My father was asking whether I’d be bothered with having to replace an iPhone’s internal battery after two years. According to Apple any li-on battery can be recharged “a large number of times” before the capacity is diminished to 80% of original.

This got me thinking… I have never replaced a mobile phone battery whether it was user serviceable or not. I just kept a charger nearby or, more truly, bought a new phone 2-3 years later.

IMO, most consumer electronics become obsolete (or become broken) in three years and mobile phones might last 12 months before they’re eclipsed by more attractive models. This doesn’t mean you need to buy a new phone every year but if you’re in the Nokia club you do, likewise, the iPhone users will too.

Should Apple have considered a user replaceable battery? Certainly, but in the interest of commerce or industrial design they didn’t.

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