Smartphones have come a long way. From the first iPhone released in 2007 till date, we have seen them evolve at an unfathomable pace; But this progress was far from smooth. Companies had to discard countless ideas, concepts and designs.

Only those who proved reliable stuck. However, as technology got better and business strategies became more complex, companies started getting rid of those reliable features for supposedly better alternatives. In this article, we will look at five useful features that have been discontinued from modern flagship smartphones and how their absence affects you.

1. Headphone jack off

The loss of the headphone jack is probably the saddest part of the list. For many people, the absence of a jack is a deal-breaker when buying a new phone. This is primarily true for audiophiles and enthusiasts who know how different types of headphone plugs affect sound quality.

Granted, you can use an adapter and get the same result, but the absence of a dedicated 3.5mm jack adds unnecessary inconvenience. For example, unless you use one of those weird-looking 2-in-1 adapters, you can’t charge your phone while listening to music at the same time.

Regardless, this change caused many people to switch to wireless headphones, which is Apple’s intention when it removed the audio jack from the iPhone 7 in order to sell AirPods. But, as we’ve said before, wired headphones are far better than wireless headphones.

2. Charger is not included in the box

Like the headphone jack, Apple also ditched the industry standard of shipping a charger in the box. Apple claims this step is reasonable because you probably already have a charger at home, so there’s no need for an extra one. As a result, it helps reduce e-waste, which is better for the environment.

The charger supplied in the box is almost always the best for the phone as it is specifically designed for that model. Anything less is sub-optimal and could even damage your battery if you buy a faulty third-party charger.

If you’re buying a new phone that supports 25W fast charging, for example, but you only have a 5W charger at home, you’re not getting the full value of your purchase.

If you need to buy a fast charger separately, it will need to be shipped to you in a separate box with additional packaging – creating significantly more carbon emissions and waste in the process. Therefore, it is more harmful to the environment than simply providing a charger in the box of your phone.

When people buy a new phone, they often sell, donate, or gift their old phone to someone else along with the accessories that came with it. That means they need a new charger for their new phone. This change hinders that ideal.

3. Lack of microSD card slot

Having a microSD card slot alongside the SIM card tray used to be standard; The feature is useful and convenient. But recently, Android flagship phones have stopped supporting it to free up more space inside the phone’s body for other components.

For most people, 128GB of internal storage is more than enough, so an external microSD card is unnecessary. But if you’re a power user, a heavy gamer, or download a lot of movies and shows, this may not be the case. In that case, 256GB of total storage is the safe choice.

The problem is that internal storage is more expensive than external storage. For most flagship phones, the extra 128GB of storage costs an extra $100. This sucks because you can get a microSD card of the same capacity for less than $20.

4. There is no wired earphone in the box

Along with the charger, the companies also provided wired earphones in the box. The idea of ​​not bundling these essential goodies with phones was unheard of in the tech industry until 2020 when Apple ditched them when it launched the iPhone 12.

For Samsung users, the trend was particularly unpleasant because it meant they would no longer be getting AKG-tuned earphones with their new Galaxy phones. But the strategy became mainstream because, well, it was profitable and costs were saved. Also, given the rise of wireless earbuds, wired earphones were losing their charm anyway.

5. You can’t remove the battery

The removable battery went extinct before any other feature on this list. While iPhones never had it, Samsung abandoned them in 2015 when it launched the Galaxy S6. There are mainly three reasons for this change: user safety, waterproofing and ergonomics.

Smartphone batteries weren’t that big in the late 2000s, but today, a capacity anywhere between 4000-5000mAh is ideal. While this is great for longevity, it is also a bit risky. It is not safe to let users open their phones and mess with the powerful battery. After all, you don’t want your phone to drag the Galaxy Note 7 on you and spontaneously explode in your pocket.

Hence, sealing the battery is the right decision. Doing so also makes waterproofing easier and makes the device thinner because companies can fit internal components more tightly.