No they really seem to have dropped the ball on that one, footage i have seen dont look too bad, but the plastic used on the case seem to be bad and prone to breaking.
If i was to make a WP action camera, then it would just have 1 place to open and that would be where the battery and memory card would go, for connection to external microphones and charging ASO i would have to invent something.
Though IMO a action camera should not really be used with a external microphone, cuz then it is no longer a action camera but more likely a vloggin camera.
But i would probably have to support that cuz people buying my camera are not smarter than people in general.
I was thinking something like a DSLR hot shoe like connection to externals, then you can slide in a blank dummy for waterproof / protect connectors, or you can slide on a adapter with USB C for charging and a 2.5/3.5 mm jack for MIC.
And if these hot shoes was like LEGO you would be able to put on the charge / mic adapter and maybe a LED light cube on top of that.
IMO it do not matter if the camera become a little bulky in a vloggin scenario, it seem like those people will aim anything at them self to get on youtube, so as long as its not too heavy for their pencil thick arms.
Too bad i feel the way i do about batteries in such cameras, but i feel they mist be replaceable, so there must be 1 opening.
Also i dont get why no one are using a 18650 battery in their camera, that would not make it much larger than current models, and you will have up to 3500 MAH of power
In that case i would argue you could do without a replaceable battery.
Or if you do and made the end screw on cap a little larger than 18 mm you could still have the micro SD card in the same compartment too, and i have more faith in people being able to handle a screw in seal VS the click in seals of Gopro and others.