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5 mobile phone features of the past that we actually miss

by Damian M.

May 30, 2017, 2:56 AM

5 mobile phone features of the past that we actually miss

In case you haven't noticed, the world is changing and technology is the main culprit. In the last 100 years mankind has advanced more than in the previous 1,000. Don't get us wrong, we're not complaining. Technology is making our lives much easier, but also a bit less exciting in some ways. Sure, we're very grateful that we have an app for everything nowadays, but do you remember the time when mobile data costed an arm and a leg, and we had to make-do with whatever we had available offline at that particular moment?

It's easy to get used to the comfort modern mobile technology provides and forget about the times we rocked something more in the line of an Ericsson T68. And, yes, smartphones are much better now, they provide far more utility, and are overall far more useful, but with all the features that came and went over the past two decades, aren't there some you miss? We, here at PhoneArena, managed to find five in the phones of old.

5 mobile phone features of the past that we actually miss

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32 Comments

1. rnagic

Posts: 215; Member since: Jul 13, 2014

IR blaster. .

posted on May 30, 2017, 2:58 AM 11

2. ibend

Posts: 6747; Member since: Sep 30, 2014

some new phones still have it..

posted on May 30, 2017, 3:09 AM 0

4. deewinc

Posts: 455; Member since: Feb 21, 2013

I miss the IR too. Last was with the S4 for Samsung I think.

posted on May 30, 2017, 3:39 AM 0

10. cmdacos

Posts: 4398; Member since: Nov 01, 2016

S5 was the last for Samsung

posted on May 30, 2017, 5:12 AM 4

13. Bankz

Posts: 2552; Member since: Apr 08, 2016

No, it was the s6.

posted on May 30, 2017, 5:19 AM 2

24. yaduvanshi

Posts: 2; Member since: Jan 22, 2015

Really? my s6 edge has IR Blaster and s6 was the last phone from samsung having IR blaster

posted on May 30, 2017, 11:41 AM 0

26. GeorgeAF

Posts: 91; Member since: Feb 25, 2014

Note 4 was the last one

posted on May 30, 2017, 11:49 AM 0

33. nickgreek

Posts: 12; Member since: Jun 01, 2015

In fact S6 was the last one...

posted on May 30, 2017, 5:24 PM 0

34. g2a5b0e unregistered

Wish I had read the comments more before posting.

posted on May 30, 2017, 10:35 PM 0

20. mahima

Posts: 745; Member since: Nov 20, 2014

mi 6 have it...

posted on May 30, 2017, 7:05 AM 0

12. Bankz

Posts: 2552; Member since: Apr 08, 2016

Now we live at a time where companies take away what we need and give us gimmicks instead. No user replacable battries, no ir blasters, no fm radio, no headphone jacks, no memory cards etc.. Its only the lg v20 that still give these options, so heres hoping the v30 continues the trend and make us proud.

posted on May 30, 2017, 5:18 AM 0

29. TBomb

Posts: 1718; Member since: Dec 28, 2012

You still gotta buy the phone to enjoy the features.... unfortunately, LG isn't at the status symbol level of Apple and Samsung Not saying you don't buy it (cause I don't know) but the majority of people don't.

posted on May 30, 2017, 1:11 PM 0

31. TheOracle1

Posts: 2340; Member since: May 04, 2015

My Xiaomi has an IR Blaster, sd slot, fm radio and headphone jack as does my Asus except for the blaster. I don't really miss removable batteries. The article should read "5 mobile phone features the iPhone/Galaxy is missing".

posted on May 30, 2017, 3:05 PM 0

27. GreenMan

Posts: 2702; Member since: Nov 09, 2015

I don't miss anything mentioned here... And seems like someone at PhoneArena is 'secretly' in love with physical keyboards... I quote: "Let us remind you, folks, that when we used physical keys to type out our emails, we didn't have to apologize for any missed typos. Our text was on point, and we didn't need autocorrect." End quote. I'm mean; this line is just pure... 'Horse manure', to say the least (forgive my potty language)... I used to have a Blackberry with a physical keyboard myself and I honestly wasn't THAT accurate on it... I'd often make mistakes while typing, and typing on a virtual keyboard scores more or less the same result... If you are REALLY that crazy over physical keyboard, why not just get a Bluetooth keyboard and connect it with your phone whenever the need arise...? And secondly; If you have a Galaxy "S" series smartphone then you can always buy a accessory physical keyboard which comes pretty close to the 'Blackberry' experience albeit with a lack of a back-light... Oh well, eh? G'Day!

posted on May 30, 2017, 12:11 PM 0

3. L0n3n1nja

Posts: 1605; Member since: Jul 12, 2016

High screen sensitivity is what I miss most, was nice using my Note 3 with a pair of gloves, now I've got to take my gloves off to use the phone.

posted on May 30, 2017, 3:22 AM 0

22. buccob

Posts: 2981; Member since: Jun 19, 2012

Sony Xperia have glove mode under display settings and I'd bet others offer it as well

posted on May 30, 2017, 10:57 AM 1

5. piyath

Posts: 2445; Member since: Mar 23, 2012

I can remember my fist phone 1100. It was a great device. 2100, 2130, 6600, 6020, N70 music edition....lol phonerotica.com.....lolzzz Good times.

posted on May 30, 2017, 3:42 AM 1

6. Andrewtst

Posts: 697; Member since: Jan 25, 2009

The only I miss is FM Transmitter and IR Blaster. That it.

posted on May 30, 2017, 3:55 AM 1

7. NoAllegiance unregistered

Soon we can add 3.5mm jack to this in the next few years.

posted on May 30, 2017, 4:25 AM 2

8. RebelwithoutaClue unregistered

Funny, I happen to drive an Alfa GT (2006) and the default nav/audio system sucks balls (old nav maps, car kit but only if you insert your sim card into the system, no b/t). I did replace it with a Pioneer AVIC-8100NEX, I see no point in keeping it original. Granted the original system is more in tune with the console, but it doesn't bother me at all. The original BOSE speakers are quite good though.

posted on May 30, 2017, 4:49 AM 0

11. cmdacos

Posts: 4398; Member since: Nov 01, 2016

"Of course, this feature made them anything but waterproof, so it's definitely a double-edged sword." S5 was waterproof (I know you actually mean resistant) and had removable battery. Would be nice if writers here actually took the time to research what they write.

posted on May 30, 2017, 5:15 AM 0

15. Bankz

Posts: 2552; Member since: Apr 08, 2016

This..

posted on May 30, 2017, 5:26 AM 0

16. cnour

Posts: 2305; Member since: Sep 11, 2014

Android phones are missing everything not only these.

posted on May 30, 2017, 5:27 AM 0

17. Alter

Posts: 239; Member since: Mar 25, 2016

Every phone I've ever owned including my current one has had a removable battery. Odds are my next phone will be my first with a sealed in battery unless a great phone comes out and surprises me. Maybe the V30 will have what I want.

posted on May 30, 2017, 5:38 AM 0

19. LikeMyself

Posts: 631; Member since: Sep 23, 2013

I miss only the fm transmitter! The rest are just hardware bloatware!

posted on May 30, 2017, 6:15 AM 0

21. tokuzumi

Posts: 2006; Member since: Aug 27, 2009

I don't really miss any of those things, other than maybe the replaceable battery. Qwerty keyboards have been awful since about 2010. And I'd rather just get games from the play store.

posted on May 30, 2017, 9:25 AM 0

23. buccob

Posts: 2981; Member since: Jun 19, 2012

Of that list I would only kind of miss the FM transmitter, however all my cars, even the old ones have Bluetooth stereos. I don't miss physical keyboard, in fact I preferred the Blackberry Storm2 back in the day... And now with gesture typing, touchscreen is even more efficient for long texts I never used IR so I wouldn't miss it... I never changed the battery of my phone.... Usually have a new phone before needing replacement... We currently get a couple of "built in games" in the form of Chrome's Dinosaur game and Android's flappy bird clone.... I would be pissed for not having the mini jack port though. And what I do miss right now is the hole for straps that Sony used to have (and others as well)... It is an easy way to prevent accidental falls... However a case with it would somewhat remedy it.

posted on May 30, 2017, 11:15 AM 2

25. PHYCLOPSH

Posts: 656; Member since: Jun 28, 2014

My G5 has FM, IR, and removable battery. Hopefully LG quits f***ing off (G6) and brings these useful features back in the G7.

posted on May 30, 2017, 11:44 AM 0

32. buccob

Posts: 2981; Member since: Jun 19, 2012

The article here talks about FM transmitter which is different than FM radio

posted on May 30, 2017, 3:41 PM 1

28. Pitrich

Posts: 239; Member since: Apr 13, 2016

Removable battery USED to be a must for me. Even though I didn't carry a spare battery it was the future proof feeling of knowing if the battery stopped holding a charge as long as it used to I could just buy another

posted on May 30, 2017, 12:12 PM 0

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