One should be at the bottom one at the top. I understand space on the phone is a premium but a second port would make the phone so much more usable. Wired headphones, flash drives, camera modules, speaker modules, keyboards, even connection to a TV, all could be used while charging. It’s a shame it’s not a thing, USB is extremely versatile port, but you only get one and it’s used for charging half of the time. (I am aware dongles exist)
Wired headphones… could be used while charging
Sure is a shame nobody ever came up with a way to do that before.
The person who decided a headphone jack is superfluous should be found, tarred, feathered, and left naked and alone deep in the alaskan wilderness covered in pigs blood for the wildlife to enjoy.
I hate how we’re stuck in a limbo between headphones jacks and usb-c. Like the change was bad to begin with, but if you’re going to switch to usb-c, then do it fully.
USB-C for everything honestly would have been good if they had. But we’re stuck in a limbo
Bring back the headphone port! Bring back the headphone port! Bring back the headphone port!
I would rather have 2 usb c ports that way you can use it fir other stuff as well
I’d rather have another USB port actually. It’s just so much more versatile.
Honestly, this. I’m not happy that they took away my headphone jack, but if they’d replaced it with a second USB port I would have been okay with it.
It never dissapeared - you just started buying devices without one
Can’t be that important if people don’t actually choose with their wallets (Xperia 5 II owner btw)
Rn I’m hoping the 5 V will be announced soon, my 1 II’s battery is absolutely fucked lol.
headphone jacks are still available for mid ranged androids, even along with a charger. pretty much the only win we can get for purchasing a mid ranged androids.
Not being ridiculously overpriced is another advantage imo.
Sony says hi :)
I used to think this but a dedicated mp3 player is superior to using a phone for audio anyway
If all you play is local media then maybe. I like to stream music from my own server though and also listen to podcasts on the go.
- I never understood why space should be at premium. A phone does not need to be as thin as possible. 1½-2cm thickness is reasonable in my eyes, and would allow so much more ports and/or buttons. I would have use for 2-3 extra buttons.
- The biggest pro of two opposing ports: you could always charge your device regardless of orientation. With just a port on the bottom charging while scrolling in the bed is often uncomfortable
The biggest pro of two opposing ports: you could always charge your device regardless of orientation. With just a port on the bottom charging while scrolling in the bed is often uncomfortable
This is my biggest problem with my switch! I have to awkwardly hold it when I’m trying to ay laying on the couch or in bed. I hear the Steam Deck has a port on top for charging so it’s already begun!
And most people add a bulky case anyway. Just integrate that shit into the phone!
Soon you’re gonna feel lucky that your phone has even ONE port.
Give it 5 years and Apple will have removed their lightning and/or USB port and gone wireless on everything.
Apple is going to be compelled to offer USB-C as a wired charging connection in Europe if it offers a wired charging option.
Which means bye bye charging port
ASUS ROG Phones have them. Also with a headphone jack I think.
You know what? As long as the second port isn’t gimped in any way (can do video out + all the typical USB things), then I might forgive them for taking away the headphone jack.
I still keep a drawing of my ideal phone from years ago and I also has two ports like you mention. I totally agree!
can i see?
And the 2nd one could go full thunderbolt too
Wireless USB never took off. Essentials company was promisimg with PH1, it had wireless USB port. only released two wireless USB compatible devices for it though.
This is what life is when all viable phones are made by two giant tech companies.
Weird headphones don’t use ucb-c, there is already a standard for headphones and it’s the 3.5mm audio jack.
a) I have a USB-c headset at work
b) the 3.5mm headphone jack can’t be used to transfer data (at a good rate)
Not sure what exactly you mean by headset. But headphones and IEMs will use a 3.5mm or 1/4" jack. My sennheisers use it, my beyerdynamics use it, my audio Technicas use it. Even my KZ IEMs and moondrop IEMs use it. This is a universal standard for a reason.
And not sure what the data rate has to do with anything. It’s an audio connector, it’s not used to transfer data, it’s used to move the drivers in a set of headphones. As usb-c doesn’t output line level audio, any headset you have that uses it needs its own DAC and amp which is problematic for e-waste reasons.
Headset, as in headphones with a microphone. I use it for MS Teams meetings and a bit of music and it works fine.
The point OP was trying to make is that you can use USB-c for other things besides listening to music.
Since you seem to be an audiophile with a list of fancy headphones (don’t ask me, my Cardo combined with earplugs is fine for the level of listening I want to do) then wouldn’t an offboard DAC / amp that you could keep far longer than a phone, and isn’t restricted by size constraints going to be better than a built-in version?
Also, if you’re worried about e-waste maybe you shouldn’t buy so many headphones. My partner’s Sennheisers have lasted 20 years so far.
Can USB hubs even allow the phone to be charged and simultaneously control things through the same port? I know I tried that back in the USB2 days and found it infuriatingly false, since had set up a wired USB mouse and game controller to my tablet for portable shooters. One particular hazard is I’ve found that combining bluetooth headphones and game controllers can result in unplayably-bad latency on Android, so wired options would be nice.
I think yes. USB-C docks are the proof.
I agree. If we’re going to lose the headphone port in favour of connecting to a universal connection (either directly or via an adaptor) then it’s time we have two of them. As for positioning I gather that there are lots of handheld PC’s with the one on top and one on bottom configuration and that it’s generally accepted to be the best way (and my on top 3.5mm and on bottom USB-c seems to work pretty well) so I think you’re right but it would be nice to see manufacturers try out a few different configurations to see in practise what people prefer.
I think on a phone it would make sense for bottom and side, which is the top of a handheld PC. That way you could have the cord sticking out whatever direction was handy for you by turning your phone.
Asus ROG does this
More likely dedicated camera shutter button.
Double press power button to start camera, use volume up/down to take image.
Should work on almost any Android phone.
I can’t relate at all. My phone is a PHONE, with options of short-term entertainment. I have other devices for other “computery” activities. I personally almost never use even my single USB-C port, thanks to wireless charging and wireless headphones. Sounds like your phone is your main device.
For what current flagship phones cost they should absolutely be capable of general purpose computing.
Maybe come with a usb-c dock and screen as well for convergence.
Many countries not so well off like us in the West do not have the luxury to have a smartphone and a computer. So options with 2 USB ports would be interesting. The bastardisation of the smartphone is a disgrace.
What exactly is getting bastardized? Phones never had 2 USB ports. And there are still new phones with headphone jack (Zenphone 10 comes to my mind). Yes, many brands dropped it, but it’s not a conspiracy (or at lest doesn’t have to be), it’s just basic economics.
What I call bastardisation is the many steps stopping us from using our phone as general computing platforms. Our phones have no reason to be confined by software locks like locked bootloaders, root login, etc.
As for the lack of 2 USB ports, it pictures that phones where never thought as general purpose computers. Maybe two ports is not the way to go but the lack of an interface which can act as a display output and a USB connection like what we have now with Thunderbolt on the desktop is a shame. The inability to turn my phone, which is more powerful than my current laptop, into a normal computer unencumbered by software and hardware restrictions is a shame.
The path taken by Pinephones and their Linux ecosystems is a step in the right direction. It shows that smartphone companies can do better.
As you said, it’s basic economics, it’s more profitable for them if we buy a new phone every two years, so they lock us out of our properties with software and hardware restrictions because they can.
