As tech enthusiasts prepare for the impending death of the headphone jack as smartphones slowly embrace USB-C, Intel has chimed in about the matter, arguing that, not only are their fears unfounded, but the USB-C will be superior to the headphone jack later down the line.
To understand why Intel is discussing this at all, it's important to know what the whole hubbub is surrounding the 3.5 mm headphone jack to USB-C transition. Earlier this year, rumors surfaced that Apple would remove the port from the upcoming iPhone 7, making it join the likes of a few phones (like the Galaxy Note 7) and laptops (like the newer Apple MacBook), if true.
Naturally, people were upset about it. Not only is this a change that pretty much no one asked for, but it also leads to various annoyances, such as the impact on battery life, as well as making Android and iPhone headphones incompatible.
However, speaking at the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco on Tuesday, Intel architects Brad Saunders and Rahman Ismail argued that those concerns — and many others — will likely be put to rest once improvements to the USB-C standard arrive later this year that could make it a superior port for the modern-day smartphone.
In their argument, they highlighted three main points: phone design, battery life and "extra" connectivity.
Starting off, the duo asserted that, once the headphone jack is removed, phone makers can switch to digital audio since there's no longer a need to route analog circuitry. In doing so, they can shave off several millimeters from the phone's body. What's more, Sanders noted that this move could encourage software and device makers to help produce cheaper earbuds that possess features typically reserved for higher-end headphones, such as noise-cancelling.
Next, the duo addressed battery life. One of the primary concerns about the shift toward USB-C is the increased power usage that will come with the loss of USB (since the latter is less power-hungry than the former). However, Sanders says that advantage will be moot, as his and Ismail's improved version of the USB-C would be able to detect whenever the headphone's microphone was not in use and then turn it off to conserve battery life.
Lastly, the pair talked about the connectivity options the USB-C offers. Though not a replacement for HDMI, USB-C is capable of high-throughput data transfers, meaning that it's possible to connect a smartphone or computer up to a display via USB-C to run apps or watch movies. Furthermore, the USB-C can handle multiple connections at once, so users can use a USB hub to do multiple things at once, such as charge with one port and mirror a display with the next — effectively eliminating another concern that naysayers would reference.
This isn't the first time Intel has voiced its support for USB-C. Last year at Computex, Intel became the most high-profile industry name to throw its weight behind USB-C, announcing that its Thunderbolt 3 interface would use the new standard instead of the existing Mini DisplayPort. More recently, the company detailed a proposal to remove the 3.5 mm audio jack at its Shenzhen developer forum in April.
Photo: Maurizio Pesce | Flickr
