But there were smartphones with removable covers. The Samsung Galaxy S5, for example, had both an IP67 rating, and a similarly thin profile to modern smartphones. (It also managed to fit wireless charging in if you had a special back).

Do owners actually want thin? I've never heard anyone brag about how thin their phone is. I'm almost positive the thin fetish only exists so companies have a nice easy number to advertise, like all the useless numbers they slap on processors and TVs.