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All phones sold in the EU to have replaceable batteries from 2027

theolivepress.es

161–170 of 1001 posts

Re: All phones sold in the EU to have replaceable batteries from 2027

#161

I was looking forward to finally be able to easily switch out (i)Phone batteries again - after 20 years - but turns out the lobbyists managed to get a loophole in the law - exempting Apple & Co from making their phones more repairable / longer live-able. > If a battery can do 1000 cycles and remain above 80% capacity it is exempt

Seems entirely reasonable. Embedded batteries have a lot of advantages. Cheaper, higher battery capacity, water proof, smaller, stronger. I think this will largely just make the mid to low tier android market in the EU shittier.

Citation needed.

All of those can be achieved with replaceable batteries.

Re: All phones sold in the EU to have replaceable batteries from 2027

#162

Will this affect the water-resistance of current iPhones? I thought that was why the batteries are not easily replaceable by users, because of the seals/gaskets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dyL6hMZvWQ

There are multiple watches, cameras, etc., with a lot of physical buttons even, all with replaceable batteries and weather-resistant (or even better, water proof). This is a bad excuse.

Re: All phones sold in the EU to have replaceable batteries from 2027

#164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Batteries have been used as part of planned obsol[esc]ence for too long and a whole small business industry of replacing phone batteries has appeared because of it. Note that early phones had replaceable batteries and it was later phones that dropped that feature. The idea wasn't that making the phone impossible to open would compel people to replace their phone faster; it was that given that people didn't keep the…

That was true 15-20 years ago. Nowadays changing the phone is basically because: 1) battery dying / not lasting enough 2) shattered glasses whose replacement costs 35-40% of the cost of the phone new (for budget/mid-range phones, not everybody has iPhones) distant 3rd) not enough free internal storage

Unrelated note but, cheap/midrange phones are a scam, you almost always get better value purchasing a second hand premium one.

Re: All phones sold in the EU to have replaceable batteries from 2027

#165

I was looking forward to finally be able to easily switch out (i)Phone batteries again - after 20 years - but turns out the lobbyists managed to get a loophole in the law - exempting Apple & Co from making their phones more repairable / longer live-able. > If a battery can do 1000 cycles and remain above 80% capacity it is exempt

> If a battery can do 1000 cycles and remain above 80% capacity it is exempt Is there a definition for a cycle? 80->85%? 33->72? 22-83? 87->96? Would each of these be a "cycle"?

A battery cycle is a full discharge/charge cycle (100 -> 0 -> 100). Going from 70% to 20% and then charging back to 70% is half a cycle.

Re: All phones sold in the EU to have replaceable batteries from 2027

#166
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wish they'd have implemented it before the iPhone 14 Pro launched. I'm at 624 cycles right now and my phone's gone below 80% fucking ages ago.

Apple’s replacement program is $99 for out of warranty battery replacement

Not really. The "estimated cost" on Apple.com is 139€ to 199€ depending on which company I take it.

Re: All phones sold in the EU to have replaceable batteries from 2027

#167

I was looking forward to finally be able to easily switch out (i)Phone batteries again - after 20 years - but turns out the lobbyists managed to get a loophole in the law - exempting Apple & Co from making their phones more repairable / longer live-able. > If a battery can do 1000 cycles and remain above 80% capacity it is exempt

No shot at all apple batteries can last 1000 cycles and remain above 80% capacity. Probably can’t even do 300 in my experience. Sounds like an easy lawsuit.

I would wager that batteries that powered down at 20% and that halt charging at 80% would be significantly prolonged.

If Apple resorts to those tactics, then there is no limit in moving the goalposts.

Re: All phones sold in the EU to have replaceable batteries from 2027

#168
post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People shouldn't have to go to a special store or buy special tools requiring special skills to change a battery.

How do you feel about the batteries in electric vehicles? What about wearable devices like a smartwatch, headphones, smart glasses? Should all these be consumer-replaceable without tools, regardless of the effect on the other things people value in these devices (waterproofing, size and weight, battery life, etc.)? FYI I do not work for anything close to the consumer tech industry.

> without tools

With commercially available tools, yes. The argument is that, given the skill, you could pull it off.

Then again, maybe cars are a different category. I really don't have enough skilll to add to this discussion

Re: All phones sold in the EU to have replaceable batteries from 2027

#170

Will this affect the water-resistance of current iPhones? I thought that was why the batteries are not easily replaceable by users, because of the seals/gaskets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dyL6hMZvWQ

water resistance + easily battery exchange for repairs is very viable (AFIK always had been, too.)

like this law isn't about users causally replacing batteries like on very old phones

but about an repair shop easily and without risk of breaking your phone being able to replace it without only holding on your phone for idk. 10 minutes

So that you can just drop by (once they have the replacement parts) wait a moment and have a new battery.

This means in the worst case something like needing to a add a bit of additional seal/wax/glue or similar to improve sealing is very much fully viable (Id the sealing agent is generally buy able.)

It just is something you have to design in from the get to go. And it's easier to not do so at all. And maybe if you obsess if your phone is 1/10mm smaller or not that gets in your way too. And not doing so is more profitable as people will buy successor products more likely, even if just very slightly more likely.

But in general? That really isn't the problem.

Also even if it where the problem. What is better? Having a less waterproof phone, but not needing to buy a new one for another one or two years or having to buy one now?

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