zlacker

>>skille+(OP)
I feel like the elephant in the room is that there's no phone battery that's going to stay useful in anywhere close to that time frame, and replacing phone batteries is usually a losing proposition. I've tried, several times. Fake, low-quality batteries are rampant (usually degrading within weeks), and genuine ones are prohibitively expensive -- usually a significant fraction of the cost of a new phone.

>>wheels+B7
I replaced the batteries in my mom's iPhone and dad's Motorola at about the same time last year. I agree it should be easier to do, but it's definitely not a losing proposition. They both turned out very well and cost < $20 each.

I'd love a return to the old snap-fit plastic cases. Besides the ease of battery replacement, those phones seemed much more durable. Maybe because there was something that gave way on impact? I remember watching in horror as the plastic cover of an old LG shot under the display shelving at Home Depot at approximately the same speed the phone hit the concrete floor. I never used a case with one of those phones, nor did I ever crack a screen. It was tricky digging that cover out from under the shelving, however.

>>alamor+ri
When you refer to snap-fit plastic cases being more durable, I presume you're not talking about water and dust resistance.

>>tshadd+en
Somehow I never had water or dust problems with any snap case device that’s had a battery, though.

>>everdr+Dy
I spent a significant chunk of my teenage income on phones because of water damage. Getting caught in a rainstorm, having the canoe tip over, have people be too rowdy with splashing around a pool, forgetting it in a pocket when going swimming, it falling off a dock were all times Ive personally lost a device. Every one of those would have been fine with my current phones and they've survived all that and more without issue. Sometimes I'll even just rinse my phone under running water when the kids make it super nasty, it's no problem.

Similar thing with dust. Even though a lot of my phones in my teenage years lasted under a year, they always died with dust in their screens. Camping and riding bikes around dirt trails and what not can push a lot of gunk in those things.

I'm happy phones are a lot better sealed. It's a bit of a pain making it harder to swap the battery, but paying a shop $50 parts included to swap it and keep it sealed well is worth it to me. A replacement battery back then would have been like >$30 anyways, going by inflation that's not too much increase in cost.