Intel calls for the end of the headphone jack with USB-C replacement

USB-C may not only lead a revolution in PC design, it may also change our smartphones and tablets forever, reveals Ian Paul

Apple isn’t the only company looking to remove the last vestiges of the analogue world from our smartphones and tablets. It seems Intel wants in on the action too. The chipmaker recently talked about replacing the 3.5mm headphone jack with a USB‑C connector.

It discussed the issue during its developer conference in Shenzhen, China. The idea makes a lot of sense. USB‑C is designed to be a multifunction port that can transfer data and power at higher speeds.

Dumping the analogue jack from mobile devices would allow for sleeker design, with a single port for charging, headphones, and data transfer. It’s similar to the concept Apple and other PC makers are adopting for ultra‑slim laptops featuring a single port.

Beyond slimmed‑down devices, USB‑C for headphones would allow more smart features to come to your earbuds. Right now, headphone features are more or less maxed out with microphones, sound, and some basic audio controls. USB‑C headphones, however, could add features such as thermal sensors that send data to a fitness app. Headphones could also accept software upgrades thanks to the digital connection, and components such as high‑end digital‑to‑ analogue converters (DACs) could be built into the peripherals.

Moving to USB‑C makes a lot of logical sense. So far, headphone jacks have been able to survive because they just work and are universal. You can take Apple iPhone earbuds slap them into a Nexus and they’ll work just fine right down to the microphone.

To change the status quo, phone and tablet makers would have to get behind the USB‑C audio effort. The revolution may already be underway. Apple is rumoured to be dumping the headphone jack in the next iPhone in favour of earbuds that use the company’s proprietary Lightning connector. If this is true, it’s likely other phone makers will switch to keep pace with the iPhone and adopt USB‑C as a headphone jack replacement.

Personally, this writer is all for the end of the headphone jack, as long as there are no problems such as headphones that only work with a specific smartphone makers handsets. It’s long past time we gave up annoyances like the headphone twist to squeeze the last remnants of non‑crackly sound out of a dying pair of earbuds.

The only pain would be those times you want to listen to something at the same time you need to charge your device. Perhaps USB‑C headphones as a standard feature will finally make wireless charging as ubiquitous, standardized and effective as it should be.