Do You Support The EU's Requirement That Smart Phones Have Replaceable Batteries?

ihfree on 22/09/2023 - 15:20
Last edited 22/09/2023 - 19:01 by 1 other user

The EU has introduced a law requiring phones and other devices to have an easily replaceable battery. This law looks to create a circular economy for batteries.

Do you support the regulation? If not, why not?

A portable battery should be considered to be removable by the end-user when it can be removed with the use of commercially available tools and without requiring the use of specialised tools, unless they are provided free of charge, or proprietary tools, thermal energy or solvents to disassemble it

News article - Mashable
Android Authority
Discussion from right to repair advocate

Poll Options

  • 849
    Yes
  • 48
    No
Mobile Battery Mobile Phone

Comments

    • capslock janitor on 24/09/2023 - 17:47

      Does it thho

    • joelmuzz on 25/09/2023 - 09:15

      Going back to detachable backs can actually result in phones being smaller. Since they dont need a one-size-fits-all battery capacity.
      They can have slim 4hr battery for people who would rather charge at desk/powerbank during the day, and fat 3 day battery for those who want max monolythic battery.

      Thats exactly how things used to be before the non removable battery took over.
      Yes phones still offer that, but not the most popular brands so there arent many aftermarket options.

  • Cluster on 22/09/2023 - 16:22
    +5

    I usually replace my phones due to aging batteries, so I welcome manufacturers being forced to make batteries replaceable again. I don't particularly like the way it was done, through the EU parliament forcing the change, but if that's what's required to make a common sense change then so be it.

    Now I look forward to manufacturers making their genuine replacement batteries available at exorbitant prices to coerce consumers to either replace the phone anyway, or play the roulette wheel that is buying dodgy knock off brand batteries.

  • netjock on 22/09/2023 - 16:50
    -4

    If you wanted to open your phone there is tools to do so. Batteries can also be be replaced by the user DIY.

    The manufacturer just won't cover you for any damage you make because you might not have the technical expertise to do it. It is like your plumber comes and fixes something then you decide to DIY and something goes wrong. They can come back to fix your work for a fee.

    I am for the idea.

    It is like back in the day when you can buy 3rd party batteries for your mobile phone (Nokia 5110 etc). Manufacturer just won't cover it if you blow up your phone.

    • bargaino on 22/09/2023 - 17:26

      You forgot to say, "what if your house burns down, and it voids the insurance".

      If they do it right, the only hard part is making sure that the waterproof seal is intact after a battery change.
      So perhaps warranties would exclude water leakage after such a change, if DIY.

      Do watches work that way? It used ot be easy to change batteries on waterproof watches, but you needed some idea what you were doing to keep full waterproofing.

      • netjock on 22/09/2023 - 22:45

        If they do it right, the only hard part is making sure that the waterproof seal is intact after a battery change

        You need to make sure the battery is not dodgy you mean

        Do watches work that way?

        Watches don't have rechargeable lithium ion batteries that have runaway thermals.

    • Cluster on 22/09/2023 - 17:30
      +8

      Have you ever tried to open a modern phone? Heat the thing until it's hot with a heat gun. Nice. Then use suction caps to rip the back off and hope no damage is caused. Mmm. Then unglue the battery.

      • netjock on 22/09/2023 - 22:44
        +1

        Yeah I opened a Xiaomi phone. Only part that went wrong was trying to unglue the battery in which case if they used double sided tape it would have been fine. I was trying to change a cracked screen. My lock phone guy charged me $50 to change the screen when I gave him the screen.

  • shaybisc on 22/09/2023 - 16:53
    +4

    European socialism, the enemy of progress! But seriously, if it forces manufacturers into giving consumers options I like it. Waterproof expensive, non-replaceable battery phone for people who get their phones wet, non-waterproof, inexpensive, replaceable battery phone for me.

    • scrimshaw on 22/09/2023 - 16:58
      +2

      It goes beyond phones. Will cover a lot of electronics, including iPads, Nintendo Switches, Meta Quest, Macbooks and so on.

      It's a good future, no longer have to carry around power banks to keep your phone or tablet juiced on a flight. Just pop in a fresh battery and you instantly have 100% charge.

      • netjock on 22/09/2023 - 22:46

        no longer have to carry around power banks

        You just need to carry a spare battery for each device?

        • xslasherzz on 23/09/2023 - 17:52
          +1

          And the tools to replace batteries too. Gotta bring those screwdrivers to plane for a fresh battery.

          • netjock on 24/09/2023 - 10:56

            @xslasherzz: But how often do you replace a battery that is faulty end of life?

            I can tell you have impeccable timing in life.

          • dbmitch on 24/09/2023 - 20:33

            @xslasherzz: My thoughts too, sure they can make batteries replaceable, but how easy are they gonna make it exactly, 50 screws isn't exactly a hot swap.

            Hopefully the new law talks about this

    • ribze1 on 24/09/2023 - 15:02

      Socialism? You need to look up what that means.

      This sort of regulation that enhances competition is truly capitalist.

  • Godric on 22/09/2023 - 17:12
    +4

    Absolutely, prolonged my Note 3 for a while

    • ihfree on 22/09/2023 - 17:40

      Samsung Note 3 was awesome. I did put a new battery in mine and was using a custom rom. I would have had it much longer if I hadn't got a great deal on another phone.

      Infact, it would still be usable today.

      • Godric on 22/09/2023 - 18:04

        Samsung Note 3 was awesome.

        Absolutely! I did the same used it from release up until end of 2017.

        How ever wouldn't use it today, it significantly under performs, at least for me.

    • THICKnSLOW on 23/09/2023 - 19:38
      +1

      When I heard manufacturers were phasing out removable phone batteries back in 2016 I made a mental decision to keep using my Note3 as long as I could, loved the removable battery and IR blaster.

      Essential feature on a new phone for me is IR blaster and AMOLED, I bowed to pressure and replaced the Note3 with a Mate2 20 Pro in 2019. Fixed battery, but high capacity.

      When that finally becomes unusable I will be looking at similar features IR blaster AMOLED display, replaceable battery, maybe 16GB RAM to last me a long while.

    • dogboy on 25/09/2023 - 11:30

      I had a Note 3 with 2 spare batteries. Damn that was an awesome phone!

  • Switchblade88 on 22/09/2023 - 17:27

    I've put 3 replacement batteries into my two (now 5-year old) Mate 10 Pro's since they're nearly spec-comparable to a mid-range phone.

    No reason to upgrade, especially since newer versions of Android are actually removing customisability from users :/

    • BartholemewH on 24/09/2023 - 23:21

      My mate 10 pro had the best camera and was so thin. I reckon build quality has gone down since then tbh.

  • [Deactivated] on 22/09/2023 - 17:59

    Saw this somewhere a few weeks ago and I sure do agree… I had to change my Android phone battery. Simple enough but there was no way anyone could have removed the little vibration motor that was in the way without breaking it. So guess what my phone no longer does. If the battery were removable this wouldn't have happened. And it serves Apple right for trying to make absolutely everything proprietary and disposable.

    • dealsucker on 25/09/2023 - 09:26

      The longest support of any phone out there, excellent after sales service, a number of stores where you could go and get the battery replaced (one every couple of years) and still have the same water resistance guaranteed by the company. If there is anything disposable its the android phones most of which barely provide any support beyond a couple of years and barely any customer service.

      • [Deactivated] on 25/09/2023 - 22:35

        Support is grossly overrated on an item like a phone. It's warranty that matters, and if someone needs help beyond that they really should be using a dumbphone. As for customer service… Over the years I've watched most people with Apple products go to supermarket booths to get their screens, sockets, batteries, replaced because Apple is too expensive. Or they get "Apple Pay" (and pay, and pay, and pay…) effectively renting their phone for life and paying 3x or more times its price UNTIL Apple releases an OS update that DELIBERATELY SLOWS DOWN their phone to force them to upgrade. So how is that any better!? I saw a post on a mobile phone comparison site the other day. I only glanced but it said something about the next iOS update is going to artificially slow down their products again. Yeah what a great company.

        Then there's their stupid changes (which some dumbass Android companies have picked up on) like claiming they "need the room" (bullshit!) so remove wired headphone sockets, so a few weeks after buying their wireless ear buds for $$$, the batteries lose capacity you only get minutes of music before they die, then you're walking or cycling along carrying a useless paperweight. So you either have to pay $$$ for multiple sets, or have to buy some stupid dongle just to use wired headphones which is so thin it snaps off and/or breaks the socket.

        When I bought my phone I had no idea which one I should get. I'm so glad I didn't go for the one that has an OS designed for teenage girls. My phone was released mid 2015 and still works fine. Two or three scummy companies like McDonalds have deleted their apps from my phone due "security issues" of an old OS version, but that just means I'm not eating their crap anymore. I might update next year. I wonder how many Apple users think their phones are so perfect they stick with them for 8+ years, with two manufacturer-installed slow-downs.

  • plmko on 22/09/2023 - 18:37
    +1

    There's no excuse for poor repairability or replaceable parts.

    Just look at the Fairphone 5, completely user accessible and it is dust and splash resistant.

    • capslock janitor on 24/09/2023 - 17:48
      +1

      IP55, dust and water resistant
      MIL-STD-810H compliant

    • dealsucker on 25/09/2023 - 14:18
      +1

      Put your mouth where your money is. Go on.

  • fishnchipsncoke on 22/09/2023 - 20:47
    +2

    Absolutely! There are zero reasons why we can not just go that direction and have fantastic devices with removable batteries. It's also exciting to see what companies bring out

  • bmerigan on 22/09/2023 - 21:47
    +1

    No. My phone's haven't lasted long enough (3 or so years) to worry about the battery.

    • ihfree on 22/09/2023 - 21:52
      +2

      What happens to your phone at the end of the 3 years?

      • bmerigan on 23/09/2023 - 11:50
        +1

        Had some get really slow. Had one the microphone stopped working. Never replaced one due to the battery.

        • callum9999 on 23/09/2023 - 12:31
          +2

          So you think that all the phones that DO need battery replacements (there are entire industries built around doing just that - it clearly happens!) should just be thrown away because it's not a problem you've personally faced?

          • mskeggs on 23/09/2023 - 12:37
            +1

            @callum9999: Must be your first day on the internet callum9999 ;-)

          • bmerigan on 24/09/2023 - 21:05
            -1

            @callum9999: I'm voting because I was asked. We don't have to agree.

  • USER DC on 22/09/2023 - 21:49
    +2

    Smart Phones

    Why limit it to smart phones??

    Why not Laptops, Smart watches etc too. ?? & ELECTRIC CARS too (may be by a certified mechanic for cheaper -aka less fielding around to get to and replace battery)

    Also why only the batteries ?? why not RAM, & SSD too ?? People are also stick of soldered SSD, and soldered RAMS that make it near impossible to upgrade those parts on laptops and Smart factor/All in one PC's. (and smart phones too ofcourse.

    • callum9999 on 23/09/2023 - 12:46
      +1

      It's not limited to smart phones.

      It does include laptops and smart watches, as well as e-bikes and scooters. I'm not sure whether they have similar rules for electric cars, but they're a very different product (due to their size, you'd generally want to be repairing individual parts of it instead of replacing the whole thing) and have legislation around making them more sustainable.

      This is an ongoing process being introduced gradually to give manufacturers time to adjust. Batteries are a starting point due to them being a significantly bigger issue than soldered SSD and RAM that is also easier to fix.

    • ihfree on 24/09/2023 - 09:42

      SSDs wear out so they are a disposable component - they should be replaceable. This does get more complex with phones and tablets though if it was required to be replaceable/upgradable.

      RAM doesn't wear out.

  • jakka on 22/09/2023 - 22:27
    +3

    Im not opposed to it, but it’s not something that has worried me. I’ve normally got 4-5 ears out of my phone before battery needs replacing. I would much rather the laws include laptops with replaceable batteries and RAM as I find laptop batteries don’t last that long.

    • USER DC on 22/09/2023 - 23:58

      exactly.

      phones people tend to upgrade already because of need of the later Android/ios version to run the Latest version of apps. (otherwise some apps will refuse to run). Whereas with laptops there's usually no such issues in a long while.
      Only problem is manufacturer's changing exuberant $$ for RAM/SSD upgrades, (which instead If are user replaceable then people would just buy base specs, and upgrade to higher capacity themselves, Or manufacture's will actually start to price their Upgrades more fairly)

      • gromit on 23/09/2023 - 14:47

        I find it amusing that you accept Android and Apple penchant for intentionally hobbling older phones as so acceptable that you deem it unecessary to have a replaceable battery. how about we recognize the intentional actions of Apple and Google to force users to upgrade, for the majority there is ZERO reason a 3 year old phone should need replacing. I was forced to replace my perfectly functional 9t because it couldn't have the latest android versions installed making it unsafe for business use.

        • USER DC on 23/09/2023 - 15:05

          I am not saying that forced upgrade is acceptable or unacceptable, I am saying people already have to upgrade phones because of that reason. This reason kinda makes people not to keep phones longer than 2-4 yrs honestly, (and batteries normally do not get so degraded within 2 years for a phone). e.g. I cannot use YouTube app on my 2017 phone running android 6 or something like that.

          Which is not the case most of the time with laptops (aka people normally keep them >4yrs easily), hence saying replaceable SSDs, RAM should be more/as equally emphasized on (for laptops at least).

          • gromit on 23/09/2023 - 15:40

            @USER DC: Then the solution is to force Apple and google to have a better compatibility and support rather than the shithouse one they currently have. If MS refused to support 3 or 4 year old laptops everyone would scream to the government to step in yet we seem to accept this atrocious behaviour from phone manufacturers and write it off as "most people replace them after 2-4 years". Most people do that as they have no choice.

    • morebunnings on 23/09/2023 - 23:01

      The law includes laptops & tablets too.

  • netjock on 22/09/2023 - 22:47
    +1

    Tesla is going to have an easily swappable battery? I can see Tesla drivers going nuts.

    • ihfree on 24/09/2023 - 09:37

      Why? It will likely be transparent to the end user. The majority of drivers will likely never know about the ability to change battery. When the battery is actually faulty, it should be much cheaper to replace.

      • netjock on 24/09/2023 - 10:54
        -3

        Why?

        Because they believe in Elon's BS.

        If he is going to open source a lot of Tesla IP he makes the battery hot swappable. It is to allow adoption of Tesla standard (like US charging is now super chargers because Ford and GM signed on) not actually for the good of the humanity.

        Was having that discussion. Bill Gates asked him to give most of his wealth away for philanthropy and Elon says Bill's shorts on Tesla is hypocrisy. But whatever money Gates makes will end up getting donated right? Elon has an excuse for everything.

        Buy Twitter for $44bn but $6bn won't solve world hunger.

        • dealsucker on 25/09/2023 - 09:28

          Get a pill and get well soon.

  • ssfps on 23/09/2023 - 00:30

    In theory replaceable batteries are fantastic, in reality they will do something shitty like offer OEM batteries for 2 years then discontinue them, and getting a decent aftermarket battery will be a gamble. If getting good batteries in 3 or 4 years time is easy, manufacturers will pivot to some other method of obsoleting older devices.

  • Joey2scoops on 23/09/2023 - 09:03

    Superficially, it's an easy yes. However, the overall phone design, including features per real estate unit, may dictate certain design decisions regarding the thermal design of the phone.

    If the only reason for the battery to be hard to replace is to ensure it's hard to replace then I'm in the yes camp.

    Otherwise, let the design team cram as much into the phone as they want.

  • 2esc on 23/09/2023 - 09:21
    +1

    Sadly we are happy to build electronics these days to be throw away. Build electronics so they are hard to work on (expense). I wonder whats going to happen to a lot of ev cars in 10 to 20 years. Hopefully ev car design improves in this regard as to how the mount the batteries in cars.

  • Sinnerator on 23/09/2023 - 09:37
    +1

    YES, unless it's an oppo, because your more likely to smash it out of frustration so it won't need a replacement battery

  • BatsRule on 23/09/2023 - 10:50
    +2

    Yes and Louis Rossmann is a legend and has been working hard for all us

    • capslock janitor on 24/09/2023 - 17:54

      How could I forget that new York ranting ND mug 🤙

  • valuer on 23/09/2023 - 11:04

    I really enjoyed my old LG G3 phone and being able to replace the battery when traveling was very handy. Fully charged and ready to go.

    Of course people are still free to choose to carry a power bank. A 10k unit is handy for all round use.

  • ass3ts on 23/09/2023 - 11:18

    Having a battery replaceable battery also reduces the security of the phone. Try switching off most current phones while still locked, and you will be asked to enter your pin or biometrics. Whoever finds your phone can easily turn it off by removing the battery quickly to avoid all forms of tracking and calls. They can still smash the current phones but that defeats the purpose of stealing them, taking them apart takes time too.

    • mskeggs on 23/09/2023 - 12:25

      My android, and partner’s Apple both allow them to be powered down while locked.

    • callum9999 on 23/09/2023 - 12:36

      I'm sure some devices must have a weird software thing that does this, but none of the three Android devices I currently have do this, nor do I have any recollection of ever owning a phone that does?

    • scrimshaw on 23/09/2023 - 13:17
      -2

      I guess one way to address this issue is to add a "chassis intrusion switch" (similar to what is found in some business-grade desktop computers). When the phone's back cover is pried opened or unscrewed while the power is still on, it'll trigger the SOS broadcast (similar to when you've misplaced your phone and need to use Find my Phone)

  • trapper on 23/09/2023 - 11:55
    +1

    Smart phone batteries are already replaceable, it just requires some special tools.

    Will not be difficult at all for Apple and other phone manufacturers to make it possible to do this with commercially available tools.

    • CalmLemons on 23/09/2023 - 23:47

      This^ But honestly I've never had to replace the battery on any of my iphones. I did one just for fun.

  • happydude on 23/09/2023 - 13:42

    It would be great if consumers voted with there wallets on this stuff so there wasn't a need for regulation.

    I like the sentiment of reducing waste and extending product life, but do think politicians have shown time and time again to have limited understanding of the technology they regulate. For example, why would a company work on reducing battery degradation (like Apple and Google having been doing) if it's just going to need to be replaceable anyway.

  • Pleasure Paulie on 23/09/2023 - 14:12
    +3

    Apple will do what it does now for non genuine screens programmed by apple "Warning, Warning! You aren't using a genuine" screen alert in the settings. Somehow they will make it better for you to come and pay the $$ for apple to do it even if they are forced to let you do it yourself.

  • gromit on 23/09/2023 - 14:38

    Apple and Samsung have long been using the battery as a way for planned obsolescence, most users would happily sacrifice a mm of width so batteries could be easily replaceable.

  • SpicyStew on 23/09/2023 - 14:52
    -5

    What does EU know about tech?
    EU should build them and show us.
    Name EU big techs that could do it lol

  • Thaal Sinestro on 23/09/2023 - 15:32
    -1

    We need more legislation to prevent the capitalist "planned obsolence" behaviour; it wastes finite resources and results in landfills running out of space much soon. Greedy "rainbow" capitalists will of course use weasel words like biodegradable and recyclable to describe such execrable behaviour ('by designing products that fall part in 2 years {eg pleather}, we are really saving the planet'). Also we need more legislation to promote royalty free Open standards. Apple always insists on doing things differently even when a perfectly fine standard already exists (eg alac instead of flac for lossless audio, Heic instead of Jpeg/Webp/JpegXl, lighning connectors).

  • mitt on 23/09/2023 - 19:23

    Yes.

    I worry that gov intervention will go wrong like it usually does but we are at the point that I just dont care any more. I would rather set the gov against these garbage companies & their garbage designs & hope we emerge better off in the ashes.

    If these companies dont like the gov stepping in they can stop making decisions that sets the majority of the electorate so against them that intervention becomes politically advantageous.

  • smartazz104 on 23/09/2023 - 20:03

    This will be good for the 10% of people who get replacement batteries so they can continue to use the same phone for 5 years.

    • THICKnSLOW on 24/09/2023 - 19:36

      Yeah the 90% of us just doing our bit to upgrade every year so that 3rd world country kids can have a chance at playing angry birds on hand me down phones we don't want any more.

  • IM-Cheap on 23/09/2023 - 23:27

    I support any measure that enables consumers to repair the items they've already purchased and I miss the days when phone batteries on flagship samsungs could be swapped out.

  • Blargman2001 on 24/09/2023 - 00:36

    Great idea. Hopefully being able to access the battery will also make accessing the mainboard and screen for repairs easier as well.

  • ShortyX on 24/09/2023 - 06:39
    +5

    I wish Oral-B electric toothbrushes had easily replaceable batteries.

  • YodaBaby on 24/09/2023 - 08:44
    +1

    Over the years, the phone makers removed the replaceable battery, then the micro sd card support, then the headphone jack. Yes, bring back the replaceable battery but I'm sure they will dream up some schemes to force consumers to buy new phones every few years.

    • ihfree on 24/09/2023 - 12:57

      Already a thing - Software updates. Especially for low-end Android.

      An unlocked bootloader at end of support would be nice. Sadly, many pieces of software require a stock system with security in place to function.

  • brenwildman on 24/09/2023 - 11:31
    -2

    Regulations oppress businesses and customers. They also enable nepotism. Market-selection/capitalism is a better driver than bureaucracy - vote using $ not force

  • mrhugo on 24/09/2023 - 11:41

    Had a perfectly good phone which had a dead battery. My options were.

    1. Recycle the phone and buy a new one.
    2. Get a shop to replace the battery.
    3. Do #2 myself

    Went with 3. But even then to source a half decent battery isn't that easy. With so many fakes you need to go with a brand thats well reviewed. I went with a brand called Nohon.

    But it's not a straight forward flip. Heat guns , prying tools, and a bit of time before the job was done.

    I would love to just pop open a back cover and flip the battery pack.

  • Roe Jogan on 24/09/2023 - 12:22

    best thing to do is to release an EU version with removable back but not wireless charging and no waterproofing. i don't want to give up those 2 just so i can have a replaceable battery

    • ihfree on 24/09/2023 - 12:56

      There's no reason those things can't continue to be features. Why do you think they would stop?

      • Roe Jogan on 24/09/2023 - 18:25

        coz the only waterproof with removal cover was s5 and it looked ugly. if u open the cover enough times the water silage with be compromised, also i don't think you can incorporate wireless charging with a removal back cover

        • ihfree on 24/09/2023 - 18:43

          Opening the cover would still likely remain a niche case. The s5 that you're referencing had a wireless charging cover so it is obviously possible.

          Besides, it's not like people will stop using cases, so to some degree, the aesthetics are irrelevant.

  • Kiro on 24/09/2023 - 13:17

    I support the decision.

    Not being able to support your own device and have major costs and most importantly the fact that manufacturers don't let you repair handset without consequences means you are very limited in what if anything you can do.
    This isn't just for mobile phones but it's also evident in laptops as well.

  • capslock janitor on 24/09/2023 - 17:36
    +1

    I definitely expected Luis Rossman when clicking the youtube

  • kaleidoscope on 24/09/2023 - 20:13

    Given I’ve used my phones for 3-4 years without battery drama I don’t mind the current design. But I’m in favour of a not so miserable design to replace a battery if need be. It doesnt need to be like old days with nokia phones, as long as it doesnt take half a day and highly specialised tools, i’m all for it 🫡

  • [Deactivated] on 24/09/2023 - 21:24
    +1

    The real question is why does the EU have a fascination with mobile phones. First the usb-c cable now this.

    Seems very strange, faceless unelected EU officials in a room somewhere, are focusing on mobile phones, but have no interest in solving more important things happening in the EU.

    • yummycoot on 25/09/2023 - 02:18

      Cookies
      C port for phones
      reChargeable phone battery

      Someone at that table likes their things starting with C

    • smartazz104 on 25/09/2023 - 11:02

      How many EU-based manufactures currently produce phones?

  • yummycoot on 25/09/2023 - 02:17

    Good initiative. Although this could result in price hike for phones even more

  • Bii on 25/09/2023 - 08:18
    +2

    Next: Ship out a phone without a battery!

  • UltimateAI on 25/09/2023 - 10:22

    Unsure on the fence.
    curious how this will impact waterproofing, and suspect may result in more landfill as people like me may replace batteries early and not run until they are dead. Stats show only a small % of batteries are recycled.
    Counter some people may extend the life of their phone hardware by replacing batteries, s so will balance out.

  • rlay3 on 25/09/2023 - 10:51

    100%. If I didn't break my Pixel OG trying to open it up to replace the battery I might be still using it.

  • MrFunSocks on 25/09/2023 - 13:05

    Yeah this law is a good one, and one that isn't really a problem for any of the OEMs to implement because most of them are already easy to replace.

  • cucumber on 25/09/2023 - 13:30

    In 2024: Every Android phone now comes with a hot swappable battery

    In 2029: Introducing MagPower - the first ever swappable battery for iPhone 21 (not included with iPhone 21. MagScrewDriver required - not included with MagPower)

    • ihfree on 25/09/2023 - 13:33

      A portable battery should be considered to be removable by the end-user when it can be removed with the use of commercially available tools and without requiring the use of specialised tools, unless they are provided free of charge, or proprietary tools, thermal energy or solvents to disassemble it

      • cucumber on 25/09/2023 - 20:48

        I stand corrected!

  • nGu on 26/09/2023 - 02:46

    People fear the loss of IP rating as if the engineers won't try to maintain it.

    And even then, the 3rd party accessory market always provides. Imagine things like custom sealing tape to cover the gaps, maybe a slim phone case made of silicone to cling onto the phone making it watertight, extra mesh stickers on the phone grill so you can still hear people when they talk but it keeps water from going into it, etc.

    • Rhubarb Jones on 26/09/2023 - 08:33

      Yes. It also depends on how you define easily. I'd me more than happy with a screw down back, so when the battery is reaching end of life, you can open the phone up with a screw driver, replace the battery - that isn't glued in, and screw it back up - maybe replace a gasket if required and you're good for another ~2 years.

      Not dissimilar to a digital watch for example.

  • svoncrumb on 26/09/2023 - 09:56

    I have no idea what the actual issue is that they needed to legislate for. Otherwise, I don't want battery capacity to be impacted by this stupid design requirement - because that is the only thing this will impact on.

    If it is to extend the life of the product then they only need to put a cap on battery replacement. And apply a timeframe that the cap is necessary. Eg. for all smartphones, there should be a 10 year cap of $99 to replace the battery.

  • xdigger on 26/09/2023 - 10:28
    +1

    I support this move. The EU has always taken a sensible approach as opposed to the US's unbridled capitalism that has led us to the dire climate crisis we have today.

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