All smartphones and iPhones, must have replaceable batteries by 2027 in the EU

https://mashable.com/article/replaceable-batteries-smartphones-iphones-2027

by thunderbong • 3 years ago

36 45 3 years ago

jdjdjdhhd2• 3 years ago

Very nice... The EU saving the world again... First with micro USB... Then USB-C and now with replaceable batteries... I think companies could do it before 2027 though

throw47474777j6• 3 years ago

Harming the world more like, by making phones more fragile and less reliable.

jdjdjdhhd2• 3 years ago

How?

ksec4• 3 years ago

I guess Apple could argue the current iPhone 14 design [1] ( Not iPhone 14 Pro Series ) are already "removable and replaceable by the end-user,". And if not it could be (in their views) quite close to that definition.

[1] iPhone 14 earns a 7/10 score on iFixit thanks to new back assembly

https://www.gsmarena.com/iphone_14_earns_a_7_10_score_on_ifi...

nrabulinski• 3 years ago

Which honestly in my opinion is fair and I’d be happy with that as long as apple didn’t used proprietary screws and didn’t lock down phones which have user replaced parts in software.

ksec4• 3 years ago

I would not be surprised they may drop the proprietary screws as well.

crote• 3 years ago

The iFixit score is primarily about it being replaceable at all, without requiring you to damage other components for example.

A core part of the EU law is that the repair should not require detailed technical expertise or uncommon tools. The current iPhone 13 design is not even remotely close to that. It requires a pentalobe screwdriver, a y000 screwdriver, picks which can only be inserted 3mm, a special clamp, a hairdryer to melt glue, and finally isopropyl alcohol.

The iFixit guide consists of 30 steps, with several warnings about accidentally causing significant damage. That is quite a bit beyond the intended "open battery cover using philips screwdriver" type of repair.

ksec4• 3 years ago

Are there any other design which offer similar if not better water proof spec while offering easy battery replacement? What I am saying is that many ( not all but many ) of those steps are because of water proofing the phone.

thatguy0900• 3 years ago

Next up needs to be mandated security patches if they really want old devices to have longevity

gtvwill• 3 years ago

If a company chooses to stop supporting a device all software/firmware/code related to its functioning should be forced to be made public.

skocznymroczny• 3 years ago

iPhones are smartphones

TazeTSchnitzel2• 3 years ago

The Council of the European Union press release: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023...

The text of the regulation: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=consil%3... — some bookmarks:

• skip to page 90 of the English version if you aren't interested in the recitals

• skip to page 107 if you aren't interested in the definitions

• skip to page 127 if you want to know about the removability/replaceability part specifically

Someone2• 3 years ago

Page 127:

Article 11

Removability and replaceability of portable batteries and LMT batteries

1. Any natural or legal person that places on the market products incorporating portable batteries shall ensure that those batteries are readily removable and replaceable by the end-user at any time during the lifetime of the product. That obligation shall only apply to entire batteries and not to individual cells or other parts included in such batteries.

A portable battery shall be considered readily removable by the end-user where it can be removed from a product with the use of commercially available tools, without requiring the use of specialised tools, unless provided free of charge with the product, proprietary tools, thermal energy, or solvents to disassemble the product.

Any natural or legal person that places on the market products incorporating portable batteries shall ensure that those products are accompanied with instructions and safety information on the use, removal and replacement of the batteries. Those instructions and that safety information shall be made available permanently online, on a publicly available website, in an easily understandable way for end-users.

squarefoot2• 3 years ago

"Any natural or legal person that places on the market products incorporating portable batteries shall ensure that those batteries are readily removable and replaceable by the end-user at any time during the lifetime of the product. That obligation shall only apply to entire batteries and not to individual cells or other parts included in such batteries."

If printers ink cartridges taught us anything, I'm prepared for chipped spare phone batteries costing as much as 1/2 of the phone.

danw19793• 3 years ago

At least the Leavers can point to the first real benefit of Brexit now.

boristhespider• 3 years ago

Really? Assuming you think this is a bad thing because phones with replceable batteries are bulkier and less durable, we're still affected by this outside the EU, we just didn't have any say in the matter.

danw19793• 3 years ago

I mean, it’s not happened yet… I’m assuming there’s a non-zero chance that the removable-battery (inferior) versions might be contained to the EU and the rest of us get access to models with non-removable (higher capacity) batteries.

nikau3• 3 years ago

Galaxy s5 proving waterproof phones with replaceable batteries don't need to bulkier aside, perhaps they might engineer phones to be a bit thicker but more durable so they don't need a gaudy case on them to protect them, so net they will actually be thinner.

graftak2• 3 years ago

A common misconception about this legislation is that phones will require a tool-less lid with all of its drawbacks.

It does not. It stipulates that a battery must be replaceable without proprietary tools, and without the use of glue or similar adhesives.

A common head screw will be fine, it does not have to be cold-swappable[1].

[1] Is that a term? Hot-swappable would imply the device is powered on.

jowea• 3 years ago

Wikipedia and a bunch of other sites thinks so https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_swapping

ChrisArchitect2• 3 years ago

[dupe]

ChrisArchitect2• 3 years ago

Much discussion over here from a few days ago:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36712894

All smartphones and iPhones, must have replaceable batteries by 2027 in the EU

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