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

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

#751

Post by themafia »

IMTDb wrote: post #83
PaulKeeble wrote: post #2

Batteries have been used as part of planned obsolescence for too long and a whole small business industry of replacing phone batteries has appeared because of it. Next the EU are going to have to address security patches because its another aspect being used to sell new phones.

I have found out that the main phone providers (Apple, Google, Samsung) have extremely long support period. I really don't get the "planned obsolescence" thing. As an example, in Jan 2026, Apple published iOS 12.5.8 which provides updates for iPhone 5s which released in Sept 2013. That's 12.5 years ago. The equivalent would be to connect to the internet using ADSL in Jan 2000 with your IBM PS/2 rocking in intel 8086,…

The updates often require more power. Which drains the battery more than it was designed for. Which helps shorten the life of the device.

BTW: DOS was supported until 2001, and Win95 could boot DOS standalone.

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

#753

Post by gnabgib »

thrownthatway wrote: post #734
heavyset_go wrote: post #714

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If it's such a superior product that people want despite the tradeoffs, why don't they just fund a company to create such a phone? Why doesn't anyone? Because legislation is direct and gives better results to consumers. Thank god the EU standardized on USB-C. There's no reason to jump through extra hoops and rely on the whims of investors to do something good for the people.

[flagged]

You're aware the maker of the lightning connector helped produce the USB-C standard in the same year they created lightning?

> The design for the USB‑C connector was initially developed in 2012 by Apple Inc., with the help of Intel, HP Inc., Microsoft, and the USB Implementers Forum.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C

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

#754

Post by brewdad »

eru wrote: post #732
bigfishrunning wrote: post #718

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because people will buy that phone and keep it much longer. When phones had replaceable batteries, they needed replaced after a couple of years because they were terrible. I'm now on a several year old pixel phone that I'm happy with, but eventually the battery will wear out and I'll have to replace it. Google likes it that way.

Battery tech has gotten a lot better every year over the last hundred years.

I think OP meant the phone was going to be replaced in three years tops, so no one cared much about battery longevity. Nowadays, the battery can be the constraint for practical phone life, since few consumers can replace one themselves and by the time they pay someone else to do it, may as well trade it in and let Verizon subsidize a new one.

Having an easily swappable battery returns some power to the user.

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

#756

Post by pandaman »

AdrianB1 wrote: post #607
rythie wrote: post #584

It’s been long enough that people of forgotten what’s it’s like. Cameras still have replaceable batteries, there are several benefits: I can have two (or more) batteries, if it runs out I just change it. I don’t need walk around with a USB battery pack and cable hanging off the device preventing me from using it properly. I can put the battery on charge somewhere and leave it, even if not completely secure, because j…

Some action cameras have replaceable batteries, some don't. I had a perfectly good Contour Roam 2 where the battery died and I still have a Contour Roam 3 with some low capacity battery.

Action cameras seem to have less than a 2h run-time though. One could argue that a replaceable battery is a desired feature on such a device as many users of these cameras participate in activities lasting much longer. They also tend to have replaceable memory for the same reason. And it all is achieved without EU directives as far as I know, just from the pure market demand.

PS. Consumer surveillance cameras, on the other hand, don't have replaceable batteries in general, as they can operate indefinitely off a small solar panel or for months on a charge.

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

#757

Post by thrownthatway »

BenFranklin100 wrote: post #743
heavyset_go wrote: post #712

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I cannot wait until I can carry a spare battery in my wallet again

I carry USB-battery pack or my MagSafe battery. At night I use pass through charging. Works just as well.

> or my MagSafe battery

So you agree that swappable batteries are superior.

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

#758

Post by frm88 »

bko wrote: post #660
rythie wrote: post #584

It’s been long enough that people of forgotten what’s it’s like. Cameras still have replaceable batteries, there are several benefits: I can have two (or more) batteries, if it runs out I just change it. I don’t need walk around with a USB battery pack and cable hanging off the device preventing me from using it properly. I can put the battery on charge somewhere and leave it, even if not completely secure, because j…

The fact that pretty much no phones have a replaceable battery says something. And it doesn't mean that all manufacturers are somehow colluding with each. The market is very competitive and pretty much every manufacturer decided the trade offs are not worth the benefit. If Samsung or Xiaomi or Google could sell you a better phone with a replaceable battery, they would. But everyone came to the conclusion that the tra…

Fairphone exists. The batteries are easily replaceable, they have a video on their website. It's no thicker than many other phones, runs on non Google OS, maybe just check it out. I have one and am totally satisfied with it.

https://www.fairphone.com/the-fairphone-gen-6-e-operating-sy...

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

#759

Post by svnt »

6510 wrote: post #698
userbinator wrote: post #679

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and you can’t even find anyone who will fit them for the older models. I'm quite certain you can find many companies in the far East who will produce cells of exactly the size and shape you want, as long as you're willing to order a minimum quantity. There are also a few semi-standard sizes of prismatic cells available. That said, having a few truly standard sizes like we had with 1.2/1.5V and 9V batteries would be a…

I tried to find a phone battery once and found very similar looking ones with prices ranging from expensive to terrifying with everything in between. I don't trust the ones that are to cheap as I don't know how they cut the corners. I don't trust the more expensive ones because they look the same. I cant see the profit margins. I was unable to pick one. I ask a guy with a repair store. He said he always buys from the…

This is what happens when the market for phone batteries only exists for OEMs who buy millions at a time, custom.

It will stop only when there is a reason for consumer-detectable battery quality indicators — ie non-tech people have a reason to buy them. Which will now be the case with this law.

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