OnePlus 6T will ditch headphone jack but bring better battery life

The traditional 3.5mm headphone jack is disappearing from smartphones quicker than you can say “USB-C”, and it appears the latest brand to join the rally is OnePlus.

Speaking with TechRadar, the company’s co-founder Carl Pei said that the "next OnePlus handset" (which we know will be called the 6T thanks to the usual deluge of online rumours) will not have the jack.

Apparently, it was time - and not because everyone else was doing it, but because the company found earlier this year that 59% of its ‘community’ already owned wireless headphones - a figure Pei expects to have risen since.

"Two years ago the percentage [of wireless headphones owners] would have been much lower and it would have caused a lot of friction for our users," he told TechRadar.

Naturally OnePlus loyals with their trusty 3.5mm-ended headphones won’t be overjoyed at the news, however they may find comfort in the performance upgrades that ditching the jack allegedly allows.

“By removing the jack we've freed up more space, allowing us to put more new technology into the product," he continued. According to Pei, the forthcoming flagship phone will bring battery life improvements "substantial enough for users to realise."

Unlike Apple’s forthcoming trio of iPhones, the OnePlus 6T (pictured top, image credit: TechRadar) will be bundled with a 3.5mm adapter. Next-gen versions of its budget Bullets wired USB-C headphones will become available, too.

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Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.