Cable comeback: young people bringing back wired headphones
Wired headphones became a rarity when the 3.5 mm jack disappeared from mobile phones. Now they’re back in style, especially among young people and women. What’s driving the comeback? Celebrities, fashion, battery anxiety and the desire for better sound.
In the last ten years, wireless technology has arguably had the biggest impact on the headphone market. The first true wireless headphones hit the market in 2015, sparking a revolution – all the more so once Apple followed up with its AirPods in 2016.
With smartphone manufacturers gradually phasing out the 3.5 mm jack from their devices, the lid came off: by 2017, half of all headphones sold by Galaxus and Digitec were wireless. Three years later, that figure had climbed to three in four. Since then, the wind has changed. Today, 36 out of 100 headphones sold are wired again – although 11 of the 36 are hybrid models that can be used to play music, podcasts and make phone calls with or without the cable. «This trend has been evident since 2025, and this year the movement has gained even more momentum,» says Tim Busslinger, who’s responsible for the headphone range at Galaxus and Digitec.
The cable as a fashion statement
Young customers aged up to 25 are the main cable fiends: 43 per cent of headphones bought this year by this age group come with a cable – twice as many as in the early 2020s.
Women are also fans of wired headphones; when buying a new pair, they currently opt for wired models in 37 out of 100 cases. Among women under 25, that figure rises to 45 out of 100.
Celebrities, purism and battery anxiety
Tim points out four main reasons for the cable renaissance:
- Nostalgia and celebrity appeal: Justin and Hailey Bieber, Ariana Grande, Robert Pattinson, Bella Hadid and Charli XCX have all been spotted with wired headphones – turning them into fashion accessories with a Y2K aesthetic.
- Audio purism: Music lovers see wired headphones as superior in providing unadulterated sound. Many also invest in a high-quality jack adapter with a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC).
- Battery anxiety: Wired models don’t need recharging. This is handy for people wanting to use their headphones for long periods and with no prep required. Commuters and heavy users in particular are likely to feel annoyed when a podcast or song cuts out because the battery’s empty.
- Value for money: wired headphones with a USB-C connector or 3.5 mm adapter are often cheaper than Bluetooth headphones, so those on a budget are more likely to buy a wired pair.
Time will tell if cables are here to stay or if they’ll get shoved to the back of the drawer. In the meantime, anyone sitting on the bus with wired headphones isn’t «just» wearing headphones – they’re making a statement. Namely: bye-bye battery anxiety, hello better sound and no, thank you, to AirPods like everyone else’s!
Do you consider wired headphones to be a fashion statement? Are you a sound purist committed to avoiding Bluetooth? What’s a reasonable price for a good pair of headphones? Let us know in the comments.
At Digitec and Galaxus, I’m in charge of communication with journalists and bloggers. Good stories are my passion – I am always up to date.
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