Samsung explains how it’s compensating for missing 3.5mm headphone jack on Galaxy Note 10

Galaxy Note 10 is one of the first Samsung phones to skip 3.5mm headphone jack. Do you really need 3.5mm headphone jack anymore?

Where’s the jack? (Samsung)

The 3.5mm headphone jack, a standard feature on mobile phones for years, is gradually getting phased out. Apple was one of the first to remove the jack with iPhone X in 2017. Soon, several Android players followed the suit. Samsung, however, was one of the biggest names to resist the idea of removing 3.5mm headphone jack. Two years since iPhone X launch, Samsung finally removed 3.5mm headphone jack in one of its biggest phones - Galaxy Note 10.

Samsung is hoping the hardware optimisations, especially the battery, made on Galaxy Note 10 will compensate users for the missing 3.5mm headphone jack. It is worth noting that Samsung Galaxy Note 10 comes with a 3,500mAh battery whereas Galaxy Note 10+ comes with a 4,300mAh battery. The phones also support 30W super fast charging. The company is also bundling Galaxy Buds at a discounted price of ₹4,999, down from the original price of ₹9,990.

"… I think the whole thing is about simplification and making sure that the consumer gets the best value out of it. Now, there are a number of things that we've done. Number one is the whole battery itself. We've made it supercharged battery with very intelligent usage optimisation. So, the battery lasts for a full day with just 30 minutes of charge. I think this will give consumers a lot of confidence for the use of the phone," Ranjivjit Singh, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President - Mobile Business, Samsung India told Hindustan Times.

RIP 3.5mm headphone jack? (REUTERS)

RIP 3.5mm headphone jack? (REUTERS)

"Other thing is we're also offering Galaxy Buds which we did with Galaxy S10 as well. That became very popular… You don't need a jack anymore because you've Galaxy Buds out there… The battery has itself become super, super powerful one. I think that over time, people will realise that we have not taken out something but we have added so much more to the phone that they [users] will probably, and I'm just saying this, will not miss [3.5mm headphone jack] that much. But, I understand the feedback... Samsung has done is added back a lot to making it the most powerful phone. Hopefully this feedback will become less and less, overtime," he added.

Samsung earlier this week launched Galaxy Note 10 series in India. The stylus-clad Samsung Galaxy Note 10 series will go on sale on August 23 at a starting price of ₹69,999. The latest flagship smartphones from Samsung come with the latest processor, improved camera specifications and features, and new screen design.

Samsung is aiming to capture 65 % market share in the premium smartphone segment ( ₹30,000 and above) with the launch of its flagship Galaxy Note 10 phones in India. The company, which competes with the likes of OnePlus and Apple, in this segment, said in the first half of 2019 (January-June), it held 63% market share in value terms in the premium category (as per GfK data).