Samsung's next cheap phones may bring back a useful, legacy tech

The Samsung Galaxy A10 doesn't feature a removable battery (Image credit: Samsung)

Removable batteries were a useful feature for many on smartphones before the trend to remove them over the last few years, but a new rumor suggests certain Samsung phones may soon get them back.

It's very unlikely this will be for top-end handsets like the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 or Galaxy S30, and instead this rumor likely relates to handsets that are part of the Galaxy A series of phones.

According to SamMobile, a removable battery has been spotted as part of an unannounced device with the model number SMA013F. The website believes this is an upcoming Galaxy A series phone, but it's unable to work out the exact model in the series.

Samsung does still include removable batteries on its Galaxy Xcover series of phones, but these are niche devices that aren't designed for mainstream users.

If Samsung brings the feature back to mainstream Galaxy A smartphones, that would mark a big change for its affordable devices. That said, it's very unlikely to do this even for the more high-end Galaxy A models such as whatever follows the Galaxy A90 5G.

Don't expect Samsung to make a big swing back to removable battery technology anytime soon, but if you're a user who needs to be able to hot swap on the go then you may find one of its upcoming devices is perfect for you.

James Peckham

James is Managing Editor for Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.