I hope not. I like that AA is safer. A nimh battery isn’t going to explode if it’d overdrained or overcharged. I leave fully charged nimh batteries in storage for years, but I won’t do that (again) with lithium ion batteries.
I love eneloop AA, and I love AA lights. I have Jet-1 MK, E11, Mi7.
I don’t think manufacturers would stop development on AA lights as long as AA batteries still being produced. And until now, AA battery is still being the most used battery in the world.
Dead? I think not,
138 aa lights,
www.fasttech.com/category/1601/led-flashlights?f=MTI1PUFB&sort=p1&
and that is only one store 
Cheers David
I wish there were more double barrel 4AA flashlights. I like the soda can ones too, but I feel a relatively compact double barrel 4AA flashlight can be made as well.
I’ve traveled to a number of 3rd world countries (Uganda, Peru, Cambodia to name a few) and I’ve never seen a li-ion flashlight in any of those places. Also most of the lights I saw people carrying weren’t even LED’s. I think AA lights are way more popular and pervasive than most BLF addicts think 
I have a ton of lights. Most of them are AA. Much better battery life than AAA. More practical with eneloop in many situations for me. I’ve also just had a thing for AA lights since the Minimag I got in 1988.
Twisties get all gummed up with dirt and debris, they might still work, but they become very stiff and hard to use, though most are not for one handed use even when new.
The MT10A is, or rather was, my favourite light. The side switches are so convenient. Sadly I lost it at the ice rink. My favourite is the rotary switch e.g. Sunwayman M40A XML.
I don’t think you have any evidence for side switches being less durable.
I’ve carried a Fenix twisty on my keychain since at least 2007 and never experienced that, I prefer the twisty for small lights.
That’s also my thinking. Just those are really crappy lights…and people are perfectly happy with those.
I have gifted SK68’s / Hugsby XP-11 / XP-12 and all people were surprised with how bright it could be. They just don’t know…
AA and AAA Alkaline cells, (as well as C and D cells), are the most purchased cells here in the US. There are literally tens of millions or more cheap AA and AAA lights sitting in homes, garages, cars, etc., all over the US. I cannot believe that the AA or AAA will ever be replaced with Li-ion here in the US. Go to any Wal-mart and see just how many cheap plastic AA, AAA and D cell lights there are. Then look at how many Li-ion there are. Maybe in another lifetime, but not in the near future. As far as the lights we look at, well, we never see all of the lights made for Wal-mart, Target, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Those are all made specifically for retail sales and we will never see them on Gearbest or Banggood. The majority of flashlight sales are from retail stores and that's it. The average person still has a bunch of cheap plastic lights lying around the house and a bunch of Alkaline cells lying around too.
I still use Alkalines in all my wall clocks, portable weather radios, cheap flashlights, etc. AA is here to stay.
In the AA form factor the imho best light is the Xeno E03 with XP-G2 NW emitter and without PWM in lower modes, only lacks moonlight mode. Also the Xtar WK50 is a great light, but it has PWM in lower modes and includes a moonlight mode.
When it comes to aa lights the thrunite t10 is a good light. I’ve use to have 2a v3 archer that I’ve traded but is a good light 500 lumens off 2aa. I believe the t10 is 200+ lumens off a single aa along with the 1a archer v2-v3 or 180ish cant remember
+1 for the T10. Excellent EDC torch, simple but versatile with moonlight for Lo, over a full day on Mid and a surprisingly strong Hi. No bells and whistles, just a reverse clicky that makes mode navigation easy.
Even the other 2 lights I’ve had that managed to be even simpler were AA’s: the Jetbeam BA20 (awesome) and the Fenix E11 (meh to decent if you have nothing else).
Hi All. David here. AA AAA Li ion Who cares right now. I’m just glad to see a post from OL
Fwiw, I just bought 5 more of these critters: Amazon.com
For 13bux I’d rather have a Jet-1, but for <8bux… 
And yeah, they’re Barbie Pink, but I don’t care!
Hey, pink is a very easy color to find in dim light. No problem telling it in the gloom even on leafy autumn ground.
Besides, I bet you’re man enough not to be afraid of a color :sunglasses:
I didn’t read the whole thread, so apologies if this is repetitive. Given how common AA cells are, and how useful lights that use them are for so many people, my answer is, in a word, no.
I’ve gotten bored to tears with Basic Black in practically everything flashlight-related. “Ooh, titanium gray!” drives people wild, y’know?
So yeah, I ordered purple ’501 hosts for my UV lights, a green S2+ to not clash with my red/blue hosts, etc., so yeah, Barbie Pink in a WK50 just seems to “fit”.
Plus, not many people would be tempted to swipe a Barbie Pink light. It’s just not a tacti-cool color!
Aww, Hell, even the usb charging 18650 whateveryoucallit that I have is hot/shocking pink, too! I see that on anyone else’s desk, and I know it’s mine!