4 ms·

Seems laughably unlikely. Would be nice is somebody like the EU at least required a user replacable battery. Seems insane to replace a top spec phone made out

by sliken 9y ago

Seems laughably unlikely. Would be nice is somebody like the EU at least required a user replacable battery. Seems insane to replace a top spec phone made out of aluminum and glass just because a battery has died. Imagine if cars (starting at only 10-12 times as expensive) were thrown away when they needed an oil change. They would last just about as long as phones do.

rayiner 9y ago
If you want to buy a phone with a replaceable battery, then do that. Why force everyone to put up with the extra bulk and weight? And at least with apple, replacing the battery does not require replacing the phone.
- michaelmrose 9y ago
  There is no reason to suppose that making the battery easy to replace increases bulk and weight to a degree you are capable of detecting in a blind test given identical hardware. Its about decreasing the lifespan of devices to sell more.
  - vacri 9y ago
    It does increase size a little, as you need to account for the extra thickness used to make the compartment wall and the inside wall of the battery pack. Additional constraints are that these compartments generally have to be straight-walled; you can't realisitically 'build through and around' a modular compartment like you can with an inbuilt component.
- andrepd 9y ago
  The "bulk and weight" FUD needs to stop. There is no reason that user replaceable batteries need to be heavier and bulkier than soldered batteries.
  - userbinator 9y ago
    Perfect example: http://www.gizchina.com/2013/09/18/exclusive-hands-video-stainless-steel-jiayu-g5/ http://www.gizchina.com/2013/09/18/exclusive-hands-video-sta... http://www.gizchina.com/2013/09/24/jiayu-g5-teardown/ http://www.gizchina.com/2013/09/24/jiayu-g5-teardown/ Almost identical in dimensions and appearance to an iPhone 5, yet has expandable storage and a 50% more capacity removable battery. If some small Chinese company can make such a phone, so could Apple, but they deliberately chose not to.
    - coldtea 9y ago
      How many g5 batteries exploded on their owners with third party batteries, most of which are crappy? It's easy to make anything if you have lax enough standards.
      - cyphar 9y ago
        How many Samsung devices exploded on their owners with first-party batteries? This is a ridiculous argument -- what aspect of a "non crappy" battery will result in a replaceable version being more bulky?
        coldtea 9y ago
        Obviously the part where non-replaceable batteries are also more expensive designs created to balance maximizing energy while minimizing heat dissipation for a specific model, and studied by the company's own expert teams to specifically fit in the phone they're added in. Random third party from lowest price manufacturers are usually not. In fact, as you've shown, even first-party batteries can be dangerous if rushed -- like in the Samsung case you noted.
  - Zanni 9y ago
    I don't think it's FUD. I didn't do extensive research, but I quickly googled phones with replaceable batteries and found these two from LG: LG V20 - 5.7” display, 3200mAh battery, 174g LG V10 - 5.7” display, 3000mAh battery, 192g And here's a phone from the same manufacturer with a soldered in battery: LG V30 - 6” display, 3300mAh battery, 159g That's a bigger display, a bigger battery and an overall lighter weight. It's easy for me to believe that manufacturers are soldering in batteries to deliver thinner, lighter phones since that's what they claim, and that's what they seem to deliver. But I'm happy to look at your numbers.
nathancahill 9y ago
Eh, batteries on the iPhone are "user" replaceable (from personal experience, up to the iPhone 7). It's not the same as swapping a battery out of a plastic case like my old Nokia, but you certainly don't have to throw the whole phone away if the battery dies. However, I think modern phones will suffer other issues before the battery dies.
- pxeboot 9y ago
  Sure, me too, but what percentage of the population actually does this, let alone knows it is possible?
  - esmi 9y ago
    And one can likely use that to gauge the public’s demand for repairing.
  - sfRattan 9y ago
    I have a friend who works at a battery/electronics chain, and replacing phone batteries (and screens) has become a substantial part of their business. I couldn't say what percentage of the population knows it's possible but, when your phone breaks or the battery dies, I'd bet a fair number of people google repair options, and from there going to third parties seems fairly common.
  - coldtea 9y ago
    Almost everybody using one? At least in Europe are third party stores that replace iPhone batteries (and repair other such damages) all around the towns.
    - cyphar 9y ago
      It should be noted that Apple has always been very against third-party stores, and have tried to punish consumers that use third-party stores in an attempt to discourage people from using third-party stores. Not to mention that Apple intentionally makes it hard for third-party stores (not selling parts or even providing information about parts).

by sliken 9y ago

rayiner 9y ago

If you want to buy a phone with a replaceable battery, then do that. Why force everyone to put up with the extra bulk and weight? And at least with apple, replacing the battery does not require replacing the phone.

michaelmrose 9y ago
There is no reason to suppose that making the battery easy to replace increases bulk and weight to a degree you are capable of detecting in a blind test given identical hardware. Its about decreasing the lifespan of devices to sell more.
- vacri 9y ago
  It does increase size a little, as you need to account for the extra thickness used to make the compartment wall and the inside wall of the battery pack. Additional constraints are that these compartments generally have to be straight-walled; you can't realisitically 'build through and around' a modular compartment like you can with an inbuilt component.
andrepd 9y ago
The "bulk and weight" FUD needs to stop. There is no reason that user replaceable batteries need to be heavier and bulkier than soldered batteries.
- userbinator 9y ago
  Perfect example: http://www.gizchina.com/2013/09/18/exclusive-hands-video-stainless-steel-jiayu-g5/ http://www.gizchina.com/2013/09/18/exclusive-hands-video-sta... http://www.gizchina.com/2013/09/24/jiayu-g5-teardown/ http://www.gizchina.com/2013/09/24/jiayu-g5-teardown/ Almost identical in dimensions and appearance to an iPhone 5, yet has expandable storage and a 50% more capacity removable battery. If some small Chinese company can make such a phone, so could Apple, but they deliberately chose not to.
  - coldtea 9y ago
    How many g5 batteries exploded on their owners with third party batteries, most of which are crappy? It's easy to make anything if you have lax enough standards.
    - cyphar 9y ago
      How many Samsung devices exploded on their owners with first-party batteries? This is a ridiculous argument -- what aspect of a "non crappy" battery will result in a replaceable version being more bulky?
      - coldtea 9y ago
        Obviously the part where non-replaceable batteries are also more expensive designs created to balance maximizing energy while minimizing heat dissipation for a specific model, and studied by the company's own expert teams to specifically fit in the phone they're added in. Random third party from lowest price manufacturers are usually not. In fact, as you've shown, even first-party batteries can be dangerous if rushed -- like in the Samsung case you noted.
- Zanni 9y ago
  I don't think it's FUD. I didn't do extensive research, but I quickly googled phones with replaceable batteries and found these two from LG: LG V20 - 5.7” display, 3200mAh battery, 174g LG V10 - 5.7” display, 3000mAh battery, 192g And here's a phone from the same manufacturer with a soldered in battery: LG V30 - 6” display, 3300mAh battery, 159g That's a bigger display, a bigger battery and an overall lighter weight. It's easy for me to believe that manufacturers are soldering in batteries to deliver thinner, lighter phones since that's what they claim, and that's what they seem to deliver. But I'm happy to look at your numbers.

nathancahill 9y ago

Eh, batteries on the iPhone are "user" replaceable (from personal experience, up to the iPhone 7). It's not the same as swapping a battery out of a plastic case like my old Nokia, but you certainly don't have to throw the whole phone away if the battery dies. However, I think modern phones will suffer other issues before the battery dies.

pxeboot 9y ago
Sure, me too, but what percentage of the population actually does this, let alone knows it is possible?
- esmi 9y ago
  And one can likely use that to gauge the public’s demand for repairing.
- sfRattan 9y ago
  I have a friend who works at a battery/electronics chain, and replacing phone batteries (and screens) has become a substantial part of their business. I couldn't say what percentage of the population knows it's possible but, when your phone breaks or the battery dies, I'd bet a fair number of people google repair options, and from there going to third parties seems fairly common.
- coldtea 9y ago
  Almost everybody using one? At least in Europe are third party stores that replace iPhone batteries (and repair other such damages) all around the towns.
  - cyphar 9y ago
    It should be noted that Apple has always been very against third-party stores, and have tried to punish consumers that use third-party stores in an attempt to discourage people from using third-party stores. Not to mention that Apple intentionally makes it hard for third-party stores (not selling parts or even providing information about parts).