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The EU’s fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

theverge.com

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Re: The EU’s fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

#21

Post by ekianjo »

mantas wrote: post #9

Iphone battery is already pretty close to replaceable by this law. You need a common tool to get in (trident screwdriver is available in most DIY shops), then glue tabs can be pried by hand. Doable for layman? Well, some people are afraid of opening up a device in any way. How do we (or, rather, lawyers) draw a line?

> then glue tabs can be pried by hand.

There should be no reason to use glue for batteries. Unnecessary hazard that can easily lead to house fire if you have to use force of a thermal source to remove the glue.

Re: The EU’s fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

#22

Post by systemtest »

hef19898 wrote: post #14
systemtest wrote: post #12

It is interesting that the EU only wants to regulate markets that they are not participating in. They don't make smartphone anymore so any regulations isn't hurting them. It would be admirable if they held the same standard for vehicles, including brands from the EU.

You don't hear about them, but they do exist...

Nokia has been sold, I don't know about any EU smartphone brands outside of Fairphone. The market is so small that adding regulation isn't hurting the EU, which is why its an easy target compared to the automotive industry.

Re: The EU’s fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

#23

Post by adhvaryu »

mantas wrote: post #9

Iphone battery is already pretty close to replaceable by this law. You need a common tool to get in (trident screwdriver is available in most DIY shops), then glue tabs can be pried by hand. Doable for layman? Well, some people are afraid of opening up a device in any way. How do we (or, rather, lawyers) draw a line?

> Doable for layman? Well, some people are afraid of opening up a device in any way. How do we (or, rather, lawyers) draw a line?

Start by not requiring a screwdriver in the process of changing batteries. I remember the early days of Samsung/Android phones where you only needed to pry open the back cover using your nail and the battery was easily taken out.

It's a small change but the layman will be way less afraid.

Re: The EU’s fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

#24

Post by microtonal »

bjackman wrote: post #4

I think this is fantastic news. It will be interesting to see how it affects the amount of phones that get discarded. I think the next bottleneck is likely to be software longevity. This has improved a lot lately! But basically I think phones have now reached a place like laptops and desktops where HW capabilities are stable, and there's no good reason for devices to be obsolete in 5 years any more. I wonder if regul…

The second proposed legislation from the article seems to require that at least 5 years of updates must be provided after the device was last sold. This is far more than many low-end and mid-range Android phones, moreover many Android phone manufacturers start counting after the device was released, not last sold.

Interestingly, they also seem to put upper bounds on how quickly these updates should be rolled out. Eg. functionality updates must be rolled out within 6 months after another phone from the same brand has that update. So eg. if Samsung makes Android 12 available on their flagship phone, they also need to make it available within 6 months on the other phones that were sold to up to 5 years ago.

https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-sa...

This is such an improvement over the status quo.

Re: The EU’s fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

#25

Post by orwin »

mantas wrote: post #9

Iphone battery is already pretty close to replaceable by this law. You need a common tool to get in (trident screwdriver is available in most DIY shops), then glue tabs can be pried by hand. Doable for layman? Well, some people are afraid of opening up a device in any way. How do we (or, rather, lawyers) draw a line?

It will be left at the judge's appreciations if it ever come to courts.

Tbh, i can only see things go to trial if a consumer association (iFixit) deems the law not followed, and knowing consumer associations, they will first talk to and advice the offending company before going to courts.

Re: The EU’s fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

#26

Post by vhanda »

jacquesm wrote: post #17
onli wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's actually in the article :) one of the two laws covers all devices with ~~batteries~~ portable batteries.

Thank you! Edit: Hm, I re-read the article and I still can't find that passage, the word 'laptop' doesn't appear. Can you point it out for me?

"In addition to not offering the longevity loophole, Opsomer also points out that the battery regulation covers all products with a portable battery; it’s far wider-reaching than the phone and tablet-focused ecodesign regulation."

Re: The EU’s fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

#27

Post by onli »

jacquesm wrote: post #17
onli wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's actually in the article :) one of the two laws covers all devices with ~~batteries~~ portable batteries.

Thank you! Edit: Hm, I re-read the article and I still can't find that passage, the word 'laptop' doesn't appear. Can you point it out for me?

Almost didn't find it myself this time. But here it is:

> In addition to not offering the longevity loophole, Opsomer also points out that the battery regulation covers all products with a portable battery; it’s far wider-reaching than the phone and tablet-focused ecodesign regulation.

Re: The EU’s fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

#28

Post by f6v »

I don’t know. I already have to click cookie buttons on every goddamn web site I visit, it’s annoying as hell. These EU initiatives can be a bit pointless.

Battery needs to be replaced like once every 2-3 years. Why change the device design to make battery user-replaceable when I can bring it to the repair shop?

Re: The EU’s fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

#29

Post by jacquesm »

systemtest wrote: post #22
hef19898 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't hear about them, but they do exist...

Nokia has been sold, I don't know about any EU smartphone brands outside of Fairphone. The market is so small that adding regulation isn't hurting the EU, which is why its an easy target compared to the automotive industry.

> I don't know about any EU smartphone brands outside of Fairphone.

That's your problem then, don't you think?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mobile_phone_brands_by...

Now, whether all of these are actually manufactured locally or not is another matter, but the EU definitely is regulating its own market. As they have been empowered to do so.

I'm all for it. And I would love to see standardized battery packs for electric vehicles as well because I think that will be a much bigger issue in the longer term.

Re: The EU’s fight for user-replaceable smartphone batteries

#30

Post by hef19898 »

systemtest wrote: post #22
hef19898 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't hear about them, but they do exist...

Nokia has been sold, I don't know about any EU smartphone brands outside of Fairphone. The market is so small that adding regulation isn't hurting the EU, which is why its an easy target compared to the automotive industry.

There are regulations around repairability of cars for example. You just don't hear about those on HN. Plus all the safety regulations around aircraft, cars and aon on. Markets in which EU-based companies very much operate in.
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