What is an audio jack?

Let’s talk about a dying piece of technology: Smartphones with audio jacks.  

In an era when TWS (Truly Wireless Stereo) is on the rise, and we are rapidly ditching every wired connection in the pursuit of convenience, the audio jack has turned into a relic of the past.

ALSO READ: What is an Aux cable?

What are audio jacks?

Audio jacks are also known as headphone jacks, or even as audio ports. They are a type of connector used to connect headphones, external speakers, and other audio devices to a computer, smartphone, or any other device. They are designed to transmit audio signals from a device to the main audio device, and are commonly located on the side or bottom, marked with an icon label indicating their use. 

What are the different kinds of audio jacks?

The most commonly found types of audio jacks are 3.5mm jacks, but one, on rare occasions, might also come across 6.5mm audio jacks, which are hard to find.

There are several types of audio jacks. The most commonly used kind is the tip-ring-ring-sleeve jacks which are stereo audio and can also transmit microphone signals. Another kind is TS tip-sleeve (TS) jacks which are used for mono audio. Many devices also have a separate audio jack for input, allowing users to connect a microphone or other audio source to the device.