Smartphones have come a long way. From the first iPhone released in 2007 to today, we have seen them evolve at an unfathomable speed; but this progress was far from smooth. Companies had to discard countless ideas, concepts, and designs. Only those that proved reliable stuck around.
However, as tech got better and business strategies became more complex, companies started getting rid of those reliable features for supposedly better alternatives. In this article, we’ll see six useful features discontinued from modern flagship smartphones and how their absence affects you.
1. Headphone Jack
The discontinuation of headphone jacks is perhaps the saddest one on this list. For many, not having a jack is a deal-breaker when buying a new phone. That’s true mainly for audiophiles and enthusiasts who know how different types of headphone plugs affect sound quality.
Granted, you can use an adapter and get the same result, but the absence of a dedicated 3.5mm jack adds unnecessary inconvenience. For instance, you can’t charge your phone while listening to music at the same time unless you use one of those weird-looking 2-in-1 adapters.
Regardless, many switched to wireless headphones due to this change, which was the outcome Apple intended when it removed the audio jack from the iPhone 7 to sell AirPods. But, as we’ve said before, wired headphones are far better than wireless headphones.
2. Charger in the Box
Like headphone jacks, Apple also killed the industry norm of providing a charger in the box. Apple claims this move is justified because you probably already have a charger at home, so there’s no need for an extra one. As a result, this helps reduce e-waste, which is better for the environment.
However, this strategy is problematic for four reasons:
- The charger provided in the box is almost always the best one for a phone because it’s designed specifically for that model. Anything else is suboptimal and can even damage your battery if you buy a faulty third-party charger.
- If you’re buying a new phone that supports 25W fast charging, for example, but you only have a 5W charger at home, you’re not getting the full value of your purchase.
- If you need to buy a fast charger separately, it has to be shipped to you in a separate box with extra packaging—producing significantly more carbon emissions and waste in the process. Hence, it’s more harmful to the environment than simply providing a charger in the box your phone came in.
- When people buy new a phone, they also often sell, donate, or gift their old one to someone else along with the accessories it came with. That means they need a new charger for their new phone. This change hinders that norm.
3. MicroSD Card Slot
Having a MicroSD card slot alongside the SIM card tray used to be the standard; the feature is useful and convenient. But lately, Android flagship phones have dropped support for it to free more room inside the body of the phone for other components.
For most people, internal storage of 128GB is more than enough, so an external MicroSD card is simply unnecessary. But if you’re a power user, heavy gamer, or download a lot of movies and shows, that might not do. In that case, a total storage of 256GB is a safer choice.
The problem is that internal storage is way more expensive than external storage. For most flagship phones, an additional 128GB of storage costs $100 extra. This sucks because you can get a MicroSD card of the same capacity for less than $20.
4. Wired Earphones in the Box
Alongside a charger, companies also provided wired earphones in the box. The idea of not bundling these essential goodies with the phone was unheard of in the tech industry until 2020 when Apple removed them when launching the iPhone 12.
For Samsung users, this trend was particularly unpleasant as it meant they’d no longer get AKG-tuned earphones with their new Galaxy phone. But the strategy became mainstream regardless because, well, it was profitable and saved costs. Plus, given the rise of wireless earbuds, wired earphones were losing their charm anyway.
5. Removable Battery
Removable batteries became extinct before any other feature on this list. While iPhones have never had them, Samsung ditched them in 2015 when launching the Galaxy S6. There are mainly three reasons for this change: user safety, waterproofing, and ergonomics.
Smartphone batteries weren’t that big in the late 2000s, but today, a capacity of anywhere between 4000–5000mAh is the norm. While this is great for longevity, it’s also a bit riskier. Letting users open their phones and mess around with powerful batteries isn’t safe. After all, you don’t want your phone to pull a Galaxy Note 7 on you and spontaneously explode in your pocket.
So, sealing the battery away is the right decision. Doing so also facilitates waterproofing and makes the device slimmer because companies can fit the internal components more tightly. Unfortunately, this also means that your phone will be a little less repairable than before.
6. Physical Home Button
The physical home button disappeared in 2017 amid the launch of the Galaxy S8 and the iPhone X. Companies realized that on-screen controls have become good enough that a physical home button was no longer necessary.
Removing the physical home button meant that the display is now much bigger with smaller bezels—giving phones a truly next-gen look. The only obstacle that remains is the front camera, which companies are already trying to replace with an under-display alternative—much like what we saw on the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
Smartphones Will Continue to Evolve
The evolution of smartphones has been quite a sight to see. But while the progress is certainly admirable, the sacrifices that come along with it sometimes leave a bitter taste.
Some changes are understandable, such as non-removable batteries and no physical home buttons, but others seem to be more about clever business strategies rather than technological advancement. Regardless, smartphones will continue to evolve and excite us.
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