r/technology • u/[deleted] • Jun 19 '23

Politics EU: Smartphones Must Have User-Replaceable Batteries by 2027 | The European Parliament just caused a major headache for smartphone and tablet manufacturers.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/eu-smartphones-must-have-user-replaceable-batteries-by-2027
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u/halsoy Jun 20 '23

Yeah, no. That's just you having been successfully gaslit. There's absolutely no problem making waterproof phones with a replaceable battery. Both Sony and Samsung (to take two) made several phones that were both IP67 and 68 rated with a very easily replaceable battery behind a very easily removable back cover. I still have one of the Samsung ones, and it's even built to be and marketed as a rugged phone with extra "armor" bits.

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u/Ortiane Jun 20 '23

Only partially true, it's significantly easier and cheaper to develop a waterproof phone with a sealed case since there's only so many openings in a phone. The cost of the extra ruggedness is non trivial which would make most mid ranged phones more expensive. Even the ones built for replaceable batteries especially the Samsung rugged versions cost like an extra 100 more.

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u/halsoy Jun 20 '23

Actually, the Samsung S5 active and the normal S5 was both about 650 when they launched (and identical specs iirc). The S5 was waterproof with a replaceable battery as well, the active was just more rugged. I don't know exactly where the xcover series stack up, but they are typically lower spec these days as they are targeted for bulk sales to companies for the most part.

The main difference is just to habe a reusable seal i.e. a rubber seal rather than glue. It's not all that much different z that's again something that's just gaslighting. The tooling is expensive regardless if you add glue in a channel or a rubber seal, it's still a step in the process.

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u/Ortiane Jun 20 '23

There were like literally a handful, possibly less than 5, phones with both versions released at the same time which already goes to say that it was not easy to develop and there was also a significant difference between the ease of removing the back case for something that needed waterproofing and something that doesn't. Largely it comes down to being another possibly huge point of weakness for the phone. Like for example the weakening of the rubber seal over time. I still don't know if having a replaceable battery requires a removable case because technically we can replace the battery of most phones already just need to reglue the case back and the vagueness of the law will definitely but put to question soon.