Essential Announces Detachable 3.5mm Jack for First Smartphone

Essential has announced the Audio Adapter HD, a detachable 3.5mm headset jack for its first smartphone PH-1. The PH-1 came out last year without a 3.5mm connection. The accessory will be released next year.

The 3.5mm jack has its own built-in dac from ESS Saber, Essential reports. The 3.5mm jack has a physical connection to the phone for power via the pogo pins on the back, but the sound is transmitted via a wireless connection at 60GHz. Most headsets work with the Audio Adapter HD, Essential says.

The Essential Phone will also receive support for playing MQA audio files. Music streaming service Tidal, among others, works with MQA, an algorithm that allows high-res music files to be smaller than with, for example, flac. The LG V30 and G7 ThinQ, among others, also have support for MQA.

The Audio Adapter HD is the second accessory of the pogo pins on the back of the Essential Phone. The first is a 360-degree camera that the phone maker released at the same time as the phone. It is unknown whether new hardware will follow after this. Essential has reportedly dropped its second phone and is looking to sell itself.