Re:Google Is Forcing Me to Dump a Perfectly Good Phone
by acdha on Tuesday January 25, 2022 @03:05PM
(#30077285)
Or simply supporting local repair shops: it might require some special tools or equipment but if the phone store in every mall can have that, it's a lot more accessible than if you need to pay top dollar and/or not have the device for a few days.
Re:Google Is Forcing Me to Dump a Perfectly Good Phone
by acdha on Tuesday January 25, 2022 @04:01PM
(#30077955)
Exactly - there are good arguments for tightly sealed devices but that should be paired with right to repair laws requiring minimum part & tool availability and capping prices.
Re:Google Is Forcing Me to Dump a Perfectly Good Phone
by londons_explore on Tuesday January 25, 2022 @02:44PM
(#30076992)
Modern iphones all require a fancy laser to remove the back glass. [1]. You won't be doing that with a screwdriver at home.
Re:Google Is Forcing Me to Dump a Perfectly Good Phone
by oneplane on Tuesday January 25, 2022 @03:40PM
(#30077726)
No need to go lie on the internet. You don't need to remove the glass to open the case, it's still two screws and a sealing gasket. Removing the glass is more like an industrial process to replace a broken glass backing but retaining the rest of the back cover.
After you remove the cover you still have to remove a few pieces of the top layer of components, as described in guides like this iPhone 13 Pro battery replacement one: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone+13+Pro+Battery+Replaceme...
Now, say you tried a DIY repair and you broke the glass, that'd be a different case of suckage, but that doesn't really mean that suddenly batteries aren't replaceable. There could be a discussion around ease of replacement but there is ease of manufacture and sealing properties to consider as well.
Re:Google Is Forcing Me to Dump a Perfectly Good Phone
by vecinu on Wednesday January 26, 2022 @04:44PM
(#30092364)
That guide has 36 steps which include melting adhesive, using suction cups and using a pick to detach the display from the case.
On top of that there are a number of peripherals to remove before even getting to the battery. To me that seems extremely difficult.
Re:Google Is Forcing Me to Dump a Perfectly Good Phone
by oneplane on Wednesday January 26, 2022 @06:10PM
(#30093443)
Rewiring the wire-wrap backplane of a (in comparison) low-power computing system from 60 years ago with just a wire wrapping tool and wire with only 2 steps is 'extremely simple' if we were to use your measurement of tools, steps and material, yet I doubt anyone replacing their phone batteries could do that... It's all relative.
Replacing a battery is technically possible still, it just requires a ton of patience, a heat gun, maybe a suction cup, maybe a razor knife. And even then you run the risk of breaking the back glass in the process(been there, done that).
I don't think we need to go back to being able to hot swap batteries on the fly, but surely we can come up with something everyday people can realistically do at home.