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Comment by clumsysmurf | Hacker News Reader

> Optimists (and phonemakers) argue that a new wave of innovation could rejuvenate demand.

Hopefully that innovation is the return of the headphone jack :P

Or perhaps removable and replaceable batteries. Maybe if the boom is ending despite all the planned obsolescence we can get a break from the planned obsolescence. Though I won't be surprised if the major companies just double down and make things even worse. Whatever, I'm hoping the Purism phone is good, my old Note 3 has been showing its age...

I am conflicted on what phone to buy next. The Purism is really appealing for privacy and Linux support, and Fairphone for repairability, sustainability and ethical production. And on the latter I can install /e/ OS.

I switched to wireless headphones (AirPods) and don't miss the headphone jack at all. Good riddance to tangled wires.

I have wireless headphones and a Pixel 2 and still wish I had a jack. Sometimes you just want to get in a friend's car and be able to play music or use a nice pair of open-backed headphones when you won't bother someone. I'd still have the choice of whether or not to say good riddance to tangled wires if my phone had a headphone jack.

You still have the choice via an adapter.

Between constantly needing to plug in to power and plug in to use headphones, the USB-C port on my Pixel 2 wore out in less than one year. I'd constantly lose audio as the cord jostled around, and the power cord would just slip out enough to stop charging in the middle of the night. Google recognized that as a hardware flaw and replaced it with a refurbished phone under warranty, but I don't know what the future repair cost will be outside of warranty.

Consider wireless charging.

Which you probably won't have with you at the right moment.

I just keep mine attached to my keys with a “dongle dangler” and this has never been a problem.

People love to complain about how inconvenient losing the headphone jack is (especially people with phones that still have it!) but that’s just because this is the internet, where everybody complains about everything.

Buy one for the car they are only $3

Agreed as for the tangled wires, but the AirPods surface is too smooth to keep them well in place, so the sound is just never up to par with good in-ear buds.

I guess you were unlucky in ear shape genetic lottery. The AirPods fit snugly and comfortably in my ears.

I've got a dollar that says the new wave of innovation largely involves just making everything slower so you need faster hardware to do the same things.

The catch there is the lack of faster hardware, since phones are basically carrying desktop processor power these days.

+1. Although I'd rather call that “inveteration” than “innovation” :P

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