Get ready to see replaceable batteries in our phones again!
Back in the day of the feature phone, batteries could be easily removed by users and swapped out for another one in case its capacity is no longer optimal or if users want a full battery and don’t want to wait to charge it.
This trend continued for a bit in earlier smartphone models, but eventually more or less phased out. That could change though, thanks to a recent change by the European Parliament in which they approved new laws that concern the use of rechargeable batteries sold within the EU.
Basically, this rule stipulates that batteries that are deemed “portable”, like those in smartphones and tablets, must be easily removed and replaced by the user. This means that in order to continue selling phones and tablets in the EU, companies will need to rethink the design of their phones so that the batteries within them can be easily swapped out without having to send it to a technician or repair center.
While this rule only applies to the EU, it should pretty much affect the rest of the world since we imagine that most companies don’t want to have to make multiple variants of their phones. It will no doubt present a headache to manufacturers as it will drastically change the design of their devices, but as far as the end user is concerned, this is a good thing.
That being said, don’t expect to see these changes anytime soon though. This new rule is expected to go into effect in early 2027, but it could be delayed if manufacturers can prove that they need more time to comply.
Source: PCMag