EU FTW

[detrius]

EU: Smartphones Must Have User-Replaceable Batteries by 2027

The European Parliament just caused a major headache for smartphone and tablet manufacturers.

uk.pcmag.com

Yessss!

 

[Soen Eber]

EU: Smartphones Must Have User-Replaceable Batteries by 2027

The European Parliament just caused a major headache for smartphone and tablet manufacturers.

uk.pcmag.com

Yessss!

This is what happens when you have a functioning democracy.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

This is what happens when you have a functioning democracy.

You mean one that isn't beholden to rich corporate lobbyists?

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

Now they need to extend this to tablets and laptops, and require laptop memory and storage to be upgradeable without risking destroying the keyboard and motherboard if you slip during the process. I've been refurbishing my old laptops going back to 2002 and man it's been an epic saga even on the older ones that are intended to be repaired if only by Apple personnel.

Let's have less of this:

PowerBook G4 Aluminum 12" 1-1.5 GHz Hard Drive Replacement

.

www.ifixit.com

And more of this:

IBM/Lenovo Thinkpad T61 Hard Drive Replacement

If you want to upgrade your ThinkPad with a brand new SSD to unlock better performance with your laptop, this guide will show you how to access the...

www.ifixit.com

 

[Sid]

You mean one that isn't beholden to rich corporate lobbyists?

There live around 25,000-30,000 professional lobbyists in and around Brussels.
So it is possible to ignore them if the will is there to do so.

 

[detrius]

Now they need to extend this to tablets and laptops, and require laptop memory and storage to be upgradeable without risking destroying the keyboard and motherboard if you slip during the process. I've been refurbishing my old laptops going back to 2002 and man it's been an epic saga even on the older ones that are intended to be repaired if only by Apple personnel.

Let's have less of this:

PowerBook G4 Aluminum 12" 1-1.5 GHz Hard Drive Replacement

.

www.ifixit.com

And more of this:

IBM/Lenovo Thinkpad T61 Hard Drive Replacement

If you want to upgrade your ThinkPad with a brand new SSD to unlock better performance with your laptop, this guide will show you how to access the...

www.ifixit.com

Small update for you:

The regulation of the European Parliament and the Council will apply to all batteries including all waste portable batteries, electric vehicle batteries, industrial batteries, starting, lightning and ignition (SLI) batteries (used mostly for vehicles and machinery) and batteries for light means of transport (e.g. electric bikes, e-mopeds, e-scooters).

[...]

The regulation provides that by 2027 portable batteries incorporated into appliances should be removable and replaceable by the end-user, leaving sufficient time for operators to adapt the design of their products to this requirement. This is an important provision for consumers. Light means of transport batteries will need to be replaceable by an independent professional.

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/07/10/council-adopts-new-regulation-on-batteries-and-waste-batteries/

So yeah, tablets and notebooks will be covered. (Could have told you that before - EU bureaucrats are slow and pedantic, which also means they wouldn't forget about those other devices.)

I just got a new Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 to replace my aging SG Tab S4. Hopefully, that'll be my last tablet with a non-replaceable battery.

 

[detrius]

I just realized that this law also covers earphones, so those airPods, earBuds and whatever will also have to be redesigned.

And if the manufacturers can't make them small enough, then maybe they'll go back to the old design with wires and bring back the 3.5mm jack.

 

[detrius]

A new EU law will encourage users to replace batteries on their phones themselves by making it easy to access and remove the battery (via Golem.de). The European Parliament voted nearly unanimously to ban the use of adhesives and force companies to make devices that allow users to “easily remove and replace” batteries.

New EU regulation could mean the return of easily replaceable smartphone batteries

Batteries in phones will be easily replaceable in EU after new law passes

www.androidpolice.com

Banning the use of adhesives is also big.

 

[Soen Eber]

So what online shops conform to EU regulations and ship to the U.S.?

 

[detrius]

So what online shops conform to EU regulations and ship to the U.S.?

Developing a line of smartphones, tablets or notebooks is expensive, so the manufacturers are just going to develop devices that conform to those regulations and also sell them in the US.

Apart from Apple, of course. They're spiteful dicks and might indeed create a separate line of products just for Europe.

 

[Noodles]

I just realized that this law also covers earphones, so those airPods, earBuds and whatever will also have to be redesigned.

And if the manufacturers can't make them small enough, then maybe they'll go back to the old design with wires and bring back the 3.5mm jack.

Please.

I mean, I have some wireless JBL earbuds, but so often the battery has died so I just break out my wored earbuds.

Its one reason I am not looking forward to updating my phone again.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

I think my next phone will be a Motorola. They still have headphone jacks.

 

[Soen Eber]

I think my next phone will be a Motorola. They still have headphone jacks.

And I use mine all the time!

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

This is what happens when you have a functioning democracy.

The EU itself is anything but a functioning democracy. It has some democratic elements, but the main parts are something entirely else.

 

[detrius]

I think my next phone will be a Motorola. They still have headphone jacks.

Sony phones also have them, which shouldn't come as a surprise.

First off, they still produce some of the best wired earphones on the market. And secondly, they invented the Walkman - so the 3.5mm jack keeps that legacy alive and is good for their brand recognition. You can also install microSD cards in their flagship models.

I wouldn't be surprised if they're the first big manufacturer to release a new high-end phone with a replaceable battery.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

Sony phones are pricy as hell, though, they don't seem to have an entry level or midrange at all.

 

[Noodles]

I think my next phone will be a Motorola. They still have headphone jacks.

My last couple phones have been Motos. They are pretty good and affordable. I currently have a Moto G Style that I have used for several years now.

 

[Argent Stonecutter]

Moto G Stylus? that's what I'm looking at though the 2023 model is a downgrade from the 2022. Less RAM WTAF?

 

[Sid]

Less is more?
Maybe an attempt to keep it affordable because of the inflation of last year?

 

[Noodles]

Moto G Stylus? that's what I'm looking at though the 2023 model is a downgrade from the 2022. Less RAM WTAF?

I think the one I have is the 2020 version.

I don't know how prolific it is, looking online suggests others have had the issue. There is a weird bug with (I think) all Motos in the audio stack. I myexperience, it comes up fairly frequently for a week or so, then not again for months. Basically, instead of audio, it plays this, full volume static noise.

Its only a real problem (for me) because occasionally, this happens on the wake up alarm and its an incredibly unpleasant way to wake up. It seems to be fixed with a phone restart. And sometimes I catch it early because I will lock the phone, and it plays a static blip instead of the little click spound.

I don't mention this as a deterrant, but something to be aware may be an issue.

Also in my case, something happened with the stylus slot, and the stylus would not go back in. I didn't really use the stylus though so I just stuck it in a drawer and turned that feature off.