Headphone jack still “required” for Windows phones

Dec 2, 2016 07:22 GMT  ·  By

​Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 was certainly one of the most controversial topics of the year, especially because it impacted a popular feature of modern smartphones.

It goes without saying that Apple abandoning the 3.5mm audio port was considered just the beginning of a new trend that would have other mobile phone manufacturers across the world doing the same thing, with the rumor mill now suggesting that Samsung itself might ditch the jack for next flagships.

But as far as Microsoft is concerned, this is not going to happen because the headphone jack remains an important feature of today’s smartphones and the majority of customers already have headphones that they use on a daily basis with their devices.

As CW sharply noticed, the headphone jack continues to be listed as “required for phones” on Microsoft’s Windows 10 Mobile device minimum hardware requirements page, and it’s unlikely to see any change in the near future.

Microsoft and the Surface Phone

Truth be told, Microsoft is no longer a very active player in the hardware business in the Windows 10 Mobile ecosystem, and there are rumors that the company could even discontinue the Lumia brand sometime this month.

On the other hand, Microsoft is believed to be working on a so-called Surface Phone that would be the “ultimate device,” as CEO Satya Nadella himself described it, and the launch could take place sometime next year, possibly in the fall.

Given the existing hardware requirements, the Surface Phone, if it ever sees daylight, is very likely to come with the headphone jack, and it makes sense since Microsoft wants its phone to be used as a PC as well with help from Continuum.

And yet, there are other ways that would allow Microsoft to deal with a possible removal of the headphone jack and still offer the 3.5mm audio port when used as a PC, such as a dedicated connector integrated into the Continuum dock. This would involve offering an adapter, as is the case with Apple and the iPhone 7, to allow the Surface Phone to be used with headphones while on the go.

Of course, everything could change even in the case of Microsoft, especially since the company’s latest phones already embraced USB Type-C, which can also be used for audio output, so it remains to be seen how Redmond sees the evolution of its mobile ecosystem in this regard.