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As technology continues to shrink more functionality into less space, it crosses the threshold where human limits require the device be at least this big (whate
by ctdonath 13y ago
As technology continues to shrink more functionality into less space, it crosses the threshold where human limits require the device be at least this big (whatever that size/shape minimum is). A screen can only be so small before it's practically unreadable. A touch area must provide at least so much space between tap targets and accommodate "fat fingers". The box of a phone must be big enough to hold comfortably to an ear. A small matchbox-size device would just plain be too awkward to use.
Seems Apple initiated the unchangeable phone (no swappable battery, extremely tight/solid tolerances) in part to get all that core functionality inside a box that small. Sufficient battery required XYZ volume; making it removable wasted a nontrivial amount of that, affecting talk time & durability.
Now that core functionality can be smaller than the minimum usable size, including battery life acceptable to most users, there's some space again to "waste" on components like pluggable interconnects, module packaging (so a part is not fully exposed when removed), air gaps, etc.
"This here's a good axe. It's had nine handles and three heads."
"This is the last phone I bought. It's had nine batteries, three CPUs, two displays, four radios, ..."