Being an Android user can be a clunky experience sometimes, but it can also open you up to a bunch of new device quirks you won’t find elsewhere. Whereas Apple chooses to put only features that match its sleek image on the iPhone, Android manufacturers have taken more risks in pursuing market share. It’s one of the fun parts of wielding an Android device.
This week reminded me what it’s like to have that suddenly taken away. OnePlus launched the 10T smartphone without its signature alert slider. The company knew it would cause some of its fans to protest enough that it released an official statement as to why it had to remove the physical alert slider. It made me think: how many random and interesting Android device features have we lost because they were just a little outlandish?
