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I was going to rant about this but after thinking on this post it has become more of a funeral dirge and a time to lament of what I have come to love, that is, removable Android phone batteries. The phones above are my wife’s Samsung J7 that has a removable battery, my old (dead) Samsung Note 4 that had a removable battery and my current LG V20 that also has a removable battery that when I travel can even use a MEGA battery that can last for four days without charging (even when watching movies in the air)! That is flexible power.
For you iPhone folks non-replaceable batteries is nothing new since Steve Jobs way back made the decision that you have no choice. Then they got caught being devious and slowing down your old phones and to make you loyal iOS folks not sue them, gave you the option to replace your battery for under $30 (vs. the normal cost of ~$80).
But for us Android folks we like choice. We like doing things our way. We like being able to use any APP we want that has not been blessed by the mothership. And we, clearly, like the option of a replaceable battery. Even in a post that we should get over this, the voting you see above shows that readers WANT to have replaceable batteries (the comments are brutal as well).
My LG V20 just got the update to Android 8 and I really love it. I like the idea of keeping a phone more than 2 years considering the cost of new phones these days and the best way to keep them “fresh” has been a new battery. I guess now that LG, the last hold out with phones with replacement batteries, has given up the future for me will mean always traveling with a fully charged 20k battery bank at the ready (I do this anyway but I save it for other things like my sweet cordless noise canceling headphones)!.
Maybe the advances in phone tech will be worth it and I need to just live with the fact that every 2 years I will need to buy a new phone. Either that or I take it to a phone shop for a replacement and that is not cheap (or simple). I have a great friend who runs such a shop and he told me the average price to replace a phone battery is $100-150 with some even higher. Also:
“It’s gotten ridiculous because [of] all the layers are glued so you have to de-laminate it from the back [of the phone]” – A cell phone repair pro
I don’t know – maybe I just don’t get it and it is time to move on. But maybe not. I would love your input and you tell me. batteries – even if it limited some features. Vote in my poll below.
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I agree that a removable battery is a great feature but I think we’ve reached the end of such products. I think expandable memory is a much bigger feature to have. To me the biggest problem with not having a removable battery isn’t that I can carry a spare battery. It is that I can replace the battery when it gets old and breath new life into my aging phone. In my experience most phones don’t last much over 2 years but it’s nice if you can get another 6 to 12 months with a new battery.
Try the oneplus 6. Brother has the 5t, last years model, with 8gb ram version! Charges super fast like 59% in 30 minutes. The phone is super smooth and lots of good features. At $500 with flagship specs it’s a very good buy. I saw a recent review and the reviewer noted the camera rivals that of the iPhone X. It’s got a large 6” 1080P amoled panel. I searched and they are still supporting phones going back a few years with software updates. I’ve got a pixel 2 now but may switch to them or xiao mi next year. Both companies are still supporting older phones going back to 2013 in xiao mi’s case. That’s support even Apple can’t match and that’s why android phones usually become buggy and slow after a couple years.
Clinging desperately to my Note 4. The removable battery has been a game changer, and has saved me in many situations, plus, I mostly have the high capacity monsters that keep me connected for several days without needing to look for a plug.
I could not agree more! My Note 4 just died and I’m beyond angry that Samsung realized they were missing out by not building in this feature that forced everyone to buy a new phone every couple of years. I miss my Note 4 a lot (especially my contacts, apps, pics, texts, and everything else I thought T-Mobile had been backing up but which are now gone forever, along with the $10 per month I paid for backup service!).
I did get the Note 8, only because I don’t have the time to learn a bunch of new phone moves (this has been leap enough!). If I were more tech savvy I would definitely have chosen one of the few remaining phones with removable batteries!
I like carrying an extra charged battery to swap out when traveling.
I can attest to what UnitedEF stated about the Oneplus 6, the used to be flagship killer (pricing for the phone gets higher and higher every year but still worth every penny)!
i miss my note 4 but the screen cost way to much to replace – although I do use it to stream movies and etc through my kitchen tv – It has clear tape on the shattered screen. The S9plus is no joy.
On another note that mega battery you use may be confiscated one of these days – mine went bye bye recently in Shaghai. I think over 20k is too much and will be confiscated with much joy when in China.
But back to topic – I have yet to be without a power outlet for the S9plus and wonder if the small power bank I have will charge it? The extendo battery lasting 4 days was real sweet.
And I wish I had a wide angle camera …
And then there is the PC.