Is it me or is it now the trend that most high end Android phones don't come with user replaceable batteries and expandable storage anymore? It seems like most manufacturers are ditching it for esthetically purpose, i.e. keeping the device in a unibody form as much as possible.... Android used to be giving choice that other mobile OS don't, but it seems like phone manufacturers are ripping us off now....
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User replaceable battery and expandable storage
- Thread starter sooyong94
- Start date
Actually I think sooyong has a point on fixed batteries. Samsung still has replaceable batteries throughout their range, but high end phones from HTC, Sony, Motorola, LG and a number of smaller players do tend to have fixed batteries (lower-end phones are more likely to have replacable).
Non-expandable storage is more mixed. Motorola have SD slots, LG in many models, HTC not in the higher-end One handsets but do in others, and Sony did not have them at the start of the year but have re-introduced then in their newer Xperias - that I find interesting.
Non-expandable storage is more mixed. Motorola have SD slots, LG in many models, HTC not in the higher-end One handsets but do in others, and Sony did not have them at the start of the year but have re-introduced then in their newer Xperias - that I find interesting.
nickdalzell
Extreme Android User
please tell me Android phones aren't taking after Apple's planned obscelesence and lacking expandable storage policies!
Well that's what Google have specified in the Nexus range for the last couple of years. But most manufacturers have continued to add expansion in most models, though some of the exceptions have been highly visible.
That's what I find interesting about the Sony story. At the start of the year all of the new Xperias had fixed storage. In the recent refresh all of them are back to being expandable.
That's what I find interesting about the Sony story. At the start of the year all of the new Xperias had fixed storage. In the recent refresh all of them are back to being expandable.
nickdalzell
Extreme Android User
i know many tablets have non-replaceable batteries and the Fire has no expandable storage (or camera and microphone, despite being labeled the 'iPad killer' haha) but tablets sorta make sense. i only use them if i need something more mobile than a laptop. my phone, however gets daily use, for games, talking or MP3 download/playback--i need the ability to add space to it, and when the battery gets weak i prefer to replace it and not the phone if the phone is working as it should. i tend to hold onto cells that i like, for up to ten years (i had my Nokia 5185i for 15, until the battery finally did quit for keeps and i couldn't get another)
Nexus devices don't have expandable storage. AFAICT because Google wants Nexus users to use their Cloud services instead. Most other devices I know still have SD-card storage options.
On the whole phones seem to have removable batteries, while tablets tend to be sealed.
On the whole phones seem to have removable batteries, while tablets tend to be sealed.
@mikedt
I'm aware of this problem, but tablets is a non-issue for me though.
The irony thing is the EU Battery Directive stated that consumers should have the ability to access to the batteries, but most phone manufacturers are removing the ability right now... I don't want to use those cloud services mainly for the following reasons:
1. Data plans are very expensive in Malaysia.
2. Streaming over the cloud drains battery (something I don't really like)
I'm aware of this problem, but tablets is a non-issue for me though.
The irony thing is the EU Battery Directive stated that consumers should have the ability to access to the batteries, but most phone manufacturers are removing the ability right now... I don't want to use those cloud services mainly for the following reasons:
1. Data plans are very expensive in Malaysia.
2. Streaming over the cloud drains battery (something I don't really like)
chanchan05
The Doctor
One thing about devices whose design is a unibody or sealed body with non replaceable batteries is that they are generally tougher than devices whose design allows user access to batteries. That said I am not about to throw my phone into the air for drop tests so i prefer a replaceable battery.