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Comment by dpark | Hacker News Reader

> but I actually prefer a simple headset with a 3.5mm mic-in/head-out connection. Why? Well, it works always

I can say with certainty that it does not always work. If I plug a pair of Apple earbuds into my Android device, the audio up/down do not work. This functionality isn't consistent even within the Android device world. Having a consistent headphone jack that provides consistency here would be a pretty big win. (Even bigger if Apple gets on board, which it won't.)

> I guess I can live with it, but having to carry around an adapter from USB to 3.5mm audio will be a PITA

Pretty sure the endgame here is that your headphones have a USB C connection on them instead of a 3.5mm audio jack.

> Next year, USB power cords, and you'll have to rewire your house.

You can already buy outlets with USB ports. They're increasingly common, but thankfully the transformer is in the outlet so you're not running low-voltage wire all over.

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I think this is a false comparison for two reasons

1) adding the microphone and volume function to the headjack is a different cable than a normal TRS 3.5mm aux cable, which is the cable we all love. I would rather get rid of the 4 wired microphone enabled 3.5mm than lose the 3.52mm altogether.

2) all of the problems you mentioned that revolve around software - Apple cables not working on android, etc - are only going to get word by introducing USB into this. The idea is to remove proprietary things from analog audio, that's the whole reason the standard survived.

It also goes without saying that there is an inherit loss of utility caused by this switch, since so many of the products I already own use 3.5mm.

I'm not attached sentimentally to any cables. I'd love for audio, volume, skip, and microphone functionality to work with all my devices and all my headphones. Would it be annoying to lose compatibility (or require a converter) for all my existing speakers and headphones? Of course. I'd still take that penalty if it meant the overall experience was better and eventually more consistent.

Frankly I'm not sure 3.5mm is going to survive in the mainstream anyway. Bluetooth might eventually replace it for mainstream use cases.

>Bluetooth might eventually replace it for mainstream use cases.

As somewho who uses Bluetooth audio I strongly disagree. I think Bluetooth audio is going to remain niche until batteries get better. Who wants to have to charge their headphones or Bluetooth (often battery powered) speakers every few days?

I may be spoiled but whether I use bluetooth or old-school RF headsets, it's always less reliable and lower quality than wired.

I don't think I'm that "non-mainstream", but nothing annoys me more than even split-second connectivity drops with Bluetooth. When I'm listening to music, reliability and consistency in hearing an entire chunk of audio trumps all else -- and 3.5mm has that.

That's a problem with all things apple. Not with the 3.5 mm jack. Samsung, LG, Microsoft, Sony etc all follow the same standard for buttons. I bet if Apple implemented a USB port in iPhone it would only support accessories who have paid license fees to Apple.

No they don't. That's why most Android earbuds only have play/pause and not volume. The volume is implemented inconsistently on different phones. I did research into earbuds for my Windows phone a couple years ago and learned that manufacturers were inconsistent. You could get earbuds with volume control for the Samsung Galaxy and they wouldn't work on LG devices. The same mess applied to Windows phones.

And then when that $1 transformer (probably off by a factor of 10) fails, you have to replace your whole outlet? No thanks.

Outlets are cheap and easy to wire. Running low-voltage cable throughout your house to supply USB ports in outlet panels isn't - especially since, at least in the US, you can't run HV and LV cable in the same conduits and still pass inspection. (Nor should you! Suddenly having 120VAC@10A on a USB port's power pins is a Bad Thing.)

Yeah. I'd rather do the conversion once or twice - say, 2x high quality 5x USB ports from Anker or similar than to have it somewhere I need an electrician to modify.

> You can already buy outlets with USB ports

The few I've seen examined in YT teardowns seem to rate as "horrific". Lowest quality, minimum component count stuff. More than enough to put me off buying.

> Pretty sure the endgame here is that your headphones have a USB C connection on them instead of a 3.5mm audio jack.

Like most people, I want to keep using my audio equipment that does not use USB, so I'll need an adapter.

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