• @solrize
    link
    English
    39 months ago

    One thing I do is check before buying the phone that battery replacement is not too difficult. Looking on ifixit.com and web search for “battery replacement model XYZ” both find good info about this.

    I’ve given up on looking for phones with swappable batteries (they almost don’t exist any more) but a phone where you can do a battery swap with a few simple tools is far better than one where you have to perform delicate microsurgery. Then just accept that batteries are consumables that have to be replaced once in a while.

    The fact that we have threads and articles about prolonging battery longevity is a sure sign that the sealed internal battery is a technological failure if the idea is that it should outlast the rest of the phone. The real idea is of course much different.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      49 months ago

      Sealed internal batteries aren’t a technological failure. They’re doing precisely what they’re designed to do: sell more phones.

      • @solrize
        link
        English
        39 months ago

        Yes, that is the real but unadvertised idea.

    • @aluminium
      link
      English
      2
      edit-2
      9 months ago

      If you wanna look for positives here, replacing the battery had at least gotten way less risky ever since everyone moved to glass phones. They are almost always opend from the back which means you don’t have to touch the display - by far the most fragile and expensive part.

      Of course user replaceable ones would still be way better, but still.

      • @solrize
        link
        English
        19 months ago

        I thought glass phones were for wireless charging, which I’ve associated with difficult battery replacement, though maybe that is coincidence. I decided against some older Pixel phones because ifixit rated battery replacement as difficult. My old and new Android phones both have plastic backs. Old phone is fairly easy (undo a lot of tiny little screws, replace battery, replace screws). New one is more difficult (heat edge of phone and pry apart) but I think it is not as bad as some. Will see how it goes when the time comes.

        • @aluminium
          link
          English
          29 months ago

          I think Pixels may be the exception. But I myself have done Xiaomi, Huawei, LG and Samsung battery replacements amd honestly they are pretty easy. However expect to get replacement back glass as well as they break very easily.

          • @solrize
            link
            English
            19 months ago

            Hmm interesting. Did those have wireless charging? That is a cool feature that I’d like to have, other stuff being equal.

            • @aluminium
              link
              English
              29 months ago

              yes and no. It doesn’t really matter. Removing the wireless charging coil is really easy.