Smartphones have come a long way, but not every change has been for the better. Some changes are simply clever tactics to get you to spend more money, dressed up as innovation.

The Unboxing Experience Has Become a Letdown

You're not alone if you've noticed how underwhelming unboxing a modern smartphone can be. The very first iPhone came with wired earbuds, a power adapter, a cable, a microfiber cleaning cloth, some Apple stickers, and even a charging dock that doubled as a stand.

Unboxing that device must have felt like opening a gift on Christmas morning, but those days seem to be long gone. Today's boxes usually contain just the essentials: a SIM ejector tool and a USB-C cable.

We’re told this is done to reduce carbon emissions and help the environment, yet we're also encouraged to purchase additional accessories like a MagSafe charger separately in order to use wireless charging—something that likely cancels out any environmental benefits, especially when considering the energy inefficiencies of wireless charging itself.

Some Android manufacturers still include extra items in the box, particularly for budget models. Phones like the CMF Phone 2 Pro, Motorola Edge 60 Pro, and Redmi Note 14 Pro (why does every phone need a "Pro" in its name?) often come with a charger and case included. However, flagship devices from Samsung, Apple, or Google rarely offer the same generosity regardless of price.

If you're buying a high-end phone, the assumption is that you already own all the necessary accessories or are willing to pay extra for premium ones—which isn't ideal since the chargers included in the box are typically optimized for that specific model. Using third-party alternatives can sometimes lead to overheating issues or battery degradation due to incompatibility.

No Headphone Jack Means You Have to Keep Buying Earbuds

The Samsung Galaxy S25 without a 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom. I don’t care if I sound old-fashioned here—I miss the headphone jack and will continue to voice my complaints about its disappearance. I'm not an audiophile, but I do care more about audio quality than most people. Case in point: I own four pairs of in-ear monitors!

Yes, I could use a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, but it’s inconvenient to carry around every time I step outside. Wired headphones offer a seamless plug-and-play experience—they don’t require charging, avoid latency issues, and provide superior sound quality at a lower cost compared to their wireless counterparts.

Don’t misunderstand me—I have no issue with wireless earbuds and use them frequently. But I should have the option to use wired headphones whenever I want. There's no reason why both options can't coexist—you'll always have Bluetooth enabled anyway.

Manufacturers claim removing the headphone jack was necessary to make space for other components, likely the battery. That doesn't hold water. If they really wanted to include the jack, they could easily do so. The real motive? Selling new earbuds year after year, since they tend to wear out quickly.

Related ##### It's Not Just You, Wireless Earbuds Are Designed to Fail

Why can't earbuds last as long as phones?

Posts 2 Being able to switch to wired headphones occasionally means less frequent use of your wireless buds, reducing charge cycles and prolonging their lifespan—which saves you money over time. Unfortunately, only budget and gaming phones retain the headphone jack these days. Thank you, Apple.

No MicroSD Card Slot Forces You to Buy More Internal Storage

128GB stopped being sufficient storage capacity three years ago, yet most phones still start at that amount unless you opt for top-tier Ultra flagships. We're capturing more content, taking higher resolution photos and videos, and holding onto our phones longer—making storage limitations increasingly common.

Without an SD card slot, your only choices are deleting files or moving them to the cloud or an external drive—neither of which is convenient or efficient.

Moreover, filling internal storage to the brim affects performance because the operating system needs free space to create temporary cache files during app usage. Ideally, you should keep 15–20% of your internal storage free at all times.

The absence of a microSD card slot forces you to upgrade internal storage, which would be fine if the cost matched that of an SD card. But it doesn’t. While 128GB of internal storage may add $100 to the price, an SD card of the same capacity costs around $10.

Granted, read/write speeds may be slower, but such cards are perfect for storing older files you access infrequently. This frees up faster internal storage for regularly used apps and data. That’s exactly what I’ve done on my Galaxy A35, possibly the last mid-range Samsung model with expandable storage.

Fingerprint Reader on the Back Made More Sense

Justin Duino / Review Geek One area where innovation feels misguided is fingerprint sensors. Early smartphones placed them on the back, right under your index finger, with a subtle indentation that made locating the sensor by touch effortless.

This meant that by the time you pulled the phone from your pocket, it was already unlocked. It was quick, intuitive, and user-friendly.

Compare that to today’s in-display optical and ultrasonic fingerprint readers. Since there's no physical indicator on the screen, you have to navigate to the lock screen, locate the sensor icon, tap it, and then gain access.

It might seem trivial, but multiplied by dozens of unlocks per day, it adds up. Capacitive fingerprint readers on the back were simply more ergonomic and practical.

Non-Removable Batteries Make Replacement Harder

Do you remember when you could pop off the back cover, swap out the battery, and extend your phone's life by several years? Those days are gone, making battery replacements far more complicated. What used to be a simple DIY fix now requires a trip to a repair shop and a hefty fee.

Manufacturers argue that non-removable batteries make it harder for thieves to disable tracking features, which sounds logical—until you realize removing the SIM card achieves the same result. Without a SIM, there's no cellular signal, meaning no location tracking.

iPhones Are eSIM-Only in the US

So if non-removable batteries aren’t bad enough, what about switching entirely to eSIMs?

You could, but eSIMs come with risks too. As reported by Android Authority, one author’s toddler dropped her iPhone off a balcony, destroying the screen and frame—and rendering the display unusable. Unable to transfer her eSIM to a new device, she was locked out of her banking and payment apps tied to her number.

This illustrates the balance between convenience and security. While eSIMs enhance theft protection, nobody wants to be without a working phone for days due to accidental damage.

Ideally, users should be given a choice—something available worldwide except in the U.S., where iPhones are eSIM-only.

Repairability Is Overlooked to Push Frequent Upgrades

Tech companies prefer that you upgrade your phone frequently, but many consumers now choose to keep their devices longer as innovation slows down. You're not missing much by waiting.

Google and Samsung offer up to seven years of software updates, eliminating concerns about obsolescence. That leaves only two main reasons for upgrading: battery degradation or physical damage like a cracked screen.

Unfortunately, by the time you're ready to replace parts, manufacturers may no longer stock them, forcing premature upgrades. Unless you bought from Apple or Samsung, who maintain spare parts inventories for older models.

Ads Within the Software Ruin User Experience

Few things are more frustrating than built-in ads on your phone. Chinese manufacturers, in particular, are known for embedding ads into system apps, notifications, and pre-installed third-party apps. My mom's Xiaomi phone used to show ads even after installing new apps.

This practice is common in markets where affordability matters most. Companies partner with local brands and developers to offset production costs and pass savings to consumers through lower prices.

While budget-conscious buyers may tolerate this, it undeniably harms the overall user experience. Samsung also displays ads, but they're limited to promoting its own services and are less intrusive.

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Tech companies justify feature removals with various excuses, few of which hold up. These practices persist because they cut costs and boost profits—even though they clearly harm the consumer experience.

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