Should we not expect phones to last more than 3-4 years? We aren't in the exponential performance growth and requirements part of the smartphone world anymore, a 5-7 year old phone can be a perfectly functional device. Isn't it unfortunate that a perfectly good phone gets turned to e-waste years before it has to, just because a consumable part of it happens to be non-replaceable?

> Isn't it unfortunate that a perfectly good phone gets turned to e-waste years before it has to

This does not happen. There is a thriving market for used phones, many of which have had the battery replaced.