Essential's $149 magnetic dongle will bring back your headphone jack

It ain't cheap.
 By 
Johnny Lieu
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

We know, you miss your headphone jack.

Like other smartphones, the Essential Phone has done away with the feature, but the company has just launched its long-touted external headphone adapter and DAC, which magnetically snaps on to the back of your phone.

And it ain't cheap: The Audio Adapter HD will set you back an eye-watering $149.

To be fair, Essential's adapter doesn't claim to be like the other plasticky dongles, which are a fraction of the price.

Essential claims its titanium adapter "sports an audiophile-grade amp that can drive audiophile-grade headphones" thus providing "studio quality audio performance."

At the time of writing, the accessory has sold out, with stock to be replenished next week. It's a different outcome to Essential's first phone, the PH-1, which sold poorly following delays.

Still, Essential is reportedly working on a new phone which will be controlled entirely by your voice, which it is looking to unveil next year at CES.

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Johnny Lieu

Mashable Australia's Web Culture Reporter.Reach out to me on Twitter at @Johnny_Lieu or via email at jlieu [at] mashable.com

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