7 Ways Smartphones Are Getting Worse

When you compare smartphones from nearly two decades ago to today, you can't help but notice that they've gotten worse in a variety of ways. Fortunately, some problems can be fixed, but for some, there's no other option.

7. Support eSIM only

One of the most recent changes in modern smartphones is eSIM support . That's not a bad thing in itself, as it frees up more space for larger batteries or thinner designs. Besides, eSIMs are more secure than physical SIM cards . However, the downside is that eSIM-only support can be inconvenient in an emergency.

If your device breaks or the battery dies and you need to stay connected, you're out of luck because switching eSIMs requires access to your phone. With a physical SIM, you take it out, put it in another device, and that's it. With an eSIM, you can't switch numbers if your phone breaks or the battery dies.

6. No expandable memory

Another way modern smartphones are going backwards is by eliminating expandable storage. A few years ago, smartphones often had dedicated microSD card slots . So you could buy a cheap microSD card and instantly double, triple, or even quadruple the storage for your photos, videos, and apps.

Back in the day, the new norm was that you didn’t have the option to expand your storage, either through a dedicated SIM+SD slot or a combination. Sure, we had more storage as standard (most phones start at 64GB these days) – but these days, it’s often not enough. The system and apps take up more space, plus you can’t use up all the available storage without risking performance.

5. Charger not included

Another annoying trend is the way manufacturers are now selling devices with just a charging cable, no charger in the box. The official reason is environmental, as no charger means less e-waste, smaller packaging, and lower shipping emissions. It’s a step toward sustainability, assuming everyone already has a charger.

In practice, however, this is inconvenient and adds cost. What manufacturers fail to mention is that their shiny new gadgets support fast-charging standards that years-old chargers can’t provide. So even if you have a drawer full of chargers, they may not provide the voltage or wattage your new phone needs to charge at its maximum speed.

4. Phones are getting so big that they are uncomfortable to hold.

Modern phones have gotten bigger over time, often becoming so large that they're uncomfortable to hold. That may not be obvious if you've only recently bought your first device, but for anyone who's been using a smartphone for more than a decade, the difference is palpable.

For example, in 2011, the Samsung Galaxy Note's 5.3-inch screen was the largest available. It was called a "phablet" because its screen was nearly the size of a tablet.

Just a decade later, Samsung released another big-screen device, the Galaxy S21 Ultra, with a much larger 6.8-inch display. In 2025, the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a 6.9-inch display, which was previously considered tablet-sized. And Samsung isn’t alone. Many phones now have screens of at least 6.6 inches.

3. Expensive repair costs

It's not just the price of phones that seems to be going up; they're also getting more expensive to repair. Modern phones have sealed glass backs and tightly packed internal components, making even routine repairs costly.

Take a cracked screen, for example. For this common problem, according to Apple's repair cost estimator, it will cost you $329 to replace an iPhone 16 Pro screen . For an iPhone 16 Pro Max , the estimated cost is $379.

To replace the screen and back glass, you'll pay $429 and $499 for the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, respectively. For the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, screen replacements cost $174, $199, and $259 for the S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra, respectively, according to Samsung's cracked screen repair page.

It's hard to imagine that you'd have to pay 20% to 33% of the phone's retail price just to get the screen repaired.

2. Too much junk software

Junkware isn’t new, but modern smartphones have taken it to the extreme. For those who don’t know, bloatware refers to all the pre-installed apps that come pre-loaded on your phone, some of which you’ll never use.

Manufacturer bloatware typically includes messaging, shopping, news, streaming, and calling apps, along with utility apps like cleaners and memory optimizers. And if you buy your device from a carrier, you’ll get even more bloatware. Worse yet, on some Android devices, you’ll find a company pre-installing its own apps in addition to Google’s versions, leaving you with two pre-installed apps that do the same thing.

1. No headphone jack

One of the most regrettable losses from smartphones is that most no longer have headphone jacks. A decade ago, it was a standard feature and it was hard to find a smartphone without one. Now, most devices have ditched the 3.5mm jack altogether, and the only way to listen to music or podcasts without the hassle is to use wireless headphones or earbuds.

Of course, that results in a smaller, sleeker design, but it’s a shame for anyone who wants the highest quality audio. Sure, Bluetooth can deliver high-quality audio, but it’s a bit tricky: First of all, it depends a lot on the codec used by both the source and the headphones.

Using Bluetooth is also inconvenient because you need to charge the headset to use it, unlike wired headsets.