Google Addresses the Absence of a Headphone Jack in the Pixel 2

Google clarifies headphone jack removal for Pixel 2.

When Apple did it, everyone was talking about it. Removing the headphone jack from a smartphone is still controversial it seems, as that particular feature ensures day-to-day convenience. However, as manufacturers are struggling to increase the screen-to-body ratio of their products, some features disappear. Some would argue that you don’t really need a headphone jack, but it all comes down to personal usage. In order to calm spirits down a bit, Google has decided to explain its decision on a support page. More specifically, the explanation was provided by Google Pixel Community Manager Orrin.

“Moving to the USB-C audio port with Pixel 2 allows us to provide a better audio and digital experience, as we move towards a bezel-less future. We realize that some of you might be looking for USB-C headphones, and we want to provide some guidance around headphone compatibility with Pixel 2 devices. The main thing to keep in mind is that Pixel 2 devices are compatible with USB-C headphones that support digital audio.”

What’s the solution?

If you really want to use regular headphones with the new Pixel phones, you can rely on an adapter. While this is not an ideal scenario, it does provide a quick fix for this particular issue. That said, most users will probably be content with it.

“To give people a choice of audio options, we’ve included an adapter in the box which can be used with existing 3.5mm headphones. Other USB-C to 3.5mm adapters/splitters should work, but please be sure they are compatible with digital audio and support the proper audio standards.”

Even though the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are great phones, it’s hard to justify the hardware’s removal. Google claims that they made the sacrifice in favor of a narrow bezel and a larger screen. Still, other manufacturers such as Samsung have managed to keep the headphone jack while including the features noted above.