Google Slashes Prices of Its USB-C Headphone Dongle Following Minor Outrage (mashable.com)

At its hardware event last week, Google unveiled its two new flagship smartphones: the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. While these devices feature high-end specifications and the latest version of Android, they both lack headphone jacks, upsetting many consumers who still rely heavily on wired headphones. To add insult to injury, Google announced a USB-C adapter for a whopping price of $20 -- that's $11 more than Apple's Lightning to 3.5mm adapter. This resulted in some minor outrage and caused Google to rethink its decision(s). As reported by 9to5Google, Google decided to slash the price of the dongle by over 50%. It is now priced at a more reasonable $9.

Comments

Dumb

[Anonymous Coward]

I am not a audiophile per say, but I have yet to find a decent pair of bluetooth headphones that don't have connection issues, or quality problems with audio. In fact I can easily spend half the amount on a pair of wired headphones and get far better quality audio then bluetooth. I would also point out that since a smartphone has built in speakers, all the hardware is there for a headphone jack. In reality this is not about saving parts costs, making phones thinner.
The dongle is admitting that people still use wired headphones, but that the obsessive competitive design of winning the thinnest smartphone is winning over practical use. I would not be surprised to see a phone maker take advantage and make a phone with a 1/8th jack and market as such.

Re: Dumb

[fluffernutter]

They're also $300 fucking dollars. I paid $50 for my wired headphones five years ago, I'm happy with them and they still work.

Re:Dumb

[fluffernutter]

Why would anyone buy a bluetooth headset if they're fine using a cable?

Re:Dumb

[Ol Olsoc]

Both google and apple having to back peddle on price, at launch, for the dongles, shows that they dont know what the market wants and are having to react rather than lead.

Oh, do tell us! I got my adapter when I bought my iPhone 7. Came right in the box. Wasn't a charge for it at all.

But hey, I don't want to get in the way of your little story.

It's the principle that counts

[thisisauniqueid]

Newsflash: Google drops price of headphone adapter from 2% to 1% of the price of the phone. I agree that $20 is way too steep for the adapter, and $9 seems more reasonable (though it should probably be more like $5). However, Google's original attitude towards pricing of the dongle really just underscores how overpriced the phone is in the first place.

Re:Has anyone figured why they dropped support

[msauve]

To sell overpriced accessories, or just because they're lemmings. Seriously, $20 or $9, both are more expensive than the $1 it would have cost to leave the always-available jack on the phone.

Both Google and Apple are pushing $1000 phones which are huge. Tiny $100 basic phones have headphone jacks. Any excuse that it's size or cost is bullshit rationalization.

Re: Has anyone figured why they dropped support

[mr100percent]

The existence of the dongle disproves that, because the analog hole is unchanged.

Re:No physical ports is a good thing

[ShnowDoggie]

I do not know anyone who wants a thinner phone. I know several people who love iPhones, kept them without cases, who now use a case. They now use a case solely because the phone is easier to hold with a little more thickness and heft. Apple wants them thinner. Goggle want them thinner. Advertisers seem to want them thinner. But do we really want them thinner? Or, are we taking the bad with the good?