ELI5. Why do most devices requiring AA or AAA batteries need at least two. Why not create a standard battery that is the equivalent of two or have common circuitry that only relies on one battery of a similar low profile?
In: Engineering
Actually a lot of devices don’t require two.
Many devices are simply big enough they can easily house two or more batteries. And by allowing you to add them, the total capacity of energy goes up and you don’t have to change them as often. Eg, two batteries takes longer to drain than one *because there are two of them*.
Then to get a bit more technical, the 1.5v label is a lie. As they lose power a AA’s voltage can drop as low as 0.9v. If your device absolutely requires 1.4v, the battery will appear dead in it even if you can put the battery in a device that uses less power, like flashlight and turning it on. By using two batteries and adding a regulator after it, you can drop the 3~1.8v to 1.4v and keep it consistent until the batteries have nothing left in them. This also makes them seem like they last longer, because you’re tossing them in the trash when they reach <1% charge instead of 50% or so.
Which kind of takes us to the main point. Your device has battery expectations, with standardized batteries they can adjust to them. Sort of like how cell phones use different hardware, but they all use standardized methods to recharge them. Offering to many batteries for devices, or charging cables for cell phones, and users will have problems matching them up and have left over batteries & cords they cannot use.
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