
Get exclusive tech offers and guides
Straight to your inbox
Updated
We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
The emergence and explosive growth of smartphones changed all of that. Apple was the most obvious and early proponent of sealed batteries in phones, with every single Apple iPhone having the battery sealed within.
Makers of Android phones were slower to adopt the trend of sealing in their batteries. If you were a fan of Samsung's Galaxy phones for example, up until the Galaxy S5 all you had to do was pop off the rear cover and you could change out the battery at will.
Newer Galaxy models, and indeed most other Android phones have now switched over to sealed batteries. In some cases that's to enable features such as water resistance, but for the most part, it's simply a matter of making them cheaper to build and less prone to wear and tear from consumers taking the battery in or out.
The most prominent reason why manufacturers make sealed battery phones is that it allows them more room to specifically style the phone. When you're making a device that's meant to live comfortably in a pocket or purse, every millimetre counts.
Adding the ability to remove a battery means you've got to have the compartment for it to easily slide in and out, as well as contacts that can handle the friction of thousands of removal cycles. A sealed battery can have contacts fused in place with little fuss and much less overall needed space.
There's also a safety consideration at play here. If you can swap out a battery, you might do so with a third party battery of dubious provenance. That could lead to electrical faults within the phone that could damage it, or in certain cases you. Neither is a desirable situation to be faced with.
You do have some options if you're dead set keen on having a phone that allows you to swap the battery in and out at will, but it's absolutely at the simplest end of the market. Entry level phones such as the Nokia 8810 4G do still come with a removable and replaceable battery. It's not uncommon in the "feature" phone market to still see removable batteries, but you'd be hard pressed to find a smartphone with one, even if it has a removable and replaceable back plate.
Aside from the obvious questions of a suitable fit, it's well worthwhile ensuring that if your phone does support a removable battery that your replacement properly matches your exact phone model. This is true whether you're using it to extend daily battery life or as a full scale replacement for an older battery that just won't hold a charge any more.
Ideally you should opt for a genuine replacement battery rather than a third party model. While third party batteries will be cheaper, as a consumer you have no real facility to assess the quality of a third party battery, and may encounter significant issues with warranty repair or replacement, especially if a battery mishap causes actual damage to your phone.
The simplest and cheapest (where practical) approach is to ensure that you've got a charger with you at all times and can leave your phone on charge when you're not using it.
You could even get fancy if your phone supports wireless charging and leave a wireless charger on your desk or bedside, so that you don't even have to plug it in.
If your phone simply won't hold a charge like it used to, it's well worth contacting your phone's manufacturer to see if they offer a battery replacement service.
Within a reasonable timeframe this should be a free service under Australian consumer law. There's no specified timeframe for that kind of thing, because goods have to be "fit for purpose" and battery failure should count against that. For any phone older than 12 months you may find that they request payment from you for this kind of service.
Check out our review of the nostalgia-laden Nokia 8810 4G - complete with removable battery!
Today's best Finder Daily deals include: 50% off car essentials at Catch, half-price meat thermometers, eBay Plus tech sale.
There’s no shortage of cooling options when camping, working or four-wheel driving, but what are the best portable fridge freezers in Australia?
These are the best camera-equipped drones you can buy right now in Australia.
Calling it a "Pro" phone might be a bit of a stretch, but the realme 7 Pro is otherwise a dependable mid-range phone with good battery endurance.
Find out where to buy a new NBN battery and easily install it yourself.
These are the six best drones you can buy right now in Australia.
These are the six best men's watches you can buy right now in Australia.
These are the best compact cameras for travel, low light and shoppers on a budget as chosen by thousands of online customers.
Apple's first MacBook Pro with its own Apple Silicon is a fast performer, but an unchanged design and small differences between it and the cheaper Air make it a tougher recommendation.
These are the best tablets for kids you can buy right now in Australia.
Is there a possibility for governments of the world to demand ALL manufacturers to make phones with removable batteries so that the consumer has a choice as to when to retire their mobile phone ?
I cannot understand how most of humanity remains silent whilst these manufacturers carry on with selling phones with sealed up backs and then just accept their lot as they go about buying new phones because they seemingly have no options left….what about the second hand market dying a death because not many people would buy phones with sealed up backs and glued-in and nearly dead batteries?
I would love a well considered answer and a possible ground swell of a revolt from sensible folks around the world to change this amazingly stupid situation….of embedded imprisoned batteries.
Hi Maaen,
Thanks for your inquiry.
Unfortunately, we don’t have much choice regarding this matter. The manufacturers decide what they put on the mobile phones, this includes irremovable batteries. You have valid points but sadly we don’t have control over these things.
Hope this information helped.
Cheers,
Arnold
Is there any environmental difference between removable and non-removable batteries?
Hi,
From an environmental perspective it will depend on a few factors, most notably what you do with the device and battery when you’re done with it. The batteries themselves tend to be the same in terms of chemistry, but how you recycle them will have the most significant impact.
Regards,
Alex.
do any motorola phones have removable batteries
Hi there,
Only a few select phones out Motorola’s current line have a removable battery. For example, the Moto X Style has a removable battery but the Moto X Play does not.
Hope that helps,
Brodie
I want to buy a phone under 10k,which one will be good, is Asus Zenfone 2 Laser ZE500KL good to buy?please suggest..
Hi there!
The Asus Zenfone 2 Laser is a good phone. However, as you’ve landed on this page, I assume you’re looking for a handset with a removable battery, which the Zenfone 2 Laser does not have. If you’re looking for a handset with a removable battery, we’d recommend something like an LG G4 or Samsung Galaxy S5.
Thanks,
Brodie
I wanna buy a 15k to 20k phone…
And I am confused between xperia t2 ultra and xperia z ultra…
Please suggest me..
Or let me know any other good smartphone in this range.
Hi Raj,
The Xperia T2 Ultra is the more recent phone and offers a few upgrades like a 13 MP camera (as opposed to an 8MP camera) and a bigger battery.
Hope this helps,
Brodie
why don’t sony make some phones with removable batteries and others with non removable to accommodate all potential buyers. imagine that viewing the specs of a phone, one may be really satisfied, but when it comes to non removable battery, all the morale disappears. l had loved a sony phone but its non removable battery chased me away to samsung. Some of us value the convenience more than the design.
Hi Peter,
Manufacturers make phones with non-removable batteries for a number of reasons. The battery can be directly connected to the circuit, negating the need for flimsy contacts. Sealed batteries don’t need as much shielding as an exposed battery, making more room inside the phone. It also means the inside of the phone is not exposed, reducing the risk of water and dust damage.
However, you’re right. It would be nice if they offered an option for those who prefer removable batteries.
Thanks,
Brodie
thanks for reply…
i known many smartphones are also available in market with removable battery but i want to know how can replace my smartphone (with non-removable battery) after warrenty because i want go with xperia z ultra/t2 ultra /t3 or htc desire 826/820/816/816G or samsung galaxy E7/A7 otherwise xperia C3 dual (last option). so talk about non-removable battery replacement after warrenty.
Hey there Chandan,
It really depends on the phone you end up going with. For example, Sony have authorised repairers who will replace your battery without voiding your warranty whereas Samsung and Apple replace batteries for a cost after the warranty expires.
Hope I’ve helped,
Brodie
i want to purchase a smartphone in next 3 days , but i an confused about battery because at this time maximum brand like sony/htc/samsung etc come with non-removable battery & 1 year warranty . if i will purchase any smartphone from good brand then may be phone will be work properly but in case battery will not work after warranty period then ……
what can i do with my smartphone? ,
how can replace my smartphone ?,
how much the cost of replacement charge ? ,
or
wasting money every time at the time of service.
Hey there Chandan,
A lot of mobile phones these days have a sealed unit with no removable battery. As you’ve pointed out most batteries only have a 12 month warranty, after that you’re expected to send the handset away and pay for a replacement battery. If this is an issue, there is always the option of a Samsung Galaxy S4 or S5– both phones feature removable batteries and can be easily replaced at a small cost.
Hope I’ve helped,
Brodie
Htc have non removable battery but I want to know that if any damaged in battery then from where I get the battery for HTC 820 please say me
Hi Priyam,
Thanks for your question.
It’s probably best to take to your service provider to see what options they can provide you.
Cheers,
Shirley
Can you say me that which mobile is better between 150.00 to 220.00
Hi Priyam,
Thanks for your question.
Please note that finder.com.au is an online comparison service and is not in a position to recommend specific products, providers and services.
You can compare a range of mobile phones on this page.
Cheers,
Shirley