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OnePlus follows Apple's lead, drops headphone jack from the 6T

Prospective OnePlus 6T buyers will note that the upcoming device will not feature a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack.

Kevin Tucker

September 13, 2018 12:55 PM

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Apple made a bold decision when it decided to remove standard 3.5mm headphone jacks from its suite of mobile devices, and their vision of untethered audio has inspired a number of manufacturers to follow suit. Now it appears that OnePlus is going a similar direction, removing the headphone jack from the upcoming 6T in order to "optimize the user experience."

Speaking to TechRadar, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei denied the notion that OnePlus was following in Apple's footsteps.

"You've got to make decisions that optimize the user experience, and understand that at times things that provide user value can also add friction," Pei said. "We're not doing it for the sake of doing it and because everyone else is. We believe now is the right time, as it'll benefit the majority of our users while keeping the downside low."

Ready for a new pair of Bullets? Discover the Type-C Bullets earphones in our latest deep-dive on the forums.

— OnePlus (@oneplus) September 13, 2018

Of course, dropping the headphone jack from a mobile device isn't all about upselling wireless earbuds or dongles — or so manufacturers tell us. Instead, it's about saving room within the device, as 3.5mm jacks take up more space than users might think, plus they require extra power just to be used. They're also a frankly ancient design, having been initially developed in the late 1800s for use in telephone switchboards. Small surprise, then, that mobile giant Apple is no longer producing phones with 3.5mm headphone jacks.

OnePlus 6T users will still be able to get their music thumping through use of Bluetooth-enabled headphones, and OnePlus will also be offering the new Type-C Bullet V2 earbuds for users who don't mind the extra cable clutter. Just don't expect to be able to use any legacy cans without purchasing a separate dongle.

Kevin Tucker

Guides Editor

Kevin Tucker is a core component of Shacknews' powerful guide development team. For questions, concerns, tips, or to share constructive criticism, he can be reached on Twitter @dukeofgnar or through e-mail at kevin.tucker@shacknews.com.