Comment Bulkier devices, less battery life (Score 1) 482
The reason for custom batteries is often to make them fit within the available space of a device while minimizing dead space. Apple has even gone so far as to mold their gel batteries inside the case. By making them non-removable they 1) save space by not needing a hard-plastic case to protect the cells, 2) minimize dead space by being able to shape the battery as needed and 3) can get longer battery life by being able to fit their custom-shaped batteries into a larger percentage of the device. I'm not an Apple fan-boy, but I thought this was pretty cool.