this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2023
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On a recent post, there were a lot of comments, which said that they were missing the headphones on newer mobile devices.

How many actually use the headphone jack?

I ask, because I have one on my phone, since I really wanted one, but I rarely use it. Like Tops 1/Month.

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[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 4 points 2 years ago

I use mine, both on my phone and tablet.

I have a bluetooth headphone, but the hassle of dealing with battery dying out, then having to reach for my pocket in a crowded bus to put it back on the pod/charger isn't worth it. I nearly lost one of the pieces because it fell off my ear. Also, the only other situation where it'd be good, which is having it in my ears while I do house chores without the phone in my pocket, suffers from "wall interference".

[–] rowinxavier@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I have my headphones in literally right now. I use my phone as my primary media system, so video sources like YouTube and Nebula and audio like music and podcasts. I listen with wired headphones for any time I am not physically very involved as they are higher quality and provide a much more enjoyable listening experience, but I will switch to Bluetooth headphones when being more physically active.

That said, I am a very high consumer of audio. I currently have 129 podcasts I am subscribed to (some no longer run, but most are weekly to monthly), along with a whole lot of audiobooks. I am currently at well over 2200 hours played in my podcast app this year and that excludes all the audiobooks and videos.

[–] Okami_No_Rei@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I use it daily for connecting it to my car stereo, and about once a month when I mow my lawn or have to fly on a plane. I'll never buy a phone without one.

I prefer wired headphones. I don't want to worry about keeping them charged, and the few pairs of wireless headphones I have tried died or had the buttons stop working after a few uses from getting waterlogged with sweat, while I've been using the same pair of $6 wired headphones for 10 years without issues.

I don't care for Bluetooth or USB audio connections as they don't always work intuitively, they might take multiple button presses to set up, and every manufacturer seems to think they need to be set up in a slightly different way, while the auxiliary audio cable just works with no setup.

[–] Send_me_nude_girls@feddit.de 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I won't buy a phone that doesn't have it. I hate to charge my wireless earbuds, also they break after a few years for no reason because the battery got old. So I have a physical aux headset, will last me 10 years easy and never needs charging.

BUT the other day someone suggested to just get an usb-c to aux adapter and I'll probably do that in future if the aux connector isn't present on the next phone.

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[–] CriticalMiss@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I stopped buying devices that are aux only because the headphone jack was taken away from me. At first I was kinda upset. Down the road I realized if I was given the choice to go back, I wouldn’t use wired ever again. I lost too many earbuds and headphones because the wire got caught on a door or something similar. I don’t lose them as often anymore either. Once I get home I put them in the charger and pick them up in the morning, it’s a habit at this point. Overall net positive.

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[–] kux@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago

When I was looking for a new phone I gave up and bought a usb c dac/amp from Fiio. Ended up buying a phone from Sony which does have a 3.5 port (and sd card too) but continue to use the dongle anyway as it sounds better. Use it 2-3 times a week

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-x-jade-audio-ka1-dac-amp.25817/reviews

[–] JohnDClay@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 years ago

One every month or two, when I play audio in the old vehicle. It's nice to be able to charge at the same time.

[–] HubertManne@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago

I don't use earbuds much with it but whenever I do its with the headphone jack. Do you use earbuds any other way or is it just you don't use them often?

[–] onlinepersona@programming.dev 4 points 2 years ago

There's probably a lot of selection bias going on right now, but I feel compelled to say "I won't buy a phone without a jack".

The convenience of not having to charge headphones is great. I use them so infrequently that when I pull them out on a trip, I don't want to go "ah shit, forgot to charge them". But on long trips, bluetooth kills my battery so jack is the only way to go for me.

[–] Hillock@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago

I almost exclusively use wired headphones. Only time I use the Bluetooth is when going the gym.

I don't feel like the cable is inconvenient at all. But there are advantages in the two things I care. Better audio quality and no battery to worry about. So I prefer the wired one and use my headphone jack almost daily.

[–] MartinXYZ@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 years ago

I use it a lot. Both to listen to music while on public transportation and to connect the phone to my stereo at home.

[–] glibg10b@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Every single day since I bought it. My last phone too.

[–] jaxxed@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago
[–] Shurimal@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago

Comes in handy at work all the time when I need to test a piece of equipment.

And the best-bang-for-buck IEM-s still are wired only. Have my sights set on Moondrop Lans for xmas.

[–] sentient_loom@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 years ago

I use it a lot for podcasts and music. I won't buy a fucking phone without a fucking headphone jack. That shit can burn in hell.

[–] Roldyclark@literature.cafe 4 points 2 years ago

Wish I still had one. I use wired headphones on my iPhone daily.

[–] lorty@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago

I bought a new phone and took about a month to realize it doesn't have a headphone jack, so yeah.

[–] Olap@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Weekly. And I've got bluetooth drivers on daily too. Drop the 3.5mm and you drop my purchase!

[–] JakenVeina@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago

Occasionally. If I'm at my desk and I get a call, I'll move my wired headset over from my PC to my phone.

[–] CalamityBalls@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago

I do, but rarely. Maybe every other month or so. The situations I do use it, I've been thankful that I avoided phones without a jack. I like having appropriate tools at my disposal, and bluetooth will never be universally applicable.

[–] Squirrel@thelemmy.club 4 points 2 years ago

I use mine for listening to audiobooks on an external speaker. Bluetooth speakers often cut off the beginnings of sentences due to the brief silence between them.

[–] macrocephalic@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I use it a few times a year at most. I only use Bluetooth headphones, and have android auto in the car. Every now and then I need to plug my phone into a stero or something.

One of my old phones is my dedicated stereo phone at home, it's permanently plugged into the aux of my receiver.

[–] spare_muppets@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 years ago

I use wired headphones daily thru a USB c adapter

I use earphones to listen to music and take calls hads free quite often.

I recently got a new phone, a Fairphone 5, which doesn't have a headphone jack, and I'm already missing it.

Listening to music is fine, I just use a USB-C to jack adapter, but I've been told people can't hear me well when I'm doing the same to take a call.

The other day I was in the car with my brother for hours and wanted to put on some music. I couldn't connect to the car radio via Bluetooth because my brother already was and needed it to take calls and whatnot, so AUX cable here we go. Except apparently my phone does something weird like shutting down the USB port when not in use (reasonable) between songs, creating a noise like when you connect a jack to a powered on speaker, which was super annoying.

So, yes, I use the headphones jack and sorely miss it.

[–] zergtoshi@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I use it quite frequently for both making calls and listening to music or videos.

[–] Professorozone@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Every Monday when I game with a buddy online.

[–] FeelThePower@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 years ago

Every single day, maybe a few times a year I don't use it. Though because I have an iphone, my headphone jack is on an adapter. But still, I know for certain it's not something I can ever give up at this point, have tried the Bluetooth thing.

[–] Jomn@jlai.lu 4 points 2 years ago

I don't use it much, but I do appreciate the one I have on my phone, since I don't always have my BT earbuds with me. Whereas I usually always have some cheap wired earbuds somewhere with me.

[–] xlash123@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I regularly use wireless earbuds, which are extremely convenient, but I am not looking forward to the day when the battery is insufficient for me and I can't replace it due to "innovation". I also miss out on having splitters so that 2 people can listen to the same audio. I know Bluetooth LE is supposed to fix that, but I don't even know what devices support that. Like others said, having the choice is important, but Apple's "bravery" and market domination removed that from us...

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[–] austinfloyd@ttrpg.network 4 points 2 years ago

I do, several hours per day. Wireless headphones might are okay in short stints, but I really like my wired ones (Sony MDRs, which will probably outlast me)

[–] NOTIngo@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I have to admit, I also almost never use wired headphones nowadays. When the trend of removing the jack from phones picked up pace, I absolutely hated the idea of a lack of options. But I have to admit, the convenience of no wires, outclassed the nuisance of charging my bluetooth headphones once a week, eventually. Still out of principle, I don't buy headphones from the phone brand im currently using. There are too many good third party brands out there to consider first.

[–] freeman@lemmy.pub 4 points 2 years ago

I used it in my car on the daily until it was removed from the phone. Then i went, in quite frustrating fashion, through a series of cheap aux/jack bluetooth dongles to maintain handsfree and music in the car.

Finally the radio in my truck started going out. So i replaced it with a wireless carplay/android auto model. And it IS nice.

But there are still times i would prefer a wired set of headphones. I still use them on my laptop from time to time. But will use airpods as well. One of the issues i have with my airpods is that often 1 side will be signifigantly louder than the other.

[–] yamanii@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I love rhythm games so when I play the mobile ones, maybe 2 times a week? Bluetooth is too slow and prone to disconnection to be reliable, I missed everything when I tried, and muse dash even alerts you on boot to not use bluetooth.

[–] Toadvark@mander.xyz 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I use mine consistently, and the presence of one will be a dealbreaker when I choose my next phone. I use it with an AUX cable in my car, wired headphones I already own, and (most importantly) with a Square point of sale thingamajig at shows. Bluetooth options exist for the last thing of course, but they have their own disadvantages- and I'd rather be able to use both options than just one!

[–] haganbmj@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago

Before I updated my car I used the headphone jack regularly for playing music there. Otherwise it was relegated to a couple situations a year like air travel.

Now that I've got a newer vehicle I just have all my music on USB there.

[–] Euphoma@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I keep losing my usb c to headphone jack, but I usually use it a couple times a week when its not lost. I have airpods, but I'm on android so I lost the charger for it, and nearly lost the airpods many times.

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[–] time_lord@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I don't, but I've had about 5 years to replace all of my perfectly good cables with crappy bluetooth audio/dongles.

[–] dani@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I would if it had one.

[–] RvTV95XBeo@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 years ago

My only wired headphones are for gaming (not on my phone), and I'm planning to replace those soon with something wireless as I'm tired of getting tangled up getting in and out of my desk.

Wireless headphones are great. Not perfect, but neither are wired.

[–] DanglingFury@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

If you own a pre bluetooth-audio vehicle and you commute, then you need an aux port. Even early BT vehicles had iffy connection issues that are immediately solved by just plugging in.

Roadtripping and someone else wants to play a quick song? You can go into the touchscreen settings and go through linking the phone to the vehicles bluetooth and selecting that device, or you can just pass the cord.

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[–] bruhduh@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I use mine everyday, and i was one of the first to adapt to wireless headphones when they was just Chinese exotic headphones (before apple and Samsung wireless headphones even existed) and i spotted few cons of using them before they even got popular, main problem of using them is battery and secondary is latency when you pause resume video alot, there are also alot more like signal interference in places with lot of WiFi hotspots so i returned to using wired headphones around time when first apple tws was presented, i use modular wired headphones so i can change wires if they break and always have some spare, also modular headphones can be connected to Bluetooth modules making them effectively tws and when their battery goes bad then you'll just change Bluetooth module and that's it

[–] goldenlocks@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I use it in my car

[–] afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Daily.

Driving to and from work it plugs into my car and at work it plugs into my headset.

[–] Muffi@programming.dev 4 points 2 years ago

I only bought wireless headphones because the Galaxy Note 10 didn't have an aux, and required their own overpriced adapter to connect through USB-C. I bike a lot while listening to music and hate when the headphones run out of battery halfway through my ride.

[–] HerbalGamer@sh.itjust.works 4 points 2 years ago

My friends workshop has an old stereo in it. We use the Aux cable to play music on that.

Otherwise I usually have a pair of cheap headphones in my bag in case the bluetooth ones run out.

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