soon replaceable smartphone batteries?

soon replaceable smartphone batteries?

As part of its EU-wide e-waste reduction project, the EU wants to put in place new rules to oblige smartphone manufacturers to facilitate the replacement of used batteries by the users themselves.

The European Commission is working on a proposal to oblige smartphone vendors to use easily replaceable batteries in their devices.

The Dutch information site Het Financieele Dagblad, which has obtained a copy of the plans, says that EU officials plan to formally submit their proposal for public discussion next month, in March 2020.

The aim of the proposal is to reduce electronic waste across the EU by allowing users to replace worn or defective batteries on their phones.

Manufacturers lock their devices

Currently, most phone manufacturers use closed enclosures that prevent users from replacing batteries, because they do not cancel their warranty, or that require special tools to open the device.

In addition, some manufacturers do not offer spare parts to the general public, and battery replacements can only be done in certain approved stores. This resulted in an increase in electronic waste, with telephone manufacturers pushing users to completely replace their devices rather than the defective battery.

This was not always the case, and almost a decade ago it was easy for a user to get a battery and replace it on their own, without fear of losing their warranty and without having to use specific technical knowledge or tools. Things have changed in recent years, as manufacturers have realized that they can easily accelerate the cycle of product replacement (and hence profits) simply by blocking access to defective parts, including the battery, The component that usually wears out the fastest.

A proposal that is part of a more global ecological project

It remains to be seen how the EU will implement its new battery replacement rules. The first possibility, even if the proposal will probably not go in that direction, would be to impose a universal battery format. But this is not technically possible, as most batteries are adapted to a specific phone, with size restrictions, a particular connector, and some labelled technologies.

Last month, the EU started working on legislation that would require phone manufacturers to provide a universal charger for all phones.

Both proposals are part of the EU’s plan to reduce e-waste on a large scale by encouraging better technical designs, recycling of raw materials and extending the lifespan of appliances.