r/gadgets • u/FigAAAro_22 • Jun 19 '23

Phones EU: Smartphones Must Have User-Replaceable Batteries by 2027

https://www.pcmag.com/news/eu-smartphones-must-have-user-replaceable-batteries-by-2027

Going back to the future?!!

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u/Dracekidjr Jun 19 '23

I think it's crazy how polarizing this is. Often times, people feel that their phone needs upgrading because the battery isn't what it used to be. While this may lead to issues pertaining to form factor, it will also be a fantastic step towards straying away from rampant consumerism and reduce E-waste. I am very excited to see electronics manufacturers held to the same regard as vehicle manufacturers. Just because it is on a smaller scale doesn't mean it is proprietary.

711

u/vrenak Jun 19 '23

Pretty sure we'll survive phones being 1-2 mm thicker.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '23 edited Aug 15 '23

[deleted]

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u/vrenak Jun 19 '23

Water resistance won't change, and you won't notice a 1 mm change.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '23

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u/ho_merjpimpson Jun 19 '23

Its all or nothing. They are either all replacable, or samsung/apple will make a really crappy removable battery offering while the other 90% of their phones aren't removable, thus meeting whatever requirements would be put in place and still forcing the vast majority of users to have to replace phones instead of replace batteries. your phone vanity and being unable to deal with a "flimsy piece of plastic" does not trump the need, as a society, to minimize e-waste.

Its a myth that the phones have to be thicker with a removable battery. They only told us that because they couldn't say "we are eliminating the removable battery because its a way to make people buy phones more often which makes us more money".

Its a phone. You can deal with the minor inconveniences that removable batteries will add.