If you look at phones, laptops, or music players over the years, almost every cable has changed at some point. Power plugs got smaller, USB keeps evolving, even charging can go wireless. But the little round audio jack has looked the same for decades. Only recently did many phones start to drop it. So why has it stayed around for so long?
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The jack is simple and just works
The 3.5 mm jack is an analog connector. That means it carries the sound as a direct electrical signal, not as computer data. This makes it very easy to use, very cheap to make, and almost universal across devices.
You do not need special software, drivers, or batteries. You just plug in and audio plays. Because of this simplicity, companies had no strong reason to replace it for many years.
It is also very reliable
The jack is not only simple but also tough. It can last for years of regular use and does not wear out as easily as charging/data ports sometimes do. People can use the same headphones across phones, laptops, stereos, and even musical instruments.
That makes it hard for any new standard to take over. In fact, some pro gear still uses larger versions of the same design because they are strong and easy to repair.
Why some phones no longer have the audio jack
Phones became thinner and waterproofing became more important. A separate hole for the headphone jack made sealing the phone harder, so removing it helped with water resistance. It also saved some internal space for bigger batteries or other parts.
Another reason is that audio can now be sent over USB-C or Lightning, so one port can handle both charging and sound.
However, the change is not always better
When the jack was removed from many phones, people had to switch to Bluetooth or to a small dongle/adapter that converts digital signals back into analog. This dongle is basically a tiny sound card with its own chip. It works fine but can break easily and puts more stress on the only charging port.
And while some people expect a new connection to sound much better, the truth is that sound quality usually depends more on the headphone or the dongle itself, not just on whether you are using a jack, USB-C, or Bluetooth.
To summarize this,
The real reason the audio jack has lasted so long is because it is good enough for most people. It is cheap, simple, and universal.
On phones, newer systems bring useful benefits like better waterproofing and less electrical noise from carrying sound as digital data, but they also add costs and sometimes create new problems. And in the end, the sound people hear usually comes down more to the headphone or dongle they use rather than the type of connection.
This is why phones started to lose the jack, but many other devices still keep it because the benefits are too practical to give up.