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?

Question

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

Answer 1

Because then you will have just added an additional type of battery making things more complicated, but also lost some of the efficiency of scale that allows AA and AAA batteries to be so cheap by splitting their market into at least 2 (if not more if you have to account for the different space configurations and alignment that 2 batteries can take up)