this post was submitted on 26 Aug 2024
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Replacing the battery is pretty expensive, so I prefer to optimize my charging patterns so I never ever have to get it replaced. However, if I could do it myself, I might abuse the battery much more. I might even leave my devices plugged in overnight.
Is it though? Batteries themselves are something like $20-60 (e.g. Pixel 8 battery for $43, ebay listing for <$20). The battery is honestly not that expensive, the expensive part is the labor because taking modern phones apart is a massive pain.
It’s about 80-130 € depending on phone model, and that includes work and the battery. If I could just buy a battery online and replace it myself, the prices should be more reasonable. Apparently one day that will actually happen.
And that's the point here. The battery itself isn't the expensive part, it's the expertise and tools needed to do the swap. If phones are required to have user-serviceable batteries, users can just buy the batteries and service it themselves. Many will still go to phone repair places, but prices should come down there as well since it'll take them a lot less time and equipment.
Just realized, there’s also another benefit. You could bring multiple batteries to a trip and not worry about charging. You know, the way you have always done with DSLR cameras.
You could, but it would be a lot easier to just bring a battery bank. That way there's one thing to keep track of, and you can charge multiple times off one bank. I've charged my phone once and my SO's phone twice between recharges without draining the battery bank. Even if swapping batteries was dead simple, the battery bank is simpler.
That said, having the option is great! I will probably never replace the battery though, since none of the phones I've ever had needed a battery replacement, I usually run out of software updates, shatter a screen, or break the power button long before the battery is a serious issue.