Potentially bad news for fans of Samsung and the good ol' headphone jack — the analog audio port won't be making an appearance on Samsung's forthcoming Galaxy Note 10 flagship. At least according to new rumors, that is.
If true, it's hardly surprising. Ever since Apple ditched the headphone jack on the iPhone 7, nearly every manufacturer followed suit. Now, the number of companies who have chosen to keep it can be counted on one hand. Samsung will reportedly be the latest to join this no-headphone jack bandwagon, sad to say.
No Headphone Jack
According to Android Police, Samsung is planning to release two sizes for the Galaxy Note 10, one regular and one "mini" version, both of which won't have a headphone jack. They also apparently won't have any physical buttons at all — no volume buttons, no power button, and not even a dedicated Bixby key.
No Buttons
In place of buttons, Samsung is reportedly putting capacitive or touch-sensitive areas where those buttons typically are, and they're textured so it's easier for users to recognize them from the rest of the phone's body and surfaces. Perhaps it'll be similar to how the power button and fingerprint sensor is implemented on the Galaxy S10E. This new report is not unprecedented; there were earlier rumors that suggested Samsung would be getting rid of buttons completely for a seamless, uninterrupted design.
If true, the Galaxy Note 10 wouldn't be the first Samsung device to not have a headphone jack. The Galaxy Fold also doesn't have one, but that device is currently having a handful of problems of its own and isn't officially out the public yet.
As for removing the button entirely, that could be an interesting design choice. Samsung, after all, has been leaning increasingly toward a sleeker unibody design in the last few years, and this direction makes plenty of sense. However, removing the headphone will no doubt cause some controversy, especially since Samsung is one of the few major manufacturers left who insist on putting the component on phones.
What About The S Pen?
One of the arguments for removing the headphone jack is to make the device thinner, as adding the component somehow enlarges the phone's overall build and profile. It's going to be tricky if Samsung plans on using this argument. If the Galaxy Note 10 plans to retain its stylus, it would still require a slot to store the S Pen, which in turn contradicts the argument for more volume.
Of course, all rumors must still be taken with a grain of salt. More information about the device might arrive as summer continues, so make sure to check back with Tech Times as we learn more.
