Imagine HTC unveiled a new phone that is the Desire S but with a modern-ish multi-core CPU and a non-potato camera. Everything else — the design, the size, the screen, the removable battery — is the same. How many people would buy one, given that the current 7" glass slabs remain a (prevalent) option?
And, I mean, people buy and keep iPhone SE (1st gen) and 5S for that same reason. The SE wasn't a flop, despite having a small screen no waterproofing. There's definitely a market for these.
> How thick were they, though?
I don't remember the exact model to google it, so given the period, I'd bet at least 8 mm.
What we do right now is toxic and wasteful.
Plus how many devices does Apple save from needing to be replaced by adding water resistance?
And the recycling is itself toxic. Recycling, in the view of people seeking more robust, enduring gear, is mitigation, not a solution.
It is entirely possible to make things that last.
Like big pharma sees real cures as bad for business, buy once, use for a very long time is also bad for business.
There are huge costs associated with both ideas.
Ok... but most people don't. So you aren't going to get that. You can't expect phone development projects costing hundreds of millions of dollars to cater to your particular views. And guess what more: people who buy a device just once aren't going to be anyone's priority for anything.
> And, actually, it's possible to have both. I remember there were water-resistant Sony phones that had user-replaceable batteries.
How thick were they, though?