this post was submitted on 29 Jun 2024
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Apple is working to make iPhone 16 battery removal easier to comply with EU regulations (www.techspot.com)
submitted 4 months ago by CAVOK@lemmy.world to c/europe@feddit.org
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[–] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 39 points 4 months ago (4 children)

Look, I don't expect the back to be trivial to pop off and have a battery that I can yank out and replace within 5 seconds.

The need for high capacity batteries in phones pretty much necessitates thinner-walled (and therefore more easy to damage) batteries, and phones being all-screen pretty much necessitates phones being reasonably thin, so protective cases can be used without making the phones ridiculously cumbersome.

But if it does indeed require special tools, heatguns, and a skilled technician to do this, then I will be pissed off. There is zero reason Apple and the other industry shitheads can't design a phone with a battery that can be replaced without much chance of damage, or specialised tooling, by a normal person in under 10 minutes.

I'd also like to see them be forced to publish open schematics for their batteries so alternate companies can sell batteries if the OEM decides to be a shithead and charge you Β£160 for a new one.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 19 points 4 months ago

we should obviously not design phones around planned obsolescence.

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 4 months ago

Third 0arty batteries have been easy to come by for any phone. The problem is that no third party sells ones that aren't complete shit. It's not the spec. It's that no good plant will make them and they bar the original plant from making extras to sell on their own. It shouldn't be borderline impossible for me to get an oem battery for my note 20 ultra.

[–] Blaubarschmann@feddit.org 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

The EU battery regulation requires all portable batteries to be removable and replaceable by the end user, starting 2026. So I guess that means no specialized tooling or repair training required, or the tools will have to be included with the phone

[–] TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Unfortunately there are all kinds of caveats in the law. E.g. phone batteries over a certain capacity are exempt, you can be exempted if you provide a battery warranty of (iirc) 3 years, etc.

[–] poVoq 22 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Will probably be again this malicious compliance of "only if you mail-order this 799€ tool for it" πŸ˜’ Oh and the battery itself costs more then the phone itself is still worth and of course no 3rd party batteries work.

[–] Blaubarschmann@feddit.org 2 points 4 months ago

Yeah probably. They will find a way to effectively circumvent the legal requirements while still technically be compliant

[–] NarrativeBear@lemmy.world 8 points 4 months ago (3 children)

Most phones has gone this way as a marketing ploy for waterproofing or water resistance. When was the last time you dropped you're phone I'm the toilet or urinal?

I do have a feeling its more of a cash grab in having to purchase a new phone once your battery kicks the bucket.

[–] rImITywR@lemmy.world 20 points 4 months ago

Also, removable batteries and waterproofing are not mutually exclusive. There have been flagships that were waterproof and had a removable battery, like the Galaxy S5. And there still are phones like that. Manufacturers have taken this away from us.

Also, also, every other industry has seemed to have figured it out. Go to the dollar store and you will find a flashlight that is waterproof and has easily replaceable AA batteries. Its not that complicated. Apple is one of the most successful companies on the planet, they can hire an engineer to come up with a decent solution. Apple et al. using waterproofing as an excuse to make the entire phone disposable when, not if, the battery dies is bullshit.

[–] golli@lemm.ee 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Idk waterproofing/resistance is a nice feature to have, even if it's just for the peace of mind. There are more instances where your phone might get wet. Heavy rain, spilling something on it (maybe even in a bag where it'll be exposed to it for longer). Accidentally falling or getting pushed into water.

But I guess mostly the peace of mind aspect e.g. when using it near water. Water damage is an unplanned accident, battery degradation is slow and doesn't have the same risk of suddenly leaving you without a phone (that serves many purposes nowadays). So that is a different kind of risk people want to have some insurance against.

However as someone else said repairability and a decent IP rating don't have to be mutually exclusive.

[–] jol@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 4 months ago

Lots of people I know use their iPhones to take pics in wet environments, and push the water proofing to the limit.

[–] abbadon420@lemm.ee 4 points 4 months ago

Color me shocked

[–] Audacious@sh.itjust.works 4 points 4 months ago

Trying to reinvent the wheel, typical apple.