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Other iPhone in 2027: will we get user-replaceable batteries?
- Thread starter uacd
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The EU is a fairly large market and if its a win win solutions, lets say you need to subscribe to updates after a few years i'd say people would be interested. My guess is that people will be more interested to pay for updates to keep devices safe in the future. Maybe Apple could throw in "free OS updates" in their iCloud+ subscription.
A market of almost half a billion people in one of wealthiest parts of the world?
Apple are NOT going to abandon the EU market. They're not that short-sighted.
What's next, are we gonna have to start using AA batteries in our phones like we're using a Game Boy?
(/j)
(/j)
this would have been welcome news 10-15 years ago. I think everyone has moved on at this point and is willing to accept that phones are engineered to maximize capability and minimize size. having a swappable battery just takes up more space and will either increase size or decrease battery capacity. I don't want this. I think the vast majority of users wouldn't want this if they were to fully understand the implications.
Most politicians are at least a decade behind when it comes to technology so this makes sense. They’re still trying to get their AOL internet CDs to work. They don’t need to be making technical design decisions for the latest phones 😂
I think the last two or three Game Boy models that was released had built in batteries.
depends how the law is written, say roughly required versus available : think of the costs involved with personnel, knowledge of code base(s), hardware - I haven't even tried to estimate the costs of providing the service but it seems expensive at first glance
I think battery itself could be much cheaper than 79$ or 100€ in Europe. Since it includes labor cost, if there is no longer labor from Apple, batteries should be cheaper. EU resolution seems to include notion about “reasonable price”, so they would probably not allow Apple, Samsung, Google or literally any company to make overly high prices of batteries.
Also it will probably lead to batteries being manufactured by other companies, including ones that have proper certifications, that will drive price even lower.
Maybe one day we will be able to get genuine or quality Apple battery for just 30€.
After all, if they make it cheap, users can start buying them in bulk.
If battery will be possible to replace much easier than now, maybe more users will be doing that, especially to save money.
I imagine it being like in old days - pop up the lid or cover and get access to battery. Waterproofing that thing might not be much of an issue, what can be is wireless charging. But if Samsung figured out how to place fingerprint reader under display, I think they will smh figure out how to combine coil and lid in a way that it will be open-able
I also thought like that, but turned out that these ratings are for water resistance, not waterproof. If device is waterproof - it is. Apple and Samsung specifically note on their website that this water resistance can wear overtime and they do not give any guarantees for people who try to swim with their iPhones and shoot underwater. For water protected devices, if device fails and drowns, manufacturer is obliged to fix them free of charge
Well Nintendo will probably have to update Switch 2 in 2027 anyway😃
Resolution says that after the deadline they will be able to only sell leftover stock, and after that release a new revision.
/j aside, AA batteries were bad only in our days because there were almost no rechargeable ones. I can see nowadays there are lots of rechargeable ones, IKEA sells them, Duracel, very convenient for small or older devices like said GameBoy
There's nothing stopping someone from using their iPhones for 5+ years. The batteries are replaceable, albeit, not a trivially simple process. If one does not want to deal with the loss of IPXX moisture protection, then they can easily get the battery replaced by Apple.
As far as decreasing e-waste and increasing longevity, Apple's phones are among the longest lasting phones around. I'm still using my iPhone Xs ... nearly 7 years of use. I've gotten all of the system updates. Note- I'm on my 3rd battery. If anything, the EU should be mandating that all phones must be fully supported with system updates and security patches for at least 5 years. People buying $200 phones should be able to get system updates and security patches too.
Regarding the "must be easy to replace", what is the definition of "easy". Does it need to be tool-less? Or if tools are required, what kind of tools are allowed?
Additional thought. What are the criteria that would allow for a device to not be affected by these rules? Full water-proofing? Thought experiment here (note I might be completely off-base). What if Apple finds that it's easier to meet the waterproof rating so that they don't have to comply with the rules. Then, since they don't have to comply, they make it more difficult to replace the battery. Things like locking the phone to the battery serial number or ID; difficult to remove adhesives; difficult to access; soldered battery connectors. This would be objectively worse than the current situation.
The iPhone 17 Pro camera bar looks like it would fit two AA batteries.
For smartphones and tablets, the newer ecodesign regulation (ESPR) overrides the batteries regulation. Devices fulfilling the ecodesign requirements are exempted from the battery replacement requirements.
From https://energy-efficient-products.ec.europa.eu/product-list/smartphones-and-tablets_en:
See also:
repair.eu
repair.eu
From https://energy-efficient-products.ec.europa.eu/product-list/smartphones-and-tablets_en:
In that case, batteries aren’t required to be end-user-accessible and replaceable.
See also:
Making Batteries Removable and Replaceable: a closer look at the new EU Guidelines - Right to Repair Europe
The EU published new guidelines for removability and replaceability requirements under the Batteries Regulation. Some progress was made, but a huge opportunity was missed for smartphone and tablet batteries!
repair.eu
Repair labels, spare parts and longer support for smartphones and tablets as of June 2025 - but we need more repairable designs - Right to Repair Europe
Industry pushback successfully blocked more ambitious user-repairability.
repair.eu
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For smartphones and tablets, the newer ecodesign regulation (ESPR) overrides the batteries regulation. Devices fulfilling the ecodesign requirements are excempted from the battery replacement requirements.
From https://energy-efficient-products.ec.europa.eu/product-list/smartphones-and-tablets_en:
In that case, batteries aren’t required to be end-user-accessible and replaceable.
See also:
Making Batteries Removable and Replaceable: a closer look at the new EU Guidelines - Right to Repair Europe
The EU published new guidelines for removability and replaceability requirements under the Batteries Regulation. Some progress was made, but a huge opportunity was missed for smartphone and tablet batteries!Repair labels, spare parts and longer support for smartphones and tablets as of June 2025 - but we need more repairable designs - Right to Repair Europe
Industry pushback successfully blocked more ambitious user-repairability.
Excellent info.
This means the Ecodesign rules effectively create a loophole for the Battery Regulation. An iPhone 16 being imported today into the EU, must already meet Ecodesign rules. This in turn means it does not need to meet the general "end-user" replaceability requirement for the upcoming Battery Regulation effective 2027.
The lobbyists must be getting nice bonuses.
These regulations only apply to models released after the effective date. So the 17 yes, the 16e and prior no.
So now your hardware last longer than the Operating system then what?
So now we have the software extended for a Price because we now can go longer with a new battery.
As the question is always is when does support end? For me when the battery Dies and Operating system is way behind.
So now we have the software extended for a Price because we now can go longer with a new battery.
As the question is always is when does support end? For me when the battery Dies and Operating system is way behind.
The solution is to make the OS replaceable. Laptops that are 15-20 years old are still being used with Linux. Also, people use old iPhones as home music players and the like. Apps that aren’t connected to an online service work indefinitely.
IMO it is absurd for governments to be making such regulations that constrain future tech innovation. <sigh> With regs like the these we would be forced to fat parallel ports [remember those?] and to have devices fat enough to provide the fat ports.
Many here support such IMO bad regulations, even support forcing USB-A ports on to devices. Frankly those folks disappoint me in the extreme [intentionally being nice here to stay civilized].
As to the specific topic: IMO Apple will make its Pro phones waterproof or whatever to avoid the EU battery requirement. Hopefully Apple will not be forced to compromise Pro iPhone design.
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You suggest "Waterproofing that thing might not be much of an issue." Why do you say such a thing? It is an issue. As are many other things that limit design with flat stupid regulations.
I first posted this probably a decade ago and the engineering science has not changed:
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User-removable batteries are flat stupid from a cell phone design engineering standpoint. There are reasons that iPhones dumped that idea long ago:
-dirt, water entry;
-tolerances to suit the inevitable 3rd-party battery suppliers;
-repairs needed thanks to the inevitable crap 3rd-party battery suppliers;
-safety issues thanks to the inevitable crap 3rd-party battery suppliers;
-extra volume and weight needed for modular battery access; and needed in a single large rectangular spot;
-added expense/weight building a module to accept removable batteries and the necessary complex electrical connection;
-existence of readily available third-party add-ons for those customers who need additional battery without forcing all customers to accept the downsides of removable batteries.
Bottom line is that user-removable batteries are simply less-good design.
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User-removable batteries are flat stupid from a cell phone design engineering standpoint. There are reasons that iPhones dumped that idea long ago:
-dirt, water entry;
-tolerances to suit the inevitable 3rd-party battery suppliers;
-repairs needed thanks to the inevitable crap 3rd-party battery suppliers;
-safety issues thanks to the inevitable crap 3rd-party battery suppliers;
-extra volume and weight needed for modular battery access; and needed in a single large rectangular spot;
-added expense/weight building a module to accept removable batteries and the necessary complex electrical connection;
-existence of readily available third-party add-ons for those customers who need additional battery without forcing all customers to accept the downsides of removable batteries.
Bottom line is that user-removable batteries are simply less-good design.
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Only if you want a thicker, heavier, more expensive phone, that’s prone to dust, dirt, and water damage.
A user replaceable battery is only an engineering solution away. It can be done whilst maintaining IP68 integrity, it’s just manufacturers don’t want to because they’d rather customers buy a whole new device and contribute to the ewaste mountain.
Something simple like a bottom plate that unscrews allowing the battery to slide out wouldn’t be too hard.
Something simple like a bottom plate that unscrews allowing the battery to slide out wouldn’t be too hard.
