this post was submitted on 24 May 2024
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Can someone help me understand why headphone jacks and SD card slots are so important to people? All new phones have audio connections built into the USB-C port, and have enough onboard storage not to require any amount of expansion.
Is the lack of these features really a dealbreaker? I have a Pixel, with custom ROM, and consider myself a power user, and never miss those features at all.
SD cards were nice back when phones had like 16GB of onboard storage and you needed more space for apps and media, but with 512GB onboard storage and the ability to use cloud storage at Wifi 7 speeds, I couldn't imagine needing more.
Integrated headphone jacks were nice before the vast majority of people used Bluetooth headphones. Even then, a tiny adapter lets me connect any of my old wired headphones or aux cables up no problem.
We're 18 years into the smartphone age. When the first smartphones came out in 2006, microsd cards were only 2 years old. Now they're 20 years old. Are we really surprised that this feature is no longer standard?
The 3.5mm headphone jack has been around since the 1950's, and adapters have been required for tons of audio applications for even longer than that. Do we really need a 70-year-old port integrated into new phones?
If you have 512gb of storage I think you likely paid more for your phone than I have for my last 3 phones combined going back 5 or 6 years.
Decent wired earbuds are $20. Bluetooth earbuds in that price range are terrible and uncomfortable.
Some of us can't or won't spend lots of money on disposable tech like phones.
You consider yourself a power user, I'm just a guy who needs a phone to phone, text and do a few internet tasks like casual games for work downtime.
I don't have anything against people who like having the latest and greatest tech but I don't have that urge or see the need in some cases. I generally don't like being pushed into spending more money with no appreciable gain in functionality.
I guess if you're just using your phone for a few tiny things, the lack of an SD card should be no problem. What good is tons of storage if you're just "texting and doing a few internet tasks like casual games"?
And dedicated headphone port or not, you can always plug wired headphones in with an adapter. The port is still there, it's just a modern port, not one from the 50's.
Still waiting on a real answer to why these dated features matter so much. Sure, my flagship phone may be more powerful than anything you need, but that doesn't fit the narrative that these phones are missing critical features that you apparently need, especially not in terms of storage capacity or accessory compatibility.
These things aren't deal-breakers they're conveniences for me. It's easy to transfer stuff to a new phone with an SD card, if your old phones screen dies (has happened to me twice over the years) you can still easily move your stuff over to the new phone.
My last phone only had 64gb of storage. I always have some audio-books and podcasts on my phone for when I go to very rural areas with bad reception like the lake. Up until the phone I bought this year with 256gb I would have been always cramped for space without an SD card.
Why use an adapter if you don't have to, that's just one more thing to go wrong or get in the way. I had a pixel for a while and I did use an adapter for my headphones. They were awkwardly placed with the adapter, if the usb port broke because of the headphone adapter being awkwardly placed I couldn't charge the phone. If I broke a headphone jack I'm just inconvenienced.
I don't understand why someone being content using older technology bothers you so much that you want them to defend their choices.
Even if the $800-$1000 phones had those features I wouldn't spend that much on a phone. If only the flagships had those features I'd go without. Thy're nice to have but not must haves.
Do you also get annoyed with people who play retro games or listen to vinyl records? Do you wonder why people drive classic cars or wear analog watches?