Samsung’s Galaxy S8 Headphone Jack Removal Is A Big Mistake, But It’s Good News For The Note 8
There is a lot riding on the Samsung Galaxy S8. For one, it is arguably the most important flagship device that the South Korean tech giant would be releasing in years, as it attempts to rectify the damages that the now-infamous Note 7 fiasco incurred. While initial speculations and leaks about the upcoming device have been very encouraging, a new rumor has emerged which threatens to make the S8 into a very flawed device.
According to a recent report from SAM Mobile, reputable sources have confirmed that the Galaxy S8 would be ditching the 3.5mm headphone jack, following the footsteps of the Apple iPhone 7, the Motorola Moto Z, and a number of Chinese smartphone manufacturers. Unsurprisingly, numerous Samsung users have reacted negatively to the news, with many stating that the Galaxy S8’s removal of the headphone jack would be a huge mistake for the South Korean tech giant.
After all, Apple’s decision to ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7 was met with widespread criticism from consumers, especially since it makes menial tasks such as charging the phone while listening to music through wired headphones a complicated affair. The decision to remove the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 was so unpopular that a number of iPhone users even decided to forego the device this year simply because 2015’s iPhone 6S, which had a Thunderbolt port and a 3.5mm headphone jack, remains a very capable device.
Thus, the premise of Samsung following Apple’s footsteps in the removal of the headphone jacks does seem like a gross miscalculation for the South Korean tech conglomerate. If any, Samsung should have learned its lesson from the Note 7 debacle, which some analysts believe was caused by the Asian tech giant trying its hardest to pursue Apple in its initiative to make its smartphones as razor-thin as possible. Due to this, Samsung’s 2016 phablet ended up compromising its structural integrity, which CNET stated is speculated to be one of the reasons behind the now-infamous Note 7 explosions.
While the absence of the 3.5mm headphone jack in the Galaxy S8 has been met by widespread criticism from Samsung fans, the rest of the most recent rumors about the upcoming device have been received warmly by longtime users of the Galaxy S line. Among these include a 2K screen; a new, improved type of AMOLED display; a higher screen-to-body ratio; an optical fingerprint scanner; and the removal of the conventional Home Button.
Simply put, if Samsung does end up releasing the Galaxy S8 without a headphone jack, it would place its reputation at even greater risk. After all, in its current state, Samsung can barely afford to release another flawed flagship device. Unfortunately for the smartphone giant, the absence of something as basic as a 3.5mm headphone jack is generally considered a flaw by a good number of consumers. As ironic as it sounds, however, the Galaxy S8’s headphone jack removal might actually be a blessing for Samsung’s other upcoming 2017 flagship — the Galaxy Note 8.
The Note 8 is the successor of the infamous Note 7, which met its untimely end after a number of the devices exploded in flames while charging. Despite the debacle, however, Samsung has opted to follow through with the Note 8, which is speculated to carry all the features that a Samsung flagship device must have. Rumors about the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 point to a powerhouse phablet that would most likely be a game-changer, with speculations pointing to a device with a 4K screen and possibly even JBL-tuned speakers. Of course, with the Note 8 being marketed as a powerhouse device, there is a good chance that it would include all the features that fans want, including, of course, the 3.5mm headphone jack.
The chances of Samsung removing the headphone jack for the Note 8 are rather slim, especially since the device is primarily designed for professionals and other users in the corporate industry. Thus, introducing a system that requires dongles and a limited set of ports would be very counterproductive to the Note brand as a whole. Considering that Samsung seems to be going for broke with the debut of the Note 8, there is a pretty good chance that the tech firm’s next flagship phablet would keep the 3.5mm headphone jack. This, of course, might end up making the upcoming phablet even more attractive to consumers.
The Galaxy Note 8 might very well be the most powerful smartphone that Samsung would release. However, the absence of its headphone jack would definitely be noticed and criticized by many, possibly even resulting in longtime Samsung fans becoming disenchanted by the device. Fortunately, Samsung does seem to have a flagship that would address everything that would be lacking in its competitors and its S8 sibling. If Samsung plays its cards just right, the S8’s flaws might very well end up as the Note 8’s strengths.
[Featured Image by Valentin Valkov/Shutterstock]
