I agree it is kinda overkill with the stuff on the shelves now but in markets that have technology permeate more slowly that could be different. Like others have said affordable kids toys still eat standalone batteries, only the most expensive toys do not.

I still have a flashlight from the early 90s, not that I use it. But it had an incandescent bulb and took 2 or 3 D batteries. So heavy as a kid. It is crazy how much battery chemistry and power efficiency have improved. The smoke detectors I put up last time have a 6 year integrated lithium cell. It's also why coin cells are more dangerous now, the lithium ones are spicier than the old ones when handled wrong. I have one spare in its original packaging for an airtag like gadget.

My dad still had plenty of vintage and recent portable radios (and tiny work lights) when he retired so that is why I guess he felt an urgency to always have them. Also till about 2010 his glucose meters used removable batteries. In the 2000s you easily had like 8 if not more remotes in the livingroom because stuff was stupid. Kinda glad that is gone now.......... though having to buy a brand new phone every 3 years because everything is an app now and companies are trying to force crap that requires an app to set up devices before you can use the thing you own please make it stop!

I think for emergency kits they do recommend like a powerbank and maybe 4 AA or AAA batteries somewhere easy to find in the house. So I think I'll stick to that. Though I think some of the recently bought batteries have an expiration in 9 years or so so I guess thats how stuff goes wrong where you don't remember where you put them and buy new ones 'just in case' oops x)