almost there It’s been six years since Apple removed the headphone jack from the iPhone. Yes, you can get great wireless earbuds these days, but maybe you prefer plugging in, or you just don’t want to think about charging your earbuds. The joy of the 3.5mm headphone connector is that it’s one of the few truly universal standards.
You can use just about any pair of wired headphones—no need to worry about whether they’re Lightning or USB-C, or if the connection pops in and out. No need to charge, no need to connect a dongle, no need to lose earbuds. Sometimes Bluetooth is preferable, but at least it’s nice to have that option. After testing dozens of phones, these are the best picks for ancient ports. Read our best Android phones and cheapest phones guides for more advice.
Update June 2022: We’ve overhauled this guide, replacing old options with new ones, like the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G, Sony Xperia 1 IV, and Moto G Stylus 5G 2022.
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