Weekly poll: are port-less phones the future?

18 June 2023
Despite prophecies of doom in online communities, phones without a headphone jack sell in the tens of millions. But what about removing the USB-C port?

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  • J
  • Jack is dead
  • UG4
  • 20 Jun 2023

Android implementation of wireless suck. Plus different handsets means each makers do their own things. No uniform experience. Thus their users are stuck in cavemen era, relying on Jack, otg, PC connection, iTunes for Windows.

So if you are talking about Android, No. Wireless is not their future. Only Apple who have control and popularity over their software / hardware platform (Desktop / tablets / phones / watches) can make the change for wireless.

    • B
    • Bob
    • gE7
    • 20 Jun 2023

    Erm... Is it me or are these surveys getting a bit strange? "Thanks for taking my survey" and that's it, I didn't get to see the results. Maybe my phone's rendering is off?

      Anonymous, 19 Jun 2023*goes in the basement* where is your wireless god now?Go outside, where’s your landline phone now?

        Y, 19 Jun 2023No, the EU just said lolnope, especially since it's go... moreI can only hope EU mandates headphone jack. Lack of jack is not innovation, it's degradation. It doesn't cancel wireless connections, it simply adds options for the user. Options that were present for years, but were removed by many companies in pursuit of profits (via selling accessories with insanely high profit margins).

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • p19
          • 19 Jun 2023

          Trooper, 19 Jun 2023With no passenger doors, no engine access, no boot/trunk li... moreand no steering wheel. you can stay at home and drive your car remotely. you don't need to leave your home to get somewhere ;-).

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • x0k
            • 19 Jun 2023

            potato4k, 19 Jun 2023I’ll stick with my wireless phone, thank you. Meanwhile, yo... more*goes in the basement*

            where is your wireless god now?

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • U@G
              • 19 Jun 2023

              potato4k, 19 Jun 2023I’ll stick with my wireless phone, thank you. Meanwhile, yo... moreRead below comments...

              Mobile to bts is the only wireless network. All other backend is wired network

              Talking about landline

              Every company still uses landline and ip phones which are wired

              All company uses LAN which are wired

              If you think wireless is future then you absolutely wrong

              Without wire nobody will get wireless network

                Anonymous, 19 Jun 2023The internet which you are using now is also wired network ... moreI’ll stick with my wireless phone, thank you. Meanwhile, you can throwaway your smartphone and go back using your landline dial phone since you love wires so much.

                  • D
                  • AnonD-546724
                  • pZ5
                  • 19 Jun 2023

                  Anders, 18 Jun 2023From article; "So our question for today is this – you... moreYou're funny. Maybe you didn't, but 99% of people already did. So no, the question ain't flawed, because the headphone jack & SD slot maniacs only account for the remaining %.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • x0k
                    • 19 Jun 2023

                    What is the advantage to the consumer of having no wired connectivity? There are only drawbacks.


                    How about a magnetic port like on macbooks, but with no protruding surfaces?

                      Race to the bottom eh ?

                        • Y
                        • Y
                        • srr
                        • 19 Jun 2023

                        No, the EU just said lolnope, especially since it's going to also mandate removable batteries.

                          • b
                          • blue
                          • 0CN
                          • 19 Jun 2023

                          Anonymous, 19 Jun 2023Are port-less phones the future? 8 don't think so. But... moreAnnually disposable? Maybe if you buy some $50 chinese crap.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • PB7
                            • 19 Jun 2023

                            potato4k, 19 Jun 2023Why are you even using mobile phones then? Go back to your ... moreThe internet which you are using now is also wired network

                            Just give up on wired network then

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • PB7
                              • 19 Jun 2023

                              just a smile, 19 Jun 2023If wireless is so bad then go back to using a telephone and... moreYour mobile is only wireless between mobile and BTS, All backend networks (MSC HLR etc) are wired network same applies for 4G 5G etc.

                                • D
                                • AnonD-1068472
                                • CbI
                                • 19 Jun 2023

                                Chaos X 1982, 18 Jun 2023The internal receiver for wireless charging takes up more s... moreOh didn't know. Thank you. But there's a chance they could improve it somehow or do you say there's no chance?

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • J5x
                                  • 19 Jun 2023

                                  Consumer-products may lose all ports, I can clearly see that. I dont ever put any cable in my phone for years now. I also dont need buttons or a selfie cam myselfef, nor do I safe photos on my internal storage.
                                  YET not all phones will lose all ports. See, I said I personally dont need my selfie cam (and I got 2 in my foldable), but there were attempts trying to push that selfie cam "away". The Mi Mix 2 had a selfie cam in the bottom bezel that was nearly unusable, the under display cams are still a load of sh*te, those mechanical cameras of an Oppo Find X, Oneplus 7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy A80 and the most popular Zenfone 6 or 8 are long forgotten relics of a prototype future. Selfie cams are here to stay, no matter if one uses them or not.
                                  The same goes for expandable Storage or Headphone Jacks. Yes, most phones don't offer those anymore, yet there is still a big-ger niche that get's served by Sony, Infinix, or Samsung (Entry level A-series) and Oneplus (Entry level Nord-series).

                                  If you really go "full on mobile" you see that gaming phones often (not always) offer all of those features and also no punchhole-displays but instead more of a classic attempt on phone design (port-wise, not RGB-looks ofc). Wireless charging is just no real option for gaming, as long as it generates tons of heat and is less efficient.

                                  To end this, The Nextbit Robin did show us, that cloud storage will never be the only storage option for phones.

                                  To sum this up, mobile phones are still very conservative, in the sense of not trying much. There are less and less experiments being made with phones nowadays (since LG is gone). Manufacturers see the mobile phone market dying slowly, but steadily. Im pretty sure BBK (so Oppo, Oneplus, Vivo, Realme) will offer portless phones soon. Apple, who would have to offer it to make it "a thing" will not offer a potent wireless-charger any time soon. 7.5/15W wireless charging is just not enough to get rid of the charging port.

                                  I predict at least 7 more years with ports "of some kind" (maybe pogo-pins) on our phones. And Im not even sure there will be many smartphone-manufacturers left at that time.

                                    unxpctd, 19 Jun 2023Wireless vacuum cleaners are horrible and planned obsolesce... moreIf wireless is so bad then go back to using a telephone and just don't ever use this platform again.
                                    Come back when you've got some basic knowledge about tech.

                                      unxpctd, 19 Jun 2023Wireless vacuum cleaners are horrible and planned obsolesce... moreWhy are you even using mobile phones then? Go back to your landline wired phones.

                                        In 10 years time I'll be using my Sony Xperia with headphone jack, quite confident about it.