[zanny]

Yes it is. Port complexity is real, especially with analog ports, and relative to what you can do with physical space in a phone package the space required for any port is significant.

While I decry the drive towards "1mm slimmer!" do consider that the 3mm jack is probably around 10% battery capacity in space usage on most devices. You might not be able to perfectly reclaim the space, but still, I would always prefer to just use a wireless headset with 5%+ more battery.

[mikeash]

The space argument would have been a lot more compelling if they hadn't added stereo speakers. I feel like I might have grudgingly accepted it, but with that addition it just feels like they're screwing with me.

[__d]

FWIW, it looks like they didn't add a speaker, they just made the ear-speaker work with the bottom-of-case speaker in stereo mode.

[mikeash]

Oh really? I thought it looked like the sound was coming from the side in their animation. But maybe I saw it wrong or that was misleading.

[Spooks]

so you would rather 5%+ more battery but have a separate device to charge at more frequent times?

[phinnaeus]

How about +X% battery for a phone with a flat back?