Here’s why you might never see removable batteries in smartphones again

When we look back at the smartphone industry, removable batteries were standard. Apple was the only significant smartphone manufacturer ditching them for non-removable batteries. Removable batteries were very convenient when it came to changing them. You could do it in minutes without sending your phone for repair. But not anymore.

Non-removable batteries were not standard as compared to these days. Manufacturers are now moving away from removable batteries and making non-removable batteries their default choice in new smartphones.

So is this just them following an iPhone trend, or is there any importance in removing them?

It’s all about moving forward. With time, the needs of the consumer change, and with this change, companies have to make radical decisions. The consumer market demands change from time to time, and companies have to meet their demands as it’s in the best of everyone’s interest. But this change is quite useful.

Here are the reasons that we won’t see removable batteries in smartphones anymore:

Waterproofing

A photo of waterproof smartphone near oranges
Photo by Neko Tai on Unsplash

When buying a smartphone, waterproofing is an important part of that decision. Nobody wants their phone to get damaged by water. Smartphone manufacturers make their designs compact to achieve waterproofing certification by not adding removable parts and keeping devices intact. A removable battery can create many issues with a waterproofing certificate. That’s why it’s gone for good.

Also readTips on Protecting Your Phone from Damage.

If a device has a removable battery, manufacturers can’t make it waterproof, as removing it can compromise the safety of your phone. That’s why companies use fixed backs instead of removable covers to protect your devices from such incidents.

Compact design

A photo of a Samsung smartphone, compact design
Photo by Jonah Pettrich on Unsplash

Compact design has become an important part of the success of any product. Smartphones with compact designs are selling like hotcakes more than the ones with bulky or inconsistent formats. If a company offers a bulky smartphone with more specs but a poor design, there is a significant chance that it will not perform well in terms of sales in the market.

Also, read: Top Battery Draining apps to Avoid.

The reason is simple; people are obsessed with well-designed products. The manufacturers are focused on making their smartphones compact and packed with more features, but to achieve that, they had to make sacrifices, and in this situation, they had to fix batteries.

Opting for non-removable batteries has opened a new era of smartphone designs, majorly in the premium flagships. It’s the age of slim and sleek smartphones.

Lightweight devices

A photo of iPhone 6s on a book
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Removable batteries are undoubtedly useful for users, but non-removable batteries are way more beneficial than removable ones. The non-removable batteries allow OEMs to manufacture lightweight devices.

Removable batteries also take up much space on the phone. Non-removable batteries have enabled device makers to produce thinner, lightweight devices. Removable batteries also require an extra layer of protection, adding more weight and chunk to the smartphone.

To expand for more real estate in the phone without increasing the device size, creating more small-sized form factor batteries sealed inside the phones is thus a major resolve.

To further optimize how the space inside smartphones is used, manufacturers have even changed the design of the batteries inside gadgets by incorporating non-rectangular battery designs. The square or rectangular shape of the removable battery gave them easy installation and replacement. But the ability to make batteries that blend in the hardware allows them to make lightweight devices with better design.

Better use of space

A photo of transparent Mi smartphone
Photo by Mateusz Tworuszka on Unsplash

Much of this saved space is being utilized to add more smartphone features, like sensors, triple cameras, and face detection. It helps in achieving a minimal thin, and sleek design.

Even though phone manufacturers are moving away from removable batteries, it doesn’t mean they are perfect. I still miss the ease of removing batteries when they’re about to die and replacing them to keep my phone up and running. But with non-removable batteries, it’s not possible.

It’s time to move on!

In conclusion, non-removable batteries have cons too. One major disadvantage of inbuilt batteries is that when the battery spoils, the phone often dies along with it. Replacement of in-built batteries also requires expertise; for that purpose, you must visit a repair facility. However, the replaceable batteries are easy to replace, and you can change them on the go when they’re no longer healthy.

Also read: Complete Guide to Save Battery on Android (2024)

But generally speaking, I’m in for non-removable batteries. They’ve more pros than cons, so why not. I do miss them, but that doesn’t mean they were perfect. It’s time to move on!

How do you feel about manufacturers ditching non-removable batteries? Let us know what you think.

Muhammad Abdullah
Muhammad Abdullah
Abdullah is a computer scientist turned tech writer and certified Growth Hacker.

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