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Comment by ravendug | Hacker News Reader

This is stating the obvious without addressing the point. It is implicit that we are discussing user replaceable batteries. Your average user does not own a heat gun or the knowledge of how to use it to replace their own battery. Removing the requirement for the majority of users to have to take their phone to a technician to do the replacement will undoubtedly result in less eWaste. To the best of my knowledge, my TV does not contain a consumable battery which is core to its primary function. Sure the display panel and other components may have a finite lifetime but these are long enough to not be considered consumables by either consumers or manufacturers like batteries are.

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I have replaced more screens on my phone than batteries.

I don’t feel like focusing on fixing things at home is the best way to ensure device longevity.

Creating a demand for technicians that can replace all kinds of things on our phones makes it so there’s always some phone repair shop nearby. Every mall I frequent has one. This creates a lower threshold for keeping the phone alive no matter what goes wrong with it.

The battery on my last phone outlasted the phones useful lifespan, so it’s not like batteries on modern phones is a part that’s particularly likely to need replacement. Every user is different of course, some go through a lot more charge cycles. But then there’s others that often break their screens. Or their charge port. If all these things should be easily user replaceable without tools, the phone would become very bulky.

I feel like we’re pretty close to a good compromise, now that Apple has a program to do these kind of replacement at home if you want. It’s really not that difficult.

User-replaceable batteries will require additional space on your phone's body. I'm not willing to trade convenience for a rare battery replacement case.

If you want - you can buy modular phones, pay for that, don't force other people

And I'll go and pay a couple dozen bucks for this work, like all normal people. But eco-activists are starting to say that eWaste is caused by non-replaceable batteries, not by the obsolescence of devices. No one will change the battery in an outdated device, even if it is replaceable.

eWaste is caused by all kinds of things and one thing that is easily solvable is replaceable batteries. I also hope that it will be forced for all phones, people shouldn't be able to pay a little extra to destroy the planet

I remember well the time of replaceable batteries, they were changed much more often than they should have been. More batteries are changed - more lithium waste. And I also remember very well how when the phone fell, these batteries flew out and were damaged, and I also remember well how these batteries burn from mechanical damage and they cannot be extinguished, because it is a chemical reaction.

There are pros and cons everywhere, so far I see more cons.

I would wager that at least 50% of the population owns a heat gun. They just call it something different.

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