Why don't E-readers have a Replaceable Battery

[leebase]

Some things that make me doubt this:

- Wireless charging is slower than wired and "quick charge" has been a selling point last couple of years.

- the lightning/usb c port is used for other purposes than just power....like square card readers and the like

Now if it's Apple doing this....I'd expect they'd introduce tech that would make these issues moot....like how they greatly improved the bluetooth headphone experience by releasing Airpods at the same time they removed the headphone jack.

[HLS]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

The Wal-Mart thread got me started.

I mean RIGHT NOW, why don't e-readers have replaceable batteries in the same sense that cell phones have them?

Huh? What's up with that?

I have not seen a cell phone with a removal battery in a decade.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by HLS

I have not seen a cell phone with a removal battery in a decade.

I had a Moto phone that I bought new about 3 years ago that had a removable battery (in fact you had to take the battery out to access the slots for the sim card and SD card). I don't know if they still make any like that though.

[barryem]

There are still several phones with removable batteries. The Galaxy J3 Orbit I use for reading has a removable battery. It's the 2018 model but they're still making them and a number of carriers are offering them, as is Amazon.

I think it was about 6 months ago I looked around for a second phone just for reading and replaceable battery was one of my criteria. I found several. None that I found were very expensive phones.

Barry

[Barty]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Yeah, but there's a couple issues with this. First, repair costs are often prohibitive and most people don't want to be separated from their smartphones for any period longer than ten minutes. What most people do is put up with a compromised smartphone until it becomes nearly useless, then they replace it.

The other thing is if you go to third party repair shop they often give you a cheap replacement battery that is no where as good as the original and needs to be replaced again within a year.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Barty

The other thing is if you go to third party repair shop they often give you a cheap replacement battery that is no where as good as the original and needs to be replaced again within a year.

That's another issue. I've seen non-genuine replacement Nokia 3310 batteries catch fire. Heck, even genuine batteries aren't immune but at least there are recall programs for those. Hence, I'd only be comfortable buying genuine replacement batteries which, alas, may not be available depending on device age.

[barryem]

I have a Samsung Galaxy S5 and I bought a spare battery for it a few years ago. I didn't get the Samsung battery. Instead I got one that has good reviews on Amazon and cost about the same. I did this because experience as taught me that OEM batteries for older devices tend to be on the shelf a long time. My phone was a 2 year old model when I got it and I didn't want to buy a 2 year old battery.

Barry

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I don't know about that. The Apple Watch is wireless charging only. I use a mophie charging case for my iPhone and over the past 6 months, I've only used the wireless charging to charge it. It has a micro USB, but it's easy just to put the thing on the charging stand rather than fiddle with the wires. However, I seriously doubt that Apple is going to go wireless charging only until they come out with their long awaited wireless charger and get all the bugs worked out. There is a reason it's over a year late.

There are lots third party devices that work with the lightning port. Plus, when you are out and about, wireless carging is not as easy as a cord. Another major issue is you cannot talk on the phone while it is plugged in. So if you are using Facetime and you need your phone plugged in, you cannot do so with wireless charging. I do have my phone charging while I am using it. I cannot do that with wireless only.

How is an iPhone with only wireless charging going to be easier to use? Can anyone come up with any way it's easier to use? We use our phones at home instead of a landline. So if my phone was needing to be charged while I was using it, I'd be screwed. Imagine you were calling some company where you needed to wait on hold and you finally get through to someone and you find your battery needs charging yet you can't because you are using the phone. So you carry on with the conversation and then your phone dies because you could not plug it in.

So really, Apple if you are going without a charging port, you can go F yourselves.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by leebase

Now if it's Apple doing this....I'd expect they'd introduce tech that would make these issues moot....like how they greatly improved the bluetooth headphone experience by releasing Airpods at the same time they removed the headphone jack.

But Apple removing the headphone jack did not improve the listening experience. Many people do not have BT headphone nor want them. BT on an iPhone is AAC and that's a lossy format. There are streaming services that sream C quality lossless or hi-res lossless music and B only would make these services null and void if Apple also dumped the charging port. You need to be able to plug in a wired headphone. Yes you can convert your wired headphones to BT with an add-on device, but that's an extra cost.

[Deskisamess]

There are adapters that use the lightening or usb c port for using wired headphones. I use them for both my 7+ and iPad Pro, for those times I don't use my Bluetooth earbuds.

Once you get used to no wires, it's hard to use them again.

[leebase]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

But Apple removing the headphone jack did not improve the listening experience. Many people do not have BT headphone nor want them. BT on an iPhone is AAC and that's a lossy format. There are streaming services that sream C quality lossless or hi-res lossless music and B only would make these services null and void if Apple also dumped the charging port. You need to be able to plug in a wired headphone. Yes you can convert your wired headphones to BT with an add-on device, but that's an extra cost.

The Airpods most certainly did improve the listening experience. Mind you - there is no such thing as a set of headphones that is best for every use case.

If you want to listen to lossless music on an iPhone, you can....you just need an inexpensive adapter. Which I use from time to time when I want to listen to music with my "good head hones".

But optimizing for the best sound quality of music is not MY #1 use case. The airpods are always in my pockets and whenever I need to talk on the phone, I pop them in and am instantly connected...and they have a great mic. They are fine for music but nowhere near as good as large, over the ear headphones can be. But those headphones don't fit in my pocket.

I have had BT headphones for years prior to the Airpods....and none have been as easy and convenient. It's been a couple years now....and there are decent alternatives on the market. But Apple didn't remove the headphone jack until they had something ready to make a better OVERALL experience.

And except for "best music sound experience"....completely wireless is far better. And now there is the Airpods Pro to bring "really great" music sound experience as well.

There is always pain when Apple puts a port out to pasture....but it's a very Apple thing to do. So far...there's never been a port that has maintained much life after Apple decides it's time to go. I'd say the 3.5mm headphone jack will stick around longer than most. Just not on premium phones.

[leebase]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

How is an iPhone with only wireless charging going to be easier to use?

I don't know. I am betting that if there is any truth to this rumor....then when Apple does announce the "no port iPhone" they will have improved the wireless charging such that it would be better than wired for the 80% use case.

That there are other uses for the lightning/usb ports besides power....makes me doubt that a "no port" iPhone is in the offing.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

The Wal-Mart thread got me started.

I mean RIGHT NOW, why don't e-readers have replaceable batteries in the same sense that cell phones have them?

Huh? What's up with that?

Even more disturbing, if you ask me, is the use of the velvety smooth plastic coating. The Inkpad is decked with it allover, the Forma has it, too.

I have some make-up/powder boxes that are coated with this stuff and after a while the plasticizers/emollients break down and the stuff gets gooey and sticky, till you can't touch it anymore.

This is built in obsolence of the finest kind and I hate it from the bottom of my hear!

Worst thing is one of the foremost German reviewers asks for the stuff and calls readers with a hard plastic shell "slippery" and "cheap feeling".

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by Poppaea

Even more disturbing, if you ask me, is the use of the velvety smooth plastic coating. The Inkpad is decked with it allover, the Forma has it, too.

I have some make-up/powder boxes that are coated with this stuff and after a while the plasticizers/emollients break down and the stuff gets gooey and sticky, till you can't touch it anymore.

This is built in obsolence of the finest kind and I hate it from the bottom of my hear!

Worst thing is one of the foremost German reviewers asks for the stuff and calls readers with a hard plastic shell "slippery" and "cheap feeling".

If this is the same coating as on Kindle Paperwhites, I haven't noticed any degradation/stickiness even after 6 years of use (PW2).

Iirc, the Kobo Glo HD has this as well and mine appears to be fine, too.

[Poppaea]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

If this is the same coating as on Kindle Paperwhites, I haven't noticed any degradation/stickiness even after 6 years of use (PW2).

Iirc, the Kobo Glo HD has this as well and mine appears to be fine, too.

Weird.

Maybe it's been touching it with oily fingers that did my powder boxes in. But I am not the only person experiencing this