For me its the ‘Knock Code’ that LG had on their phones (I really wish LG still made at least the V series phones)

Basically there was a four-square area and you set up a sequence of where you would tap to unlock the phone. That set of squares was only shown when you set up the code

Then, to unlock your phone, you would tap those areas in the sequence you set up (even with the screen off).

Fingerprint readers are nice, but I really do miss the knock code

Edit: did find this article with a way to do the knock code, but if done wrong, could brick your phone I guess.

Plus, article is from 2014. When I looked at XDA’s info on it (they also being the developers) it looks like development on it is over, but individual modules may or may not still be supported by their devs

  • Dessalines@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Removable battery is the big one. I had a phone where they only cost like $15, so I could take 2 of them on a trip and last a week w/o charging.

    • BigMoe@lemmy.zipOP
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      1 year ago

      Removable batteries may come back since the European Union has mandated all smartphones have them by 2027

      I did see that, of all phones and manufacturers, the Kyocera DuraForce Pro 3 on Verizon actually has removable batteries (and an sd card slot).

    • Dr. Moose@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      There’s definitely a business opportunity for hot swapable batteries. I really don’t understand why no one is exploiting this market. Construction, factory and all scale workers need phones and if they can hotswap battery they’ll gonna love that.

      • nobug-404@geddit.social
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        1 year ago

        They make rugged phones and tablets for industrial setting with replaceable batteries. But they are way more expensive that consumer devices of the same spec.

      • Sl00k@programming.dev
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        1 year ago

        Just curious, what situations do you find yourself in relatively frequently that a hot swappable batter would be more convenient?

        Nowadays w/ 15 SOT I don’t think I’ve actually needed one minus camping where I don’t really use my phone much anyways.

        • nobug-404@geddit.social
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          1 year ago

          Being able to rip the battery out when the phone locks up. Needing to make sure it’s actually off and can’t be remotely powered on. When it’s 3 years old and the hardware is still well up to the task but the battery lasts 4 hours.

          • Sl00k@programming.dev
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            1 year ago

            Being able to rip the battery out when the phone locks up

            How often does your phone lock up that that’s necessary? I used to have lockups a lot more but android is damn stable now, haven’t had one in years.

            Needing to make sure it’s actually off and can’t be remotely powered on

            Do you disconnect your PC’s PSU?

            When it’s 3 years old and the hardware is still well up to the task but the battery lasts 4 hours.

            Fair, but if you’re getting 4 hours SOT after 3 years, it’s just not a great phone. My current Note 10+ still pumping out 10 hours SOT and I’m a HEAVY user.

            Honestly in 2015 I’m totally on your side for this, but in the last few years I’ve never felt the need to hotswap batteries, and only slightly felt the need to replace it in general.

      • smallaubergine@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Samsung does produce the xcover series for construction/industrial use. I seriously considered one, the issue was it would have been a downgrade for me in CPU, display and doesn’t have dex

    • 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒍@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      I don’t understand that argument, power banks are widely accessible nowadays, you can charge your phone without downtime, also can’t imagine charging this additional battery, like shutting the phone down jest to charge the second one? I’m all for user replaceable batteries tho in case of battery degradation and prolonging device’s life

    • coffinwood@feddit.de
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      1 year ago

      The only phone I had to even consider changing the battery was a Windows phone in 2015 and the replacement battery was the same age (and degraded state) as the old one. I don’t get the need for quickly swappable batteries.

      • 8565@lemmy.quad442.com
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        1 year ago

        I used to carry a backup battery so if I was away from a charger camping or so ething I could just pop a fresh battery in

      • nzodd@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        The real key to making this work properly is standardized battery sizes. You know, like the AA and AAA standards we’ve had for one hundred years.

        • coffinwood@feddit.de
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          1 year ago

          “Real” batteries would be too big because they need casing. Phone batteries on the other hand are fragile, because: no casing.

          As I said, there’s no need for quick-change batteries like in an xbox controller, because most people can go years on a single one.

          But a self-service battery change when it’s ruined should be a thing. Preferably without glued-in parts.