Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

Not everyone values slimness to an extreme, and despite the fact that non-removable batteries improve certain design margins, many many Android phones still have removable batteries, and some even reverted from non-removable designs to removable ones.

There is a crossover point wherein overhead reduction is "good enough" and when other factors about the phones begin to dominate.

The iPhone doesn't sell because of a non-removable battery, and the huge number of users who use bulky cases to protect fragile phones, and add-on battery cases, which increase weight and spoil the industrial design, tend to support the case that some people are willing to trade off thinness, weight, or cost for other capabilities.

I don't even think this is controversial. If you look at the number of users asking for microSD whenever a device removes it, or the people wanting additional clip-on lenses, there's a hunger to extend the phone platform.

Now, whether that happens over an integrated UniPro bus, an external lighting cable + case, or bluetooth, is an implementation detail of convenience, ergonomics, and bulk. I personally would rather have upgradeable camera modules or additional battery slots than "Morphie" cases and weird protruding clip ons that weren't designed to work with the builtin optics.




Consider applying for YC's Spring batch! Applications are open till Feb 11.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: