New mobiles will have user replaceable batteries by 2027

MouldyOldDough

In EU at least - presumably UK too ?

https://www.androidauthority.com/phones-with-replaceable-batteries-2027-3345155/

la531983

Anything that comes in to the EU like this will almost certainly come in for the UK as they wont retool just for one market.

MyRealNameToo

la531983 said:

Anything that comes in to the EU like this will almost certainly come in for the UK as they wont retool just for one market.

Certainly some do if the market is big enough... iPhones for a number of years have been notably different by market - China has two physical sims, US no physical sims and RoW has 1 physical sim (ignoring the new Air). Similarly mmWave 5G is only included in North America 

iOS for the EU is already different to the RoW, not as big a thing as hardware but they've certainly decided to differentiate rather than treat UK and EU as one. 

ButterCheese

Things like this really interest me.  I expect some manufacturers will embrace this; the new phones maybe more expensive which the "must get newest phone" crowd will still pay for.  But you really will be able to take out an old battery and replace quite easily.

Whereas, I expect Apple to add a pointless bit of flashy tech, market that as the thing we're paying more for, when we're actually paying for a replaceable battery design.  Always pass your costs onto the customer!  And it wouldn't surprise me if the battery was only replaceable if you buy an Apple-specific tool/kit for £49.99

Emmia

Fairphones already have this, along with many other user replaceable parts like screens, cameras etc.

https://shop.fairphone.com

MouldyOldDough

ButterCheese said:

Things like this really interest me.  I expect some manufacturers will embrace this; the new phones maybe more expensive which the "must get newest phone" crowd will still pay for.  But you really will be able to take out an old battery and replace quite easily.

Whereas, I expect Apple to add a pointless bit of flashy tech, market that as the thing we're paying more for, when we're actually paying for a replaceable battery design.  Always pass your costs onto the customer!  And it wouldn't surprise me if the battery was only replaceable if you buy an Apple-specific tool/kit for £49.99

It does say "By 2027, all phones released in the EU must have a battery the user can easily replace with no tools or expertise."

PHK

MouldyOldDough said:

ButterCheese said:

Things like this really interest me.  I expect some manufacturers will embrace this; the new phones maybe more expensive which the "must get newest phone" crowd will still pay for.  But you really will be able to take out an old battery and replace quite easily.

Whereas, I expect Apple to add a pointless bit of flashy tech, market that as the thing we're paying more for, when we're actually paying for a replaceable battery design.  Always pass your costs onto the customer!  And it wouldn't surprise me if the battery was only replaceable if you buy an Apple-specific tool/kit for £49.99

It does say "By 2027, all phones released in the EU must have a battery the user can easily replace with no tools or expertise."

This does make me chuckle, considering that many people struggle to replace the batteries in a TV remote or torch. 

When phones used to have removable back covers and slot in batteries, phone shops did a nice line in selling new batteries and putting them in for a few pounds more.

Grumpy_chap

New mobiles will have user replaceable batteries by 2027

Just like the good old days, then.

virgo17

Looks like a good idea. Only thought is, how many of these older phones that require new batteries will still be receiving security updates?

MouldyOldDough

Grumpy_chap said:

New mobiles will have user replaceable batteries by 2027

Just like the good old days, then

Yep - all of my 90's/00's Nokias had at least 2 replacement batteries !

d123

MouldyOldDough said:

ButterCheese said:

Things like this really interest me.  I expect some manufacturers will embrace this; the new phones maybe more expensive which the "must get newest phone" crowd will still pay for.  But you really will be able to take out an old battery and replace quite easily.

Whereas, I expect Apple to add a pointless bit of flashy tech, market that as the thing we're paying more for, when we're actually paying for a replaceable battery design.  Always pass your costs onto the customer!  And it wouldn't surprise me if the battery was only replaceable if you buy an Apple-specific tool/kit for £49.99

It does say "By 2027, all phones released in the EU must have a battery the user can easily replace with no tools or expertise."

https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/PE-2-2023-INIT/en/pdf

A portable battery should be considered to be removable by the end-user when it can be removed with the use of commercially available tools and without requiring the use of specialised tools, unless they are provided free of charge, or proprietary tools, thermal energy or solvents to disassemble it.