First, it is just a little less thin, and second we make watches that handle water just fine.

Another alternative would be to make the devices fail more reasonably when wet. Just drying the thing out could work better than it currently does.

But yes! Your point is valid. We won't get the absolute pinnacle of volume and performance that way.

To that, I say we can surely find a better balance than the mess we have today, and that could start by making damn sure we permit and perhaps encourage as much innovation on the repair / repurpose side of things as we do on design and manufacture.