Do I really need a... Headphone jack?

WhatWh does it do?

Based on the plugs used by 19th-century telephonete operators, the 3.5mm (11/8in) headphone jack is an analogue interfacein that provides contacts to form an electrical circuit. Modern devices tr translate digital audio into a voltage th that passes through the circuit to your he headphones, which convert it into so sound. The stereo jack plug is known as ‘TTRS’, because its three contact points ar are called the tip, ring and sleeve.

Wh Why would I want one?

Fo For a simple co connection to any audio equipment, from cheap headphones to fancy hi-fi units. Nobody owns the headphone jack design, so anyone can make hardware for it. In contrast, to make accessories for the Lightning connection (see image), companies have to pay Apple.

What’s the catch??

Phones are getting too slim for the 3.5mm jack. Earlier this year, Lenovo’s Moto Z appeared without it, relying on the USB Type-c port to attach compatible digital headphones directly or analogue accessories with an adapter (pictured). Now Apple has made the same choice with the iphone 7.

So can I do without it?

In theory, yes. Bluetooth wireless headphones (such as Apple’s wireless Airpods, pictured) are becoming popular, although their battery life can be annoyingly short. Phones that lack the jack come with adapters, but you can’t charge the phone with headphones plugged in. Alternative adapters will fix that, but feel cumbersome, and the DAC (digital-to-analogue converter) chip in the adapter dictates the sound quality. The end of the jack is probably inevitable, but for now, you might prefer a phone that has it.