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Comment by parineum | Hacker News Reader

A more complicated design costs more money to build/test and introduces more modes of failure in the final product.

I'm not too worried. Removable batteries were standard fare for decades before Apple came around and set negative precedent. I don't recall it ever causing issues.

It's amazing how quickly we forget

Removable batteries were standard fare for decades before Apple came around and set negative precedent.

You must be newly hatched.

I have plenty of devices in my gadget box with non-replaceable batteries that pre-date Apple's iPhones, and even its iPods.

Sure. But I bet you also have plenty of gadgets with replaceable batteries.

Just because something is standard fare doesn't mean it's the only option. Point is, it was quite common in the past.

Part of the reason it was so common in the past was because rechargeable battery technology for small consumers devices was a lot more limited. NiCd was the main choice and they required careful management to keep them working well.

Also there were no real standards for chargers. Nearly every small consumer device that used NiCd batteries came with its own bespoke chargers.

Hence most small consumer devices went with replaceable batteries because they expected nearly everyone to use non-rechargeable batteries.

I’m happy that my gadgets no longer need expensive AA batteries.

...or NiMH AA rechargeable batteries if you could be arsed.

Rechargeable batteries have become very good and very cheap. IKEA sells 4xAA batteries for 8€, made in Japan, last 500-1000 cycles. Many "non-user-serviceable" devices actually have them inside; they're just not accessible without breaking the plastic clips that hold everything together: https://www.pololu.com/category/54/batteries

The current hack is to buy devices made for disposable batteries and then use rechargeables. Electric toothbrushes almost all come with built-in non-removable batteries... except the cheapest ones, which also work fine.

You are generalizing. The design may very well be simpler, just more expensive.

The Pinto fix was 11 cents per unit or so.

Get real.

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