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European Union votes to bring back replaceable phone batteries

techspot.com

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Re: European Union votes to bring back replaceable phone batteries

#51

Post by robin_reala »

Feels like, as per usual, people haven’t read the source text.[1]

In order to ensure that portable batteries that were incorporated into appliances are subject to separate collection, treatment and high quality recycling once those appliances become waste, provisions to ensure the removability and replaceability of batteries in such appliances are necessary. Consumer safety should be ensured, in line with Union law and in particular Union safety standards, during the removal of portable batteries from or the replacement of portable batteries in an appliance. 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. Commercially available tools are considered to be tools available on the market to all end-users without the need for them to provide evidence of any proprietary rights and that can be used with no restriction, except health and safety-related restrictions.

Nothing stopping manufacturers from using normal fasteners and gaskets to comply while retaining water resistance etc.

[1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2023-0237...

Re: European Union votes to bring back replaceable phone batteries

#52

Post by martin8412 »

epolanski wrote: post #34
gevz wrote: post #9

I wonder what is the definition of easily removable and replaceable. Does popping a few screws and using a specialized tool qualifies as easy? What about re-sealing the device after to keep the waterproof rating?

Is waterproof even a real needed feature? Like, I've been owning mobile phones for 22 years at this point and it's literally something I've never cared or benefitted from. On the other hand, having replaceable batteries is definitely something that's been useful in the past.

Yes, it is a needed feature in humid environments.

Re: European Union votes to bring back replaceable phone batteries

#53

Post by seszett »

refurb wrote: post #13
adaml_623 wrote: post #3

Cool. The manufacturers will figure out a way to make nice phones with a longer lifetime. Because the EU forces them to.

Or they just create one phone for the EU market and don't market the rest?

That seems unlikely, since it would multiply the design costs.

But since I am in the EU I wouldn't mind.

Re: European Union votes to bring back replaceable phone batteries

#55

Post by vineyardmike »

smn1234 wrote: post #16
danpalmer wrote: post #6

I love the EU's focus on consumer protections and I'm all for progressive policies on environmental issues, but this and the USB-C issue strike me as misguided, policies from people who aren't qualified to to make the decisions they are making, and aren't listening to experts. I'm glad we're getting USB-C on the iPhone, but it wasn't a huge problem and it was probably coming anyway in the next few years. But replacea…

I'd much rather be able to swap a charged battery for the drained one in my phone especially in such circumstances as when I'm in a foreign country and dependent on my phone (for e.g. safety, to get around) and there's not a iPhone cable or charge point around. It seems like a no brainer, certainly from a consumer benefit perspective. Using batteries as a mechanism for hardware upgrades is ridiculous, instead of the…

> I'd much rather be able to swap a charged battery for the drained one in my phone especially in circumstances when I'm in a foreign country and dependent on my phone

I don’t deny that this is a valid use case for you, but I’ve absolutely never been in this position.

I carry around a battery phone charger in situations where I’d depend on my phone. If you squint, yes that’s pretty similar, but the big difference is that a USB charger can power my iPhone and my partners android phone without requiring the phones to use standardized batteries internally.

I think batteries should be replacing in a repair sense, but I’m not sure the “pop open the back and swap it on the streets of Tokyo” is a common use case we should legislate against.

Like others said, I would much rather have it be more durable (eg waterproof). Also I’ll add that thinness is a desirable trait (to a point).

Re: European Union votes to bring back replaceable phone batteries

#56

Post by chongli »

unglaublich wrote: post #7

The problem is not really the battery anymore, it's the software mainly. It's all closed source and is often deprecated before the hardware is dead. Then the manufacturer makes it hard to unlock bootloaders; keeps drivers closed source and effectively bricks the device. For recurring sales are the backbone of modern economy so we must force obsolescence. Why would you want to replace a battery in a useless device? Pl…

No, it's batteries too. And water/dust/fluid ingress protection. Modern phones are sealed up pretty tight because users want them to be waterproof. This makes it very difficult to build in replaceable batteries!

Re: European Union votes to bring back replaceable phone batteries

#57

Post by upon_drumhead »

candiddevmike wrote: post #11
tallowen wrote: post #4

I wish there were better approaches to solving the problems around replacing batteries. This solution has downsides in terms of size (extra material required to surround the battery) and waterproofness. I like the features that will have to trade off against replaceable batteries. I wish there were more opportunities for creative solutions to ewaste rather than the specific outcome being regulated.

I blame Apple for everyone's obsession with size. Or really, thinness, as everyone seems to have pop tart phones as thin and fragile as glass--with such a large phone, what value does thinness really add? I'd rather have a less delicate, easily serviceable, thicker phone.

Have you purchased a fair phone? They exist promising that exact product and yet I've never come across a single person that actually purchased what they claim to want.

Personally, I love the thin phones. I'd pay extra for it. It feels better and is easier carried. And the large screen makes it easily readable for my poor eyes.

Re: European Union votes to bring back replaceable phone batteries

#59

Post by mytailorisrich »

I believe that the average replacement rate of smartphones is less than 3 years.

That's one of the reasons manufacturers have given up on (easily) replaceable batteries. It's simpler and allows for slicker design and anyway, most people will buy a new smartphone before the battery reaches its end of life.

The EU is fighting the wrong fight here. It'd be more useful to improve recyclability and actual recycling than to force more complicated phones where it's not needed.

Re: European Union votes to bring back replaceable phone batteries

#60

Post by gsich »

martin8412 wrote: post #52
epolanski wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is waterproof even a real needed feature? Like, I've been owning mobile phones for 22 years at this point and it's literally something I've never cared or benefitted from. On the other hand, having replaceable batteries is definitely something that's been useful in the past.

Yes, it is a needed feature in humid environments.

That is not the same.
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