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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Yet another phone I wouldn't ever be purchasing...

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    • AnonD-739231
    • X}b
    • 14 Mar 2018

    AnonD-728507, 14 Mar 2018Sony dropped the 3.5mm jack. I dropped Sony. Samsung on... moreExactly! I couldn't agree more! And that tag line fits Sony 'one step forward and two steps back'

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      • NiJon
      • MLx
      • 14 Mar 2018

      Here in Denmark the phone gets bundled with a WH-1000X 'true' wireless headset.

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        • AnonD-728507
        • f37
        • 14 Mar 2018

        Val2030, 14 Mar 2018Sony : The follower who acts like they're a leader.Ok that's better than my proposed tag line

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          • AnonD-728507
          • f37
          • 14 Mar 2018

          Sony dropped the 3.5mm jack. I dropped Sony.

          Samsung on the other hand bundled a nice pair of AKG with my new S9+. Some things I do not like about the Bixby phone (Bixby is an acceptable swear word correct?), but overall it ticks a lot of the right boxes.

          The most ironic thing about the Sony is that it wasn't the lack of 3.5mm jack that made me switch. It was their new design language, which while form fitting, is impractical in many instances, and poor improvements in other areas.

          What is Sony slogan/ tag line? Do they have one?

          If not I propose they adopt " One step forward, two steps back".

            Sony is the company with amazing tech enthusiasts led by moronic marketers.

            Dropping headphone jack is nothing like PC ditching RGB port or CD drive that makes products much thinner and lighter, but just a nonsense that brings zero benefits to actual users.

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              • AnonD-743635
              • Kn8
              • 14 Mar 2018

              Alien , 14 Mar 2018I honestly think that Sony should post a message on fb or t... moreThat's not how japanese corporations work, you reach the top in your 60's or 70's, by making sure you no commit mistakes, ever (you must make sure your subordinates never rat you out, and never admit any blame, allways is other people fault). You not listen to consumers, the consumers buys want you want to sell them.

                I like the way you say "because the other kids were doing it"
                No irony intended XD it's indeed funny.

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                  • AnonD-743635
                  • Kn8
                  • 14 Mar 2018

                  Akorn Farmer, 14 Mar 2018Sony's dropping 3.5 mm jack is acceptable, though I don't l... more"It is market trend, and Sony is not alone. Sony has no power to lead or set or resist the smartphone market trend"
                  When is a "market trend" enforced by the manufacturers in detriment of the consumers, when it practically cost almost nothing to "resist" the "trend", but Sony has to gain embracing it (a line of wireless headphones), and you don't like it, you would not criticize Sony? c'mon man...be a good consumer, do your part.
                  And you can make bluetooth sound as good as wired, wired digital moreso, but you can't do it for the price of 50 cm of isolated copper wires,a jack&plug, and a DAC/AMP. Neither you can do it with the easyness , practicity,ubiquity, longevity, repairability, compactness etc of the classic analog wire + speaker

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                    • Anonymous
                    • pp}
                    • 14 Mar 2018

                    Just give us good PS5 nobady cares for Sony phones.

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                      • -. -
                      • IV%
                      • 14 Mar 2018

                      Anonymous, 14 Mar 2018On the other hand if it's 9-10mm, most things will indeed b... morefunny thing is, it's over 9mm at the centre axis, while at the side it still retain slim 6mm profile
                      it's not a fully 1cm block, so argument invalid there

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                        • Anonymous
                        • 0BG
                        • 14 Mar 2018

                        Anonymous, 14 Mar 2018You are very correct buddy.. Look at those concept on y... moreOn the other hand if it's 9-10mm, most things will indeed be possible. It's another lie they are spreading that this is too thick and people won't buy it. People weren't supposed to like a heavy phone either, yet the Iphone with its 200 grams doesn't bother even fashion-oriented buyers like i-fans.

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                          • Anonymous
                          • JpF
                          • 14 Mar 2018

                          Pepor, 14 Mar 2018My LG V30, which is slimmer and has smaller bezels than the... moreOled is thinner than lcd...

                          The middle of XZ2 has more than 1cm, but near frames is only 6mm

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                            • Anonymous
                            • JpF
                            • 14 Mar 2018

                            -. -, 14 Mar 2018nope, won't work designing a concept and designing an actu... moreYou are very correct buddy..

                            Look at those concept on youtube videos.. They are totally impossible.
                            They draw a phone with 4mm bezel, then they say front cam is 1/2.3" with OIS. A phone with 7.2mm but packs 4200mAh.
                            Wireless charging on unibody metal phone.

                            Rear cameras of 1/1.5" with OIS and xenon flash but no bump on a 7.5mm thickness.

                            Dual 23 + 23 MP rear cam when cpu can handle up 32MP

                            I laugh a lot ...

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                              • AnonD-246723
                              • X}Q
                              • 14 Mar 2018

                              Anonymous, 14 Mar 2018please send this correction to Sony before they print xz2 w... moreIt already there

                                Only Samsung sticks with its design as no other phone manufacturers feel as strong and innovative as Samsung (and for some people Apple).

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                                  • No boy
                                  • K3e
                                  • 14 Mar 2018

                                  AnonD-607239, 14 Mar 2018Everybody is doing it but lets only attack Sony.Samsung is not doing it boy

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                                    • -. -
                                    • IV%
                                    • 14 Mar 2018

                                    Alien , 14 Mar 2018I honestly think that Sony should post a message on fb or t... morenope, won't work
                                    designing a concept and designing an actual phone is 2 different thing
                                    one can go completely absurd when designing a concept that look thin, bezelless while packing huge battery, dual camera, powerful stereo speaker and stuff
                                    but when a team went to design an actual product, there a lot of headache to face to, and to design an operating phone need money, it also need time to be tested, to ensure no pressure applied on any side, no pressure on the display panel, proper ingress, no stress point, no heating accumulation, proper heat distribution weight balancing, shock tolerance and the most important thing, does the internal plays well with the housing,

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                                      • AnonD-373654
                                      • te3
                                      • 14 Mar 2018

                                      haha.. nicely done gsmarena.. sony is so useless nowadays, what can I say.. buying their xperia is like throwing your money at a garbage bin.. it does not have any resale value.. so you have to stick with the outdated device for half a decade

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                                        • Anonymous
                                        • 0BG
                                        • 14 Mar 2018

                                        Akorn Farmer, 14 Mar 2018Sony's dropping 3.5 mm jack is acceptable, though I don't l... moreLOL this is even more ridiculous than all these CEOs statements. They can't afford not to follow trends? How so, when this is neother trend set by peope nor a money-making trend? On the contrary, they can't afford TO follow such trends. Just like HTC couldn't and is now dying.