Speaking exclusively to Tech Radar, Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus, has confirmed that there will not be a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack in the OnePlus 6T, expected to launch next month.
“You’ve got to make decisions that optimize the user experience, and understand that at times things that provide user value can also add friction,” Pei told the site.
He believes that the time is now right to make the change, reporting that 59 percent of the OnePlus community now own wireless headphones – a number taken before it launched the Bullets Wireless headphones.
Pei confirmed that the next OnePlus phone would ship with a 3.5mm- to USB-C adaptor, and that it is upgrading its wired Bullets headphones to use USB-C (though the latter may not be supplied in the box).
Why is OnePlus removing the headphone jack?
Removing the headphone jack frees up space inside the phone’s body for other things, such as a larger battery. Pei has confirmed that increased battery life would be noticeable, but has not specified exactly how it will be achieved.
More rumours about OnePlus 6T have been revealed by an online retailer
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Author: Marie Black, Editorial Director
Marie is Editorial Director at Foundry. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she's worked in tech media for more than 17 years, managing our EMEA and LatAm editorial teams and leading on content strategy through Foundry's transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.