So it begins: these three new smartphones do not have 3.5 mm headphone jacks

It'd be understandable if you haven't heard much about a smartphone maker that goes by the name LeEco. It's a large tech brand in China, formerly known as LeTV, which currently has a couple of phones bound for US markets, but doesn't seem to have any stable footing in the West as of yet. It has, however, managed to get itself noticed on a couple of occasions — by openly calling Apple a Nazi opressor, by launching a "bezel-less superphone", which very much had a bezel, and by trying to be an industry first on a couple of occasions — the LeTV One, One Pro, and LeTV Max were the first smartphones with USB Type-C data ports, while the LeTV Le Max Pro was the first announced (note: not launched) smartphone to bear Qualcomm's latest-and-greatest Snapdragon 820 chipset.

LeEco is currently holding a superevent in Beijing, announcing a number of different products, among which are three new smartphone models — Le 2, Le 2 Pro, and Le Max 2. The LeEco Le 2 and Le 2 Pro feature 5.5-inch, 1080x1920 pixel displays, 32 GB of internal memory, and 3,000 mAh batteries. The Le 2 has a deca-core MediaTek Helio X20 SoC and 3 GB of RAM, whereas the Le 2 Pro sports a Helio X25 and 4 GB of RAM. Both handsets have 8 MP selfie snappers, with the main camera on the Le 2 has a 16 MP sensor and the one on the Le 2 Pro – a 21 MP Sony IMX230.

The Le Max 2 has a slightly larger display, at 5.7 inches, and makes the jump to QHD resolution (1440 x 2560 pixels). It is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 and the very generous 6 GB of RAM, while its storage is pinned at 64 GB, and its battery is slightly bigger at 3,100 mAh. Its cameras are the same 8 MP / 21 MP combo as in the Le 2 Pro, but this time around, the selfie snapper is assisted by an OIS module.

All models feature a metal construction, plastic antenna bands, and a fingerprint scanner on their backs, and they continue to follow that faux-bezelless design with a side-to-side glass panel on the front, which reveals black frames when the phone's display is lit up.

The lack of a headphone jack could become a trend in the near future, as numerous rumors have suggested that Apple intends to omit the headphone jack from its upcoming iPhone 7 models. Something that many users dread and have expressed their concerns through social media, forums, and even an online petition. Yet, headphone manufacturers are gearing up and getting their Lightning connector headset models ready.

To be clear, however, this is not the first time we see a smartphone with no headphone jack. The Oppo R5, once known as "The world's thinnest smartphone" was the first handset that only worked with a USB headset, and, in all honesty – we didn't enjoy the concept back then. Then again, there weren't many Micro-USB headphones available at the time.

via: Engadget