I understand where you're coming from, but customers who want/need to swap out batteries themselves are too small of a market for Apple to care about. Unfortunately for you, the trend of ever-tighter industrial design (which means integrated batteries) only looks like it will continue.

will_work4tears: Lithium batteries (used in all modern phones and tablets) work best when not drained completely before recharging.

In fact, there's usually firmware specifically designed to cut power off before the battery completely discharges, because completely discharging the battery can physically damage it. (Completely discharging LiPoly batteries can actually produce a fire hazard, because gaseous hydrogen is generated inside the cell!)

"only looks like it will continue"

This is probably true, but hopefully battery technology gets better and electronics require less and less power.

Charging every day is a hassle. Especially since you supposedly shouldn't charge until it's entirely drained.

>Especially since you supposedly shouldn't charge until it's entirely drained.

Is this true? I thought it was an old wives tale.

> I'd pay more than an iPad for a tablet with identical specs if it had replaceable batteries.

Why?

Because I like to be able to swap my batteries without paying 200 bucks and having my electronic device away (Send to apple to replace).

Also, I'm don't like Apple as a company and am not a brandphile. Having a smart phone or tablet is enough for me, I don't need to flash around a brand name to feel important.

you are a brandophobe then, completely guided by a logo rather than the capabilities of the device.

i own iPad 1, 2 and 3 devices (through my job) - never, ever did i need to replace the battery. it lasts very long, days, by then you have plugged it in somewhere.

my customers are big on ipads for their mobile sales forces and none, NONE, report issues with the batteries. that's a sample size of 15k+ users, worldwide.

>you are a brandophobe then, completely guided by a logo rather than the capabilities of the device.

I don't like Apple as a company, but I'd buy their products if their capabilities matched my requirements. A changeable battery is my gamechanger. My ONLY major one (price is often an issue, but I agree that the quality of Apple products reasonably matches the price - if only a bit inflated).

And just because people don't complain to you about the battery usage doesn't mean there aren't issues - nor that they just don't blindly accept the limitations. Why would they report it to you anyway? Are you working for Apple tech support?