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The woes of USB-C audio on mobile phones - and is the jack coming back?

editor

editor

hiraethified
Interesting piece here:

It’s especially frustrating because anyone could have seen this coming. Despite the cries of reporters and industry experts alike, nothing could stop the “ditch the headphone jack” train once Apple did it, and the post-hoc rationalizing has been a little tough to swallow. It would be at least a little understandable if all USB-C headphones worked with all USB-C ports, but that’s not the case.

One of the biggest issues that companies need to navigate pertains to source and peripheral device compatibility. USB Type-C headphone cables can either be active or passive — or manifest as a dongle adapter. This inconsistency, paired with the fact that Audio Accessory Mode has yet to be universally supported, results in a barrage of compatibility issues. Hence why many users are unable to operate playback controls or use a headset’s integrated microphone.

Consider OnePlus, a company that ditched the headphone jack despite its own community being vocally against the power play. Although they get the design right, its Type-C Bullets earbuds don’t work on the Google Pixel 3 XL. While this isn’t life-ruining — or even day-ruining — it’s tough to want to buy something if you have even odds of the thing even working at all. Headphone buyers aren’t used to such a problem, because for decades the analog port just worked. It didn’t matter what the brand of source you were using was, the standard was, well, a standard. That’s gone now.
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Ultimately, the USB Type-C headphones endeavor was a half-baked mess of competing standards that led to missed opportunity after missed opportunity. Its untimely demise may be abrupt for some and welcomed by others, but an infant can’t take over for Atlas.
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SoundGuys: USB-C audio is dead
 
Headphone buyers aren’t used to such a problem, because for decades the analog port just worked. It didn’t matter what the brand of source you were using was, the standard was, well, a standard.
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Well, that's not true, as anyone with an inline remote can tell you.
 
mauvais said:
Well, that's not true, as anyone with an inline remote can tell you.
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The inline remote may not work but I've never had the earphones not play back music and there's never any worrying about this kind of nonsense

If passive, the headphones rely on the smartphone’s DAC and amp to convert the audio signal from analog to digital. If, however, a pair of headphones is active, then it uses its own DAC and amp system. Therefore creating an external conversion process outside of the phone’s domain and into the headset’s.

The main perk of doing is that prolonging an analog signal state and bypassing the smartphone’s internal components mitigates distortion from other smartphone signals. Things get a tad more complicated, though, if you’re using active headphones. In this case, your phone needs to support Audio Accessory mode, which many don’t. Unfortunately, it’s not always apparent which models are active and which are passive, resulting in an expedition of trial and error.
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While USB-C earbuds have made headway, the mode’s future popularity may be curtailed. As observed during CES, few companies were investing in USB-C headphones. Admittedly our soles were unable to cover all 2.7 million square feet of the show floor, but the apparent absence of USB-C audioproducts felt deliberate. That paired with rumors of the headphone jack’s return in the anticipated Huawei P30 and Sony Xperia XZ4 smartphones makes opting for USB-C headphones in 2019 a dubious choice.

One thing is for certain, though: if USB-C headphones cease development, we’ll be left stranded with Bluetooth streaming as our only viable option. Although Bluetooth is fine for casual listening, it can’t outperform wired audio. This leaves us consumers in a bind. Without a dedicated audio port, the future could truly be wireless.
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What you need to know about USB-C audio
 
I don't understand what the issue is. This came supplied with my Mi8.
31872354227_4e95be7c86_b.jpg

It's a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter. Similar or better ones can be bought for about 2 quid, so what's the issue?
 
The world is moving on. Bluetooth headphones are fast becoming the norm these days. I appreciate it bothers a few people but it just seems like advocating for physical keyboards in the age of touchscreen phones.
 
skyscraper101 said:
The world is moving on. Bluetooth headphones are fast becoming the norm these days. I appreciate it bothers a few people but it just seems like advocating for physical keyboards in the age of touchscreen phones.
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There's absolutely no reason for anyone to be complaining about it.
As you say, Bluetooth headphones are the norm these days, but if someone is stuck in their ways and determined to use 3.5mm headphones, they can just spend a couple of quid on an adapter. It's not the end of the world.
editor, did you complain when PCs moved from LPT, RS232 and PS2 ports to USB?
Time progresses and things change. Deal with it.
 
I have been using Bluetooth headphones and connections to other devices for years now. Assumed everyone was :confused:

The wired headphones (cheap and decent) always had problems with the cable/jack and were annoying generally.
 
skyscraper101 said:
Mini jack sockets are not without their issues. Ever since owning my first Walkman they have always ended up going crackly eventually and requiring some attention.
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I think that's a problem inherent to sockets in general. My current smartphone is rather old and both the USB-C and 3.5mm sockets are dodgy.

Saul Goodman said:
Yeah, I think it's just iPhones that have shitty Bluetooth issues :D
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Wait, Apple phones use Blutooth? I thought they used some shitty Apple proprietary system instead?
 
skyscraper101 said:
The world is moving on. Bluetooth headphones are fast becoming the norm these days. I appreciate it bothers a few people but it just seems like advocating for physical keyboards in the age of touchscreen phones.
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Touchscreens are a well fucking shit interface, though. The idea that they represent inevitable technological progress rather than a deliberate decision by manufacturers is a load of nonsense.
 
NoXion said:
It wouldn't be a new idea for Apple! They already do that sort of thing in order to lock-in consumers to their particular brand of hardware, software and services. For example, they really don't like the idea of people using third-party repair services:

Apple is using proprietary software to lock MacBook Pros and iMac Pros from third-party repairs
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Yeah, I've read about their antics. If you replace the screen on your iPhone with a non Apple screen, as soon as you update iOS, the phone will cease to function. Is that even legal? Do their fanboys even care?
 
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