EU: Smartphones Must Have User-Replaceable Batteries by 2027 | Hacker News Reader

EU: Smartphones Must Have User-Replaceable Batteries by 2027

pcmag.com

33 pointsnixass13 comments

I don't think this is about smartphones or being able to swap their batteries on the go. Had a quick look at the 2020 draft and saw zero mentions of smartphones.

I think this is mainly targeting electric scooters and things like that, which have generated huge amounts of waste for a quick buck (they have an estimated life time of 3-6 months).

Previously on HN:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36339980 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36361510

I always changed my phones because they stopped receiving security updates, not because battery was toast. I'm saying that as someone who held on the same phone for 4+ years and battery life was still reasonable.

Yep, replaceable batteries are necessary but not sufficient for longevity.

To stay within anecdotal evidence, I had to change twice after 2 years on my side because my phone started shutting down unexpectedly at >= 50% battery. Recent phones seem to hold better though.

My USB connector on the phone, used for charging, seems to be dying. The SW is old.

This is getting worked on too: https://www.tomsguide.com/news/eu-pushes-for-5-years-of-andr...

usb-c and now this. Great news for consumers!

Now we wait and see how Apple tries to tilt the regulations in its favour...

from https://www.macrumors.com/2023/05/04/eu-warns-apple-about-li...:

"In response to this rumor, European Commissioner Thierry Breton has sent Apple a letter warning the company that limiting the functionality of USB-C cables would not be permitted and would prevent iPhones from being sold in the EU when the law goes into effect, according to German newspaper Die Zeit."

Perhaps this article might have been the impetus for the letter to Apple.

from https://wccftech.com/usb-c-on-iphone-15-will-limit-data-spee...:

"Despite Apple's goodwill to bring USB-C to its iPhone lineup later this year, not all cables will be compatible to transfer wired data at maximum speed. You will have to buy an MFi cable or any other accessory with the standard to make use of the USB-C port's full potential. It was coined by ShrimpApplePro that this year's iPhone 15 models will come with USB-C with MFi."

Aside from if Mr Breton really is in the position of the big ruler that dictates what companies can sell, if he keeps it on it wouldn’t surprise me one bit if Apple is going to say enough is enough, pull a big middle finger and stopped selling iPhones in the EU and leave it to gray imports.

Because all these Goody Two-shoes ideas from Mr Breton might result in a situation where Apple can only sell shitty Android like phones with an Apple logo on the back. And that’s just not what Apple does. EU is a big market but not that big, they can easily live without it. And then the question becomes how dearly the EU wants their innovative products and curated experiences. Before the iPhone went on sale in the EU we could see demand was pretty strong.

I don't want my battery popping out everytime I drop my phone ...

My old HTC Evo 4G never had that problem.

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