In movies and TV it always looked like they cracked something in half. I'm wondering if they've been coming in a little pouch now for a long time but that cracking-in-half type is now movie shorthand for smelling salts so they keep doing it.
Glass ampoules definitely still exist for smelling salts and similar. Honestly I assumed it was because they'd eat through most other viable packaging, now I dunno. But they definitely still exist. My roommate has some.