EU parliament passes law on user replaceable batteries

And to debunk the canard about replaceable batteries preventing phones from being waterproof: the Samsung S5 was waterproof and had a replaceable battery, as did decades of police and marine walkie talkies and GPS, and a century of outdoor flashlights. I would accept that it costs a little bit of space inside the phone, interfering with Steve Jobs' dream of a paper thin phone the size of a cigarette lighter. But today, Jobs is gone and people like big phones, so it is fine. I would even be happy with a thick phone powered by a couple of 18650's instead of a pouch cell.

Note that per the article, it is ok for replacing the battery to require simple tools (e.g. a small screwdriver). So that makes weather sealing even easier, since you can put a gasket around the battery door and tighten the door down with a screw. That is how my old AA-powered Garmin GPS works, more or less, though you don't need tools to undo the screw.

Myself I am a fan of the NiMH rechargeables in AA and AAA format. My dental hygienist wanted me to get an electric toothbrush, I found the bottom-of-the-line model that takes AA batteries for about $15 less than a model with an integrated battery which is totally easy to use with NiMH batteries.

I also had some old FRS radios

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

that I took out of mothballs. These had proprietary battery packs that can be replaced with AA's or AAA's, I found the old battery packs had gone bad but breathed new life in them with NiMH batteries.

FTA: “By 2024, portable batteries in appliances, such as smartphones, and batteries for LMT must be designed so that consumers and independent operators can easily and safely remove them themselves, MEPs say”

I do not read anything about replacing batteries there.

However, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220202IP... is clear, saying “By 2024, portable batteries in appliances, such as smartphones, and batteries for LMT must be designed for easy and safe removal and replacement by consumers or independent operators”

From skimming https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/docs_autres_instituti..., it seems it says the same.

Now, the question is how to interpret that “or” in that latest sentence. I think it leaves open the option to have devices that consumers cannot service on their own, but require help from an independent operator.

I wonder if Apple's self-service repair program is sufficient for this?

I do like the idea of user-replaceable batteries, but I don't miss the build quality and size of those devices with easily accessible batteries.

Better link: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20230609IP...

Goodbye waterproof phones :-(