With mobile rumours, there’s always changes in tack; when last we looked at the headphone situation on the rumoured Galaxy S8, we reported that there wasn’t going to be a headphone jack. However, that was in December, and this is now. SamMobile has reported overnight that the demise of the headphone jack on the Galaxy S8 was premature, however this was based on case renders which are known to be somewhat inaccurate until much closer to launch.
The good folk at Android Police, citing their own, unnamed sources, claim to have verified this rumour with a “high degree of certainty” — what does this mean? In short, it means very little. Unnamed sources can be made to support anything, however the one thing that this contention has going for it is common sense. Samsung must have been aware of the uproar over Apple’s courageous decision to drop the headphone jack, and might not be so swift to do the same thing, especially when it has its own negative publicity to deal with before the Galaxy S8 even gets started.
We’re a little more ambivalent; a headphone jack isn’t something that everyone uses, but you’ll sorely miss its inclusion once it’s no longer there. Personally, I rarely use wired headphones, but that’s because I’ve put time and effort into replacing my wired gear with quality Bluetooth gear instead. Not everyone has done the same, and for them, taking the headphone jack out now will upset many.
The good news, it seems, is that the headphone jack isn’t going anywhere, and with rumours that those capacitive buttons are gone, the physical home key is gone, USB-C is on board, and more … the Galaxy S8 is shaping up to be a breath of fresh air in the Galaxy S range.
Good decision Samsung!
How many rear cameras?