Not sure why HTC has decided to launch a phone running Snapdragon 810 over, say Snapdragon 652, but I saw the new HTC 10 Evo last week and despite that odd choice of chipset, it's not a bad phone.

It has a larger screen than the HTC 10 too.

https://jmcomms.com/2016/11/22/htc-1...ps-the-htc-10/

Nice to see waterproofing, even if HTC won't market it as something for scuba diving, and some pretty decent audio features.

Probably for the reason why they have a 2-year-old chipset (Snapdragon 400) in the recent HTC Desire 10 Lifestyle (For around £250).

My working life was in the construction trade from tools up to top administration and on many an occasion I had to explain the differences to customers between weatherproofing and waterproofing.

No headphone jack, hilarious!

We have to accept that the headphone jack will die in favour of USB C.

It is inevitable that loads of new devices will go that way, I don't see it as a major issue as most use Bluetooth or could just put the adaptor on their headphone lead.

Hmmm. Not really.

At least they have done it the correct way using USB-c and not some daft connector.

Why is the lighting connector daft

I imagine there will be some devices that just die out, rather than migrating to USB C. I can't see DAB radios coming with USB C ports for headphones, but sound docks may in the future.

Because it is proprietary and non standard?

Because that will never be a universal connector, you can't even use the same headphones (excluding accessories) with a MacBook and an iPhone. Apple should have either moved to USB C or kept the headphone jack, as lightning headphones will never be useful for anything except an iPhone, unlike USB C which can be used with numerous phones, laptops, eventually TVs and other devices.

During the inevitable crossover, why not do both? USB-C with extra functionality and legacy 3.5mm jack.

I say crossover because I'm not even sure you can buy USB-C audio products yet?

Until USB D comes along.

And you can use them with a MacBook because they come with a converter, unlike the HTC

Indeed, as most companies are; Huawei, Google, LG, Samsung (Note 7), Microsoft.
What would be good is if manufacturers actually bundled in USB C headphones instead of ordinary 3.5mm ones, even while the phones still had a 3.5mm jack. This would ease the transition, as by the time 3.5mm jacks are removed, consumers will already have some products that are compatible with USB C.
This is increasing unlikely however as manufacturers are looking to eliminate waste, and mant don't include headphones in the box anymore.

You can buy USB C audio products, however there's very few (less than 10?) and I'm not even sure the current ones comply with the spec. I bought LeEco USB C earphones from China a couple of months ago that cost ~£10, and they work with every USB C phone I've had my hands on. One good thing about them is it doesn't matter how weak the amplifier is in the phone, the headphones will always be as loud as they can be.
That of course is only applicable to digital USB C headphones, not analogue ones.

But the point is we've now got a universal open standard, so why not use it, instead of competing with it.

You can't use lightning headphones with a MacBook and iPhone though, whereas you would be able to if they both used USB C. For example it's perfectly possible to use the same USB C earphones with a Chromebook, tablet and phone, which will never be possible with lightning earphones. Even if Apple do add a lightning connector to their MacBook (which they won't), lightning earphones will be exclusive to the Apple ecosystem unlike 3.5mm/USB C earphones.

Apple have used their own connectors since the iPhone came out. Since then HTC phones have gone through several 'universal' standards.

The lighting earphones come with an adaptor so that you can use the headphone jack.

But at the time neither companies were trying to rid the 3.5mm jack. Now that they are, it would be preferable to use the same standard, even if it means one has to give up there existing connector.

I'm aware that the iPhone comes with a male lightning to female 3.5mm so the iPhone can work with existing earphones, but I'm not aware of a female lightning to male 3.5mm adapter, as surely this is impossible due to power requirements?

Apple removed the headphone jack and there was an outcry. HTC do it and the reaction is 'meh'.

Does the HTC come with USB-C headphones or an adaptor?

It comes with USB-C earphones with the clever auto profile stuff, but no 3.5mm adapter.

Reading on Twitter, plenty of people are dismissing the phone because of the port removal.

It all. Works in favour of the big manufacturers as the fact were going down the USB c Road is good but at the end of the day it doubles sometimes will even quadruple the use of the USB port and then it will become broken a lot quicker so it's a win win

http://petapixel.com/2016/11/09/humo...ongle-problem/

You will need an extra bag for all the dongles.

USB-C, like Lightning, is designed to withstand a huge amount of use so I doubt this is going to be a problem. I've never had a microUSB socket fail, but know some people who have, but that was never as rugged.

It is inevitable that the iPhone will go USB-C. However when Apple decided they had to replace the ageing 30 pin connector they replaced it with Lightning which had certain advantages over Micro USB (e.g. physically bidirectional). USB-C wasn't an option then. However, can you imagine if they had also put USB-C on the iPhone 7 as well as removing the audio jack. There would have been even more uproar - I've got all these charging cables and I can't use them any more - money grabbing Apple etc.
I've never believed that Apple uses proprietary connectors as a money making exercise, there have usually been other justifications. As an example, the new MacBook Pro I am about to take delivery of can be charged from a USB power bank - or any 3rd party USB-C charger. Why would they do that if they would prefer to make money from their proprietary magsafe technology. Personally, I shall miss magsafe but the other advantages longer term of USB-C will outweigh it.