If you really want to, it’s easy to find a ‘rugged’ smartphone from brands like Caterpillar, Blackview, etc … However, it is undeniable that users prefer to put their wallets on the counters of manufacturers like Samsung, Huawei or Apple, who almost never bet on these more durable models.
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But the question here is … Why is it that the big manufacturers don’t make smartphones more ‘tough’?
This question is not the best one, because, in fact, we have several smartphones on the market with really good constructions, which probably threaten the floor where they fall more than their own screen or structure. An example of this, is the LG V10 2015, a device that was made for the daily life of a common user, but in fact, does not need a cover for anything.
After all, with a stainless steel body and 3mm lateral margins, the real threat in your life is to drop this boy in the beautiful and super expensive mosaics you have in your living room. Yes, of course, you can fold it if you really push too hard, but if you put it in your back pocket, I doubt your ass can make you a girl. In addition, the (removable) back of this device is made of plastic with rough rubber, which makes it anything but slippery.
In fact, if you scratch or wipe the back, you can simply insert a new one for as little as €5. Not to mention, the battery itself is removable, so it is possible to extend the life cycle of this boy for many long years.
So why don’t we see smartphones like this on the market anymore? After all, even LG abandoned this strategy!
The answer is obvious! These smartphones last too long! Manufacturers cannot sell smartphones that last more than 3 years, otherwise, their business mold immediately and fall apart.
Yes, this V10 has a weakness, its water resistance is not the best (due to the removable rear), but in this field, things have even improved a lot in the world of modern smartphones.
Why don’t we have more durable smartphones? – Does it have anything to do with size and weight?
If you look at a CAT S60 or similar, you will immediately realize that it is a bigger, thicker and heavier smartphone. But if we look with eyes to see this device, we find the weight of 223g (the iPhone XS Max weighs 208g), and the dimensions of 147.9 x 73.4 x 12.7 mm (the iPhone XS measures 157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm).
I don’t think a difference of 15g is really that significant. However, the thickness of 12.7mm is already a little scary. Still, the difference in thickness is also easily explained by the size of the CAT model battery. That is, this increase in thickness is not just due to ‘roughness’.
What is interesting in the middle of all this, is that most fans of the iPhone world put their smartphone in a protective cover (like the popular Otterbox), which obviously makes it much thicker and a lot heavier. In fact, even a thin layer will certainly add 10 / 15g to this equation. So, after all, what do we get in a more fragile smartphone? Why do consumers want a glass smartphone, if they then put a rubber or plastic case on top?
If you don’t use a cover, you obviously have an argument against everything I wrote above. Otherwise, all of this doesn’t really make much sense… Which brings us back to the need for manufacturers to sell more and more smartphones. Therefore, these cannot last long.
Why don’t we have more durable smartphones? – After all, this is not just related to revenue from smartphone sales! Repairs also make money!
Apple is an expert on this topic since the brand loves to sell AppleCare + plans to somehow protect their devices. So, if you pay for this annual plan, if you break the back of an iPhone X, you only have to pay ~ € 100. Otherwise, the thing is over € 300 ~ 400.
Interestingly, if you want to get your hands on a used iPhone X, you can find it for 500 ~ 600 €. So, why does it pay so much to change the rear? Is it just a coincidence?
Of course not, AppleCare + costs 199 € in the United States, offering 1 or 2 years of protection. That is, they are another 20% over the final price of the device. So, considering that only 1 in 5 iPhone needs repair during its life cycle, it is a brutal source of money for the company. (Very briefly, no one launches repair insurance to lose money)
(Special) Why don’t we have more durable smartphones? – Besides, what do you think about all this? Share your opinion with us in the comments below.
