5 Features I Wish Never Went Missing From Android Phones

The golden age of Android: Where did all the fun, unique phones go? If you feel modern smartphones all look the same, you're not alone. I long for the days of dual front-facing speakers, bold designs, and innovative features that truly pushed boundaries. While some designs and features faded due to evolving trends or lack of consumer demand, that doesn't diminish their brilliance. Here are a few beloved Android features I wish hadn't vanished.

5. Removable Batteries: Remember easily swapping out your phone's battery? The last Samsung flagship with this was the Galaxy S5. While less crucial now with massive batteries and rapid charging, the convenience and longevity benefits were significant. Manufacturers, focused on planned obsolescence, prefer you upgrade rather than repair. A few brands, like Fairphone, still offer repairable designs and replaceable batteries, though often at the expense of premium features.

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4. Powerful Front-Facing Speakers (Remember the HTC One?): How often do you find yourself awkwardly cupping your phone to amplify the sound? While phones have grown larger and sleeker, audio quality often lags. The HTC One M7, with its stunning metal design and powerful dual front-facing speakers (a Beats Audio collaboration!), is a prime example of what we've lost. The pursuit of edge-to-edge screens has sacrificed superior audio.

3. LED Notifications: Always-on displays (AODs) are tempting distractions, but I miss the simplicity of notification LEDs. A small LED light, sometimes RGB, provided instant visual cues without unlocking the phone. While AODs offer similar functionality, they lack the immediacy and customization of LEDs. The subtle color-coding for different apps was a nice touch.

2. Expandable Storage with MicroSD Cards: High-storage smartphones are expensive. The ability to easily expand storage with a microSD card was a cost-effective solution. Now, we're forced to choose expensive high-capacity models or pay for cloud storage subscriptions. The removal of microSD slots is purely a profit-driven decision.

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1. Fun Designs and Small Flagships: The smartphone market is dominated by oversized phones, sacrificing pocketability. Finding a compact flagship with top-tier specs is a challenge. Even "smaller" models are often surprisingly large. I yearn for the days of smaller, more unique designs, like the LG Wing or the customizable Moto X.

Related: These 10 Android Phones Were a Work of Art

In short, while progress is inevitable, the industry's focus on profit has sacrificed some of the fun, unique, and user-friendly aspects of the early Android era.

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