Removable batteries existed in smart phones before. There are plenty of devices today, walkie talkies for example, that are fully waterproof and are battery swappable.
But there were smartphones with removable covers. The Samsung Galaxy S5, for example, had both an IP67 rating, and a similarly thin profile to modern smartphones. (It also managed to fit wireless charging in if you had a special back).
Removable batteries existed in smart phones before. There are plenty of devices today, walkie talkies for example, that are fully waterproof and are battery swappable.
Manufacturers just want your money.
Well… most of those devices aren’t thin boutique items. Something a lot of smartphone owners want.
But there were smartphones with removable covers. The Samsung Galaxy S5, for example, had both an IP67 rating, and a similarly thin profile to modern smartphones. (It also managed to fit wireless charging in if you had a special back).