The EU wants to bring back removable batteries on phones

[Saul Goodman]

Good, fuck Apple and their attempts to push their own proprietary shit instead of a universal standard.

I was going to post the same earlier but thought 'Fuck it, it only affects Apple users. If they're stupid enough to put up with it, their problem.' But then I thought 'Yeah, but what about the poor little old granny, who was gifted an iPhone by her grandchild, and she needs to call him from the bingo hall to tell him she won £10, but her phone has gone flat, and nobody there owns an Apple device, so the poor old woman has a sad'... So yeah, fuck Apple. I hope they get forced to adopt USB-C, just so I can hear their fanboys crying.

 

[Marty1]

So it seems the EU has decided that changeable batteries are in the consumer's interest and that manufacturers of phones are acting against customer's interests by not providing them.

If that was the case, manufacturers are not stupid, surely a manufacturer producing a top phone with changeable batteries would clear up! Wonder why that hasn't occurred?

Possibly because there’s more money in selling new phones than removable batteries?

 

[weltweit]

Possibly because there’s more money in selling new phones than removable batteries?

No, you don't get my point. The EU is saying it is in customer's interests to have changeable batteries, if it truly is and this would be reflected in sales of a changeable battery phone, sales of such a phone would be massive.

 

[NoXion]

I understand that but all I see is capitalism's last stand, the increased bandwith doesn't add up when you are not standing under a pylon, then you get cancer.

What's cancer got to do with it? The frequencies used by cellular networks are non-ionising.

 

[cupid_stunt]

What's cancer got to do with it? The frequencies used by cellular networks are non-ionising.

Facts have no place in the world of conspiracy nonsense.

 

[editor]

So it seems the EU has decided that changeable batteries are in the consumer's interest and that manufacturers of phones are acting against customer's interests by not providing them.

If that was the case, manufacturers are not stupid, surely a manufacturer producing a top phone with changeable batteries would clear up! Wonder why that hasn't occurred?

Do you think there was a massive demand by consumers to have earphone jacks removed from phones or to have non standard charging cables?

 

[editor]

I don't really follow that thinner phones are harder to make with removable batteries? My old Nokia phone is about as thin as my Moto smart phone and it has a removable battery.

Because newer phones have power-hungry high res screens and features that makes your old Nokia look like a Tonka Toy smartphone.

 

[editor]

No, you don't get my point. The EU is saying it is in customer's interests to have changeable batteries, if it truly is and this would be reflected in sales of a changeable battery phone, sales of such a phone would be massive.

Perhaps if you removed all marketing from the equation and the phones were directly comparable (although phones with removeable batteries will always be a bit bigger).

 

[gosub]

Do you think there was a massive demand by consumers to have earphone jacks removed from phones or to have non standard charging cables?

Its not like they'd just aquired Beats for a billion dollars or anything.

 

[weltweit]

Do you think there was a massive demand by consumers to have earphone jacks removed from phones or to have non standard charging cables?

There probably was demand for better sealed phones given the number of users who drop their phones into the toilet / sink / bath. As to charging cables Apple probably want to maintain an Apple only estate of peripherals though I know the EU was against this also.

 

[weltweit]

Because newer phones have power-hungry high res screens and features that makes your old Nokia look like a Tonka Toy smartphone.

The engineering to make a battery accessible from the outside is not so complex, doing it and maintaining an IP rating might be, but batteries are fitting inside svelte smart phones, a slide back cover wouldn't need to increase dimensions although it could compromise IP ratings.

 

[weltweit]

Perhaps if you removed all marketing from the equation and the phones were directly comparable (although phones with removeable batteries will always be a bit bigger).

Why always, I don't see that.

 

[editor]

The engineering to make a battery accessible from the outside is not so complex, doing it and maintaining an IP rating might be, but batteries are fitting inside svelte smart phones, a slide back cover wouldn't need to increase dimensions although it could compromise IP ratings.

Removable batteries need a extra layer of protection to shield from knocks, the case needs to accommodate the mechanism for removing them and non removable batteries can be made in odd shapes to fit the curves of the phone body. So there's a noticeable size difference.

 

[Marty1]

No, you don't get my point. The EU is saying it is in customer's interests to have changeable batteries, if it truly is and this would be reflected in sales of a changeable battery phone, sales of such a phone would be massive.

Have people really been given that choice though? As has been already mentioned down thread as a comparison - the 3.5mm headphone jack has been removed by Apple now (not sure about Android models) and I don’t think that was particularly popular either, I would much prefer it to be returned as the small cable adapter is shit and easily lost.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

It wasn't like headphone ports were removed from all models over night. It took quite a while for the majority of new phones not to have one. If consumers were that fussed they wouldn't have bought the phones didn't have the ability. However most people don't care as they use Bluetooth.

 

[weltweit]

Removable batteries need a extra layer of protection to shield from knocks,

I am not sure that is true, removable batteries will differ from permanent only in that they can be removed from their contacts when the time is right to replace the battery. While permanent batteries are more likely to be soldered in. Anyhow services do offer to replace batteries in so called permanent phones so it can't be that hard already.

the case needs to accommodate the mechanism for removing them

As I mentioned, my nokia is very slim and features a sliding case bottom which permits access to the battery which can be lifted off its contacts and removed. Bear in mind that my nokia is a lot smaller than a modern smartphone and probably has much less space for a battery.

and non removable batteries can be made in odd shapes to fit the curves of the phone body. So there's a noticeable size difference.

This is true but it does not preclude designing pcb and electronics to provide a more easy battery compartment were it desirable to provide a removable battery.

I was involved in the generation of a hand held battery powered unit where the batteries were right tight up against the case, not a mm was wasted and the batteries were removable. That unit didn't have a particular IP rating though. Our engineers had to be quite innovative in their electronics design because there were maximum outer dimensions of the unit and a fixed battery size which had to be accommodated inside.

Companies like Apple probably prefer that their phones have a life span after which the user can be persuaded to buy a newer model, they probably see it as against their interests to have their phones lives extended by permitting easy battery replacement to extend their life. That said I believe it is wholly feasible to have smartphones with replaceable batteries.

 

[editor]

I am not sure that is true, removable batteries will differ from permanent only in that they can be removed from their contacts when the time is right to replace the battery. While permanent batteries are more likely to be soldered in.

I thought it was rather obvious that user-replaceable batteries are going to be tougher than something that never has to be handled by customers.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

Just buy a phone with a replaceable battery and earphone socket, ffs! You don't need an Apple.

 

[Saul Goodman]

Just buy a phone with a replaceable battery and earphone socket, ffs! You don't need an Apple.

This is the bit I don't understand. Don't expect manufacturers to bow down and redesign their flagship phones for you. If you want/need a phone with a replaceable battery and a headphone socket, buy one that has them.

 

[editor]

Just buy a phone with a replaceable battery and earphone socket, ffs! You don't need an Apple.

Except the majority of new high end phones don't have replaceable batteries or earphone sockets.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Except the majority of new high end phones don't have replaceable batteries or earphone sockets.

And yet people still bought them when there was a choice...

 

[two sheds]

It's not something that people will look for really though. I'd imagine people would prefer with replaceable batteries and earphone sockets if they thought about it. They're seduced by minor things like screen size and memory capacity

The ads should really have in large red letters "WARNING - BATTERY NOT REPLACEABLE - NO EARPHONE SOCKET"

 

[editor]

And yet people still bought them when there was a choice...

If you're after a really really good camera on your high end phone, then there is very little choice in phones that have come out over the last 6 months.. In fact, I'm struggling to think of any. I wish it were different.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

If you're after a really really good camera on your high end phone, then there is very little choice in phones that have come out over the last 6 months.. In fact, I'm struggling to think of any. I wish it were different.

I know. I'm mildly fustrated about it, but less then I was now I release how cheap and easy it is to take it somewhere.

What I meant though is that this didn't happen overnight. If people had been bothered they would have chosen phones where this was an option when there was still a choice.

 

[NoXion]

Why are there people acting as if hardware manufacturers never push customers towards certain designs? As if "consumer choice" was something that exists in a vacuum and is never influenced by marketing campaigns.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Why are there people acting as if hardware manufacturers never push customers towards certain designs? As if "consumer choice" was something that exists in a vacuum and is never influenced by marketing campaigns.

Of course. But consumer choice still counts for something. Plenty of companies have got it wrong and been left with duds.

As had been mentioned built in batteries mean slimmer phones that are more easy to waterproof.

 

[ItWillNeverWork]

Except the majority of new high end phones don't have replaceable batteries or earphone sockets.

Then don't buy a 'high end' phone.

 

[editor]

Then don't buy a 'high end' phone.

I'd be delighted to buy a cheap one if it came with a camera as good as the one in my 'high end' phone - which I use commercially.