The 3.5mm headphone jack, long a universal standard for wired audio, is disappearing from the smartphone market at an accelerating pace. According to WIRED's buying guide by Julian Chokkattu, Samsung in 2025 removed the port from its Galaxy A-series phones, and Asus has confirmed it is exiting the mobile business altogether, ending the Zenfone and ROG Phone series that were among the last flagships with the jack. Yet the guide, refreshed in July 2026 with the addition of Motorola's Moto G Stylus 2026, indicates the wired audio option remains viable for now.
What Happened to the Headphone Jack
WIRED traced the decline to Apple's decision to remove the port on the iPhone 7 in 2016. Technically, Oppo removed it first, but Apple's move sparked an industry trend. Apple cited space-saving reasons — a slimmer phone and a bigger battery — and the opportunity to nudge along the then-burgeoning wireless headphone market. Other companies followed swiftly, and the port became confined to budget and midrange phones. Now even cheap phones are beginning to lose it, WIRED reported, likely because decent wireless earbuds are available for as little as $30. The publication predicted the 3.5-mm port will likely disappear entirely from all smartphones within the next few years.
Does Plugging In Improve Audio Quality?
Yes, according to WIRED. Plugging in wired headphones means the audio is not compressed, so it can transmit more detail and deliver a higher-fidelity audio experience. Wired connections also offer little or no latency, zero connectivity issues, and no battery-life concerns, and some wired earbuds include physical buttons for music playback controls — more reliable than touch controls on most earbuds. However, WIRED notes that today's Bluetooth codecs are significantly better than those from five years ago, and most people will not hear a major difference between wired and wireless audio.
USB-C Adapters and Earbuds as an Alternative
For organisations or individuals buying phones without a 3.5-mm port, a USB-C headphone dongle adds the jack back. WIRED recommends the Apple USB-C to 3.5-mm Adapter, priced at $9, which works with any smartphone with a USB-C port — including Android phones and the iPhone 15 and newer. For iPhones with a Lightning port (iPhone 14 or earlier), a third-party dongle is required because Apple has officially discontinued its own adapter.
Alternatively, Google USB-C Earbuds cost $31 and replace the 3.5-mm connector with a USB-C plug that connects directly to the phone's charging port. WIRED's reviewer reported using them for years, describing them as decent-sounding and cheap.
The Remaining Options
The Motorola Moto G Stylus 2026 is the latest addition to WIRED's list of phones with the actual headphone jack. With Asus exiting the mobile business, there will be no new Zenfone or ROG Phone launches for 2026, though Asus said it will continue supporting existing devices as promised.
| Year | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Apple removes headphone jack from iPhone 7 | Oppo did it first, but Apple's move sparked industry-wide adoption of the removal |
| 2025 | Samsung cuts the jack from Galaxy A-series | Another major manufacturer departs the feature |
| 2026 | Asus exits mobile business | No new Zenfone or ROG Phone devices; support continues |
"The 3.5-mm port will likely disappear entirely from all smartphones within the next few years."
For technology procurement teams, the pricing and availability of Apple's $9 USB-C adapter and Google's $31 USB-C earbuds provide a low-cost path to maintain wired audio compatibility on newer device fleets. But the narrowing field of manufacturers offering the port means that any long-term strategy relying on the 3.5-mm jack must account for the format's expected disappearance, as documented by WIRED.
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