The Pros and Cons of Removable Batteries

It is also worth noting that not only should the battery be swappable; the process of replacing the battery must be done without the use of any specialized tool. In other words, it should be simple enough that even a layman can do it.

I have a love-and-hate relationship with non-removable batteries on devices such as smartphones and laptops. As an old head myself, I want to have the ability to replace the battery of my device if and when it eventually deteriorates. On the other hand, it’s hard to disregard the advantages that non-removable batteries bring to the table.

That’s why we decided to list down some of the pros and cons of removable batteries to better grasp what we can look forward to if and when it makes its eventual return to relevancy.

The pros

• Flexibility. As helpful as powerbanks are, nothing beats swapping out your phone’s dying battery for a fully charged one. That means you won’t be lugging around a bulky contraption attached to the back of your phone. And, no more waiting for your phone to be charged at a certain percentage before you can use it again.
• Better repairability. Not all issues on a smartphone are caused by a faulty hardware component; sometimes it’s just the battery acting up. Thus, just replacing the battery is much more affordable than taking it to the repair shop or, worse, having to replace the whole device itself.
• Environmental implications. Batteries require a different disposal method because of their potential fire hazards. Unfortunately, smartphones with built-in batteries are often discarded as a whole, and sorting facilities do not have the means to separate the battery from the device.

The cons

• Design. Smartphones with removable batteries have always been inferior compared to smartphones with a fixed power source in terms of design. This is primarily because the battery would have to be soldered into the phone to achieve a sleek unibody design that we’ve all grown accustomed to.
• User-replaceable batteries typically require a removable back cover. Sadly, backplates are usually made out of plastic which looks and feels less premium compared to other materials such as aluminium or glass.
• Decreased security. Certain features such as Find My Phone or Find My Device only work when our phone has access to a power source. Thus, when thieves can take out the battery, it lowers our chances of finding and retrieving our smartphone.

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Even with the implementation of this new regulation, there will still be instances where a built-in battery is going to be non-negotiable (i.e., for waterproofing). On the same breadth, the limitations that replaceable power packs had in the past will eventually be addressed by the time that this regulation takes effect.

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