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This is why the OnePlus 6T won't have a headphone jack (and why that's a good thing)

Published: Oct 02, 2018, 7:43 AM

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This is why the OnePlus 6T won't have a headphone jack (and why that's a good thing)

The OnePlus 6T may not be out yet, but we still know a fair bit about the phone through reliable insider reports and rumors. We know that the OnePlus 6T will have a notch — but not a big, unsightly one like on the Pixel 3 XL; a "waterdrop" style one instead — and we do know that it will feature an in-display fingerprint scanner, which fans have been clamoring for. We also know that the 6T won't have a headphone jack – something that nobody asked for, and yet something that was worth losing in favor of the new fingerprint scanner, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau claims.

In a new Cnet interview, Lau reveals why the jack had to be removed and why OnePlus ultimately thinks it was the right move:

"This has been one of the most difficult decisions for us to make," said Lau. "The most difficult task in the day-to-day is… finding a balance in what's ultimately going to be part of the end product and what has to be said 'No' to."

OnePlus removed the jack to make enough room for the new in-display fingerprint reader

The main catalyst behind the removal of the headphone jack seems to be the new in-display fingerprint scanner. OnePlus had to cut everyone's favorite jack in order to make room for the new scanner, which takes the form of an image sensor embedded underneath the display of the OnePlus 6T.

"We unlock our phones multiple times a day, and Screen Unlock reduces the number of steps to complete the action," further said a OnePlus engineer in a prior interview with CNET.

OnePlus is branding this new way of unlocking the phone as "Screen Unlock" and Lau sounds confident in saying that, "after you experience the Screen Unlock you'll fall in love with it. [You'll] realize that it's the experience that you wanted."

Of course, the company is also aware of the recent wireless trend. Earlier this year, alongside the OnePlus 6, the company also launched its OnePlus Bullets wireless earbuds, which offer a well-rounded alternative to other, more expensive similar products on the market. A recent study by the NPD Group also reveals that this year, for the first time ever, Bluetooth headphones have surpassed sales of regular headphones – a trend that has no doubt played a big role in OnePlus' decision to remove the jack in favor of wireless.

The OnePlus 6T is a very important phone for the company, as it may its first real opportunity to gain some mainstream traction in the US by through a T-Mobile partnership. OnePlus 6T is officially scheduled for an October 29 reveal, while sales are expected to kick off on November 6

The company has confirmed the November 6 commercial release date for the old continent, with orders set to open at 10 am GMT for eager buyers in the UK and 10 am CET for folks living elsewhere in Europe. Sales in the US will likely begin the same morning. The unveiling event is set to kick off at 4PM CET | 10AM EST | 7AM PST on October 29, when the OnePlus 6T will be officially shown to the public. The show will take place on Pier 36 in New York.