global sales of Beats headphones business and expertise!

                              > Prior to this Apple had NEVER shipped/made bluetooth headphones.
                              > Apple only had over priced 3.5mm headphones which many competitors (including Beats) made their own licensed (ControlTalk button/call + music control setup) headphones that undercut their "other" revenue stream. Even amongst the apple fan base, of which I personally am ... I'd never buy another stock headset unless it was in a desperate pinch and needed it within that hour until I ordered another bluetooth headphones.

                              Many SonyEricsson and Sony users (I myself was heavy into Ericsson T18z/T36m/T28W and SonyEricsson feature phones) have purchased Bluetooth headsets and stereo headphones.

                              Sony & others:
                              - most of Sony's headphone business is in the top tier of quality high fidelity headphones!
                              > Previous top of the line Xperia models featured proprietary and industry leading audio connection support for noise cancellation via wired headphones ... yet many consumers that purchased their smartphones did NOT purchase such headphones (unless it came free as per initial offering).

                              Solution:
                              Make huge efforts for LDAC Hi-Res Audio stereo bluetooth headphones as a sales alternative to audio.
                              > One just has to look at Sony's experience and products with Portable WIreless and Wireless Speakers using Hi-Res Audio (LDAC 96hz/24-bit Stereo audio over Bluetooth) for the huge appeal and potential 'ecosystem' tie in here.

                              After all what do you think Apple has been doing and now Samsung is pushing heavily for since MWC (Fridges, Microwaves, Galaxy line, home security camera's and services for delivery).

                              THAT is the REAL reason folks ... the end game is get you enjoying other products that they can make not only larger profits quickly but also to keep you reliant on their solutions.

                              Savvy?
                              ;)

                                • F
                                • Finophile
                                • mxr
                                • 15 Mar 2018

                                Wireless headphones; yet another thing I need to charge, yet another piece to join toxic waste (the battery) when its buggered...

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • s7B
                                  • 15 Mar 2018

                                  That no headphone jack trend is a trend that needs to die. Another trend that needs to die are notches.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • vV5
                                    • 15 Mar 2018

                                    Twix, 15 Mar 2018if the sound quality is much better when connecting through... moreXperia xz2 have LDAC iPhone X don't have LDAC.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • vV5
                                      • 15 Mar 2018

                                      Is the Mirai full of wireless? If yes then it should be okay, if no the Mirai must be full with wired.

                                        jrharbort, 15 Mar 2018Assuming you listen to music for 5 hours a day, Sony headph... moreSony lastest WF-1000X only last 3 hours judging by reviewer, nothing change so much. Its an earphone that i wanted to say, not a headphone so my bad.