Will batteries change? Understand the terms that the new legislation will bring.
The battery in your cell phone is the most important element for the functioning of your device. Without it, there is nothing you can do. If you were born in the 90s or older, you may remember that at the beginning of the smartphone era, you could remove the battery when your phone was freezing, or just to turn it off when there was a problem.
This ease of removing the device's power source gave users more autonomy, allowing them to perform simple repairs on their cell phones or even buy another battery if theirs no longer worked. However, over time, new smartphones no longer offered the possibility of doing this, since their batteries began to come in fixed form. Therefore, if current devices need repairs, it is necessary to go to an authorized service center, or sometimes even change the cell phone.
However, some countries are questioning this current system. Keep reading to find out more.
Removable battery
The European Union (EU) has adopted a rule that says all smartphones sold in the bloc must have self-replaceable batteries by 2027. The move is part of a local effort to reduce e-waste and encourage mobile phone repairs.
Most smartphones today have sealed batteries, which are difficult or impossible for users to replace themselves. This means that if the battery starts to fail, the customer will either have to buy a new phone or take it to a repair shop. New batteries will also be marked with clear instructions on how to replace them, so even inexperienced users can easily swap them out.
The new ones EU regulations make it easier to extend the lifespan of your smartphone by simply replacing the battery. This applies to all phones sold in the EU, regardless of where they are manufactured. This means that Apple, Samsung and other original equipment manufacturers will have to comply with the new rules.
The regulation sets a target for manufacturers to collect waste mobile batteries. The target percentage will be 63% by the end of 2027 and 73% by the end of 2030. In addition, there is a special collection target for light means of transport, which is 51% by 2028 and 61% by 2031.
Reducing electronic waste
This is not the first time the European Union has taken steps to reduce electronic waste. The bloc introduced new rules in 2019 that all electronic devices must be designed to be easily opened. The new smartphone battery regulations are another step in that direction.
As part of the change, Apple announced that it would use 100% certified recycled cobalt in all of its batteries by 2025. However, in September 2022, Apple increased battery repair costs with the iPhone 14 lineup. Battery replacements for the iPhone 13 and earlier models cost around $$69, or R$$331 in direct conversion. However, the iPhone 14 series is 43% more expensive, costing $$99, or R$$475.
