Prominent in the above reasons is the need for a sluggish as well as too high cost, making the opportunity for USB-C headphones become more and more popular.
One of the most painful things about removing headphone jacks on smartphones is the lack of a reasonable replacement. Every company that removes an analog headphone jack on their device tells you to switch to a wireless headset, but if you don't want an extra device to charge regularly, or if you change the device Frequently and do not want to constantly encounter problems when pairing with Bluetooth every day?
Now USB-C headsets seem to be the perfect choice, the most reasonable for the problem of audio port connectivity by enabling Android users and most new laptops to launch technical ports. This number replaces the removed headphone jack. However, such headphones are still quite rare and expensive, a situation that never seems to be overcome.
Here's why USB-C headsets seem hard to become a popular product:
Apple and Samsung don't care about it
The most obvious factor against the popularization of USB-C headsets are the two largest smartphone manufacturers in the world that do not need them. Apple iPhones may not have a headphone jack, but they don't have a USB-C port, and Samsung's devices still have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Things could change dramatically if Samsung abandons this analog connection, but so far the market for headphones with USB-C pins is still very limited when demand from the world's two largest smartphone brands. Is negligible. The only way for a headset manufacturer to work with these two brands is wireless via Bluetooth.
USB-C is not a free item
At the CES fair in January, Jabra explained why the company's new wireless headset, the 65t earbud is still charged via the micro USB port. The simple answer lies in cost. Although the use of USB-C ports for headphones will be seamless for users when they can charge both laptops and phones, it will push the price of the Elite 65t to a higher price.
Cost is the same reason that Synaptics introduced OQI My Lockey fingerprint scanner port with USB-A port instead of USB-C, though it is targeted at business customers. Synaptics vice president Godfrey Cheng said using USB-C charging ports would cost 25% more expensive, from a $ 100 product to $ 125. Cheng also stressed that there is a significant cost difference between using a USB-C cable for charging only and another cable for data transfer only.
USB-C is not universal
As is often seen in the technology world, when a cable fits into a plug port, any compatible cable will be the same. However, this is not entirely true for USB-C. Some USB-C ports have Thunderbolt 3 ports for higher data bandwidth, but most don't. There is a USB-C port that can be charged for the device in use, but not all.
In addition, you have USB-C cables that comply with different standards and specifications, some of which support data transfer, others only serve as conductive charging cords. Therefore, although the name USB-C is used for all these cables and ports, they do not have a "universal" experience for all accessories and devices that support it.
Wireless connection is the true universal standard
The biggest challenge for USB-C when it comes to being a good replacement for the classic 3.5mm headphone jack is the Bluetooth headset. Bluetooth also has its own problems, including quality degradation and latency, but it is being worked out. It is the big difference in market potential between Bluetooth and USB-C audio, almost no one takes the time to repair USB-C while everyone focuses on improving wireless audio quality.
Audio-Technica, Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser are all committed to further expanding their wireless headphones, even for gaming headsets. The future of consumer audio devices is almost certainly in wireless connectivity.
Meanwhile, with audio followers, they all have 3.5mm, 6.35mm and XLR cables. These analog analog connections allow them to use dedicated amplifiers and DACs. This makes them less interested in adding another digital connection.
Although not much hope for headphones, perhaps the solid future of USB-C will lie in the ability to charge electricity - inherently accepted. Apple introduced USB-C as a charging port on the MacBook line, Google did the same with Chromebook, Lenovo with ThinkPads. That's not to mention Android smartphones. When USB-C becomes more popular, perhaps the cost of accessories and USB-C cables will go down, and we'll have the right to dream about wireless headphones with USB-C connectivity as a backup.
Now USB-C headsets seem to be the perfect choice, the most reasonable for the problem of audio port connectivity by enabling Android users and most new laptops to launch technical ports. This number replaces the removed headphone jack. However, such headphones are still quite rare and expensive, a situation that never seems to be overcome.
Here's why USB-C headsets seem hard to become a popular product:
Apple and Samsung don't care about it
The most obvious factor against the popularization of USB-C headsets are the two largest smartphone manufacturers in the world that do not need them. Apple iPhones may not have a headphone jack, but they don't have a USB-C port, and Samsung's devices still have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Things could change dramatically if Samsung abandons this analog connection, but so far the market for headphones with USB-C pins is still very limited when demand from the world's two largest smartphone brands. Is negligible. The only way for a headset manufacturer to work with these two brands is wireless via Bluetooth.
USB-C is not a free item
At the CES fair in January, Jabra explained why the company's new wireless headset, the 65t earbud is still charged via the micro USB port. The simple answer lies in cost. Although the use of USB-C ports for headphones will be seamless for users when they can charge both laptops and phones, it will push the price of the Elite 65t to a higher price.
Cost is the same reason that Synaptics introduced OQI My Lockey fingerprint scanner port with USB-A port instead of USB-C, though it is targeted at business customers. Synaptics vice president Godfrey Cheng said using USB-C charging ports would cost 25% more expensive, from a $ 100 product to $ 125. Cheng also stressed that there is a significant cost difference between using a USB-C cable for charging only and another cable for data transfer only.
USB-C is not universal
As is often seen in the technology world, when a cable fits into a plug port, any compatible cable will be the same. However, this is not entirely true for USB-C. Some USB-C ports have Thunderbolt 3 ports for higher data bandwidth, but most don't. There is a USB-C port that can be charged for the device in use, but not all.
In addition, you have USB-C cables that comply with different standards and specifications, some of which support data transfer, others only serve as conductive charging cords. Therefore, although the name USB-C is used for all these cables and ports, they do not have a "universal" experience for all accessories and devices that support it.
Wireless connection is the true universal standard
The biggest challenge for USB-C when it comes to being a good replacement for the classic 3.5mm headphone jack is the Bluetooth headset. Bluetooth also has its own problems, including quality degradation and latency, but it is being worked out. It is the big difference in market potential between Bluetooth and USB-C audio, almost no one takes the time to repair USB-C while everyone focuses on improving wireless audio quality.
Audio-Technica, Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser are all committed to further expanding their wireless headphones, even for gaming headsets. The future of consumer audio devices is almost certainly in wireless connectivity.
Meanwhile, with audio followers, they all have 3.5mm, 6.35mm and XLR cables. These analog analog connections allow them to use dedicated amplifiers and DACs. This makes them less interested in adding another digital connection.
Although not much hope for headphones, perhaps the solid future of USB-C will lie in the ability to charge electricity - inherently accepted. Apple introduced USB-C as a charging port on the MacBook line, Google did the same with Chromebook, Lenovo with ThinkPads. That's not to mention Android smartphones. When USB-C becomes more popular, perhaps the cost of accessories and USB-C cables will go down, and we'll have the right to dream about wireless headphones with USB-C connectivity as a backup.