Apple, Samsung, and other phone manufacturers, regardless of whether their devices have a higher price than others, come with non-removable batteries.
Yes, if users wanted to replace the battery themselves in case the original cells lost their full capacity, they would need highly specialized tools to complete the process.
The EU aims to simplify this challenging task and is pressuring companies to make batteries easily removable. The only problem is that the law will come into effect several years from now.
Nothing until 2027, hopefully sooner
As pleased as the advocates of the “right to repair” may be, the new EU law will not come into effect until 2027.
587 Members of the European Parliament voted in favor of requiring all devices to be sold with easily replaceable batteries. The term “easily” can be ambiguous for some, and what may be exceptionally difficult for someone performing a battery replacement procedure on a smartphone for the first time may seem like child’s play to someone who has completed this process multiple times.
Fortunately, the EU has addressed this concern by stating that battery replacement should not require tools to perform the task, suggesting that removable back panels could make a comeback.
However, it’s important to note that this law will not come into effect before 2027, and it will only impact regions that belong to the EU. It remains to be seen whether companies like Apple and Samsung will modify the designs of their smartphones in accordance with the new law. While Europe is a significant market, Asia and the Americas are also major markets for these companies.
It should be considered that the incorporation of easily removable back panels may cause these phones to lose their water resistance unless a well-thought-out design is implemented.
Nevertheless, these companies have plenty of time since the law will not take effect before 2027, giving Apple and Samsung three and a half years to begin redesigning their products for EU countries.
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