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shikamaru317 on 16 July 2023
https://overkill.wtf/eu-replaceable-battery-legislation-steam-deck-switch-handhelds/
Highlights:
- The law comes into effect in 2027
- The law requires devices to have easily user replaceable batteries, meaning they can be replaced with tools the user would already likely have at home (no proprietary tools)
- An EU official confirmed this isn't just for phones, but extends to portable gaming devices
- Will likely only impact new products released after 2026, so a Switch 2 released in say 2024 for instance wouldn't be required to have a replaceable battery, but any new Switch 2 model such as a Lite or Pro or refresh model released after 2026 would require a user replaceable battery
- The new law is expected to face steep opposition from phone manufacturers and others, as it cuts into the profits they receive from many users buying a whole new phone/device every few years due to declining battery life
- There are a few exemptions to the law, a waterproof device isn't required to have a replaceable battery, and a device using a high-quality battery, which the EU defines as a battery that maintains at least 83% of it's battery life after 500 cycles and at least 80% after 1000 cycles, are also exempt. These exemptions would likely mean that all high-end phone models such as numbered iPhones and the Samsung Galaxy S line would be exempt, but lower end models which often use cheaper batteries would need to either use higher quality batteries, or be designed for easy user replacement of the battery (meaning the possible return of 2 piece smartphones on the budget tier, the end of the current era of 90+% of smartphones having a unibody construction)
