If Apple could make money from removable batteries, meaning there was a market for it and people wanted it over some other alternative, are you suggesting they are not smart enough to do the research and work necessary to accomplish that?

The reality is people don't want it, at all. At least not enough to warrant action. So the story ends there.

Also, the lighting connector is better than USB in every way. Mandating an inferior technology is an odd choice.

False dichotomy. The question isn't whether you can make money with a replaceable battery, but whether you can make more money by selling specialized service (or an entirely new phone) than a battery. What else are people going to do, not buy a phone? Switch operating systems entirely?

This whole thing becomes more obvious in the Android world, where models with various features do exist, but only in certain markets

Even then, this whole line of argument seems moot because if the battery still holds enough charge over time the regulations don't even require it to be replaceable

> If Apple could make money from removable batteries, meaning there was a market for it and people wanted it over some other alternative, are you suggesting they are not smart enough to do the research and work necessary to accomplish that?

sort of missed the point. market dominance and lock-in means they already are the 800-lb gorilla, and removable batteries sit below where it'd move most people to switch

> The reality is people don't want it, at all.

lmao thats a good blither

https://www.androidauthority.com/removable-battery-poll-resu...

> Also, the lighting connector is better than USB in every way. Mandating an inferior technology is an odd choice.

right, except in the ways that matter and that people care about