Do you miss phones with replaceable batteries? By 2027, you won't anymore because, by law, almost every smartphone will have them again.

TL;DR

  • The European Council has ended its adoption procedure for rules related to phones with replaceable batteries.
  • By 2027, all phones released in the EU must have a battery the user can easily replace with no tools or expertise.
  • The regulation intends to introduce a circular economy for batteries.
  • gezijtzelf
    25•1 year ago

    I’m very annoyed at how battery degradation makes devices obsolete more quickly. I don’t think it’s that hard to create an easily serviceable battery, it’s just in the company’s best interest to not have that. Having the battery deeply integrated with the device, is basically an easy and perfectly legal way to create planned obsolence. Maybe phones will get bulkier, but I honestly doubt it will have a serious effect. IP-ratings might suffer, but I’d wager that a global reduction in e-waste is more important.

    As to Apple pulling out of Europe, I don’t think so. Given the reluctance with which companies pulled out of Russia, which has an economy the size of Italy, I think they’ll find a way to adapt.

    • Shurimal
      19•1 year ago

      IP-ratings might suffer, but I’d wager that a global reduction in e-waste is more important.

      Nokia made water resistant phones that had replaceable batteries 20 years ago. I owned two, both survived several water immersions.

    • @chase_what_matters
      4•1 year ago

      My guess is they’ll create a fancy MagSafe-type battery or something else really slick that technically adheres to the rules but is expensive af to replace.