User-Replaceable Batteries May Be Making A Comeback

You Can Thank The EU And Slim Profit Margins

There may be one more thing to thank the EU for, on top of extended Windows Updates and privacy laws, the return of replaceable batteries.  As of February 18th, 2027 the EU will put in place a new law requiring headphones, e-readers, handheld consoles, laptops, and possibly even earbuds to include batteries which are easily replaceable by the device’s owner.  The low profit margins on these devices could mean that we get the same benefits in North America.  It is generally cheaper to create and sell a single design globally than it is to develop a model with a replaceable battery for one market and one with a battery that is a PITA to access for the rest of the world.

There is a huge exception to this new law however, it does not include smartphones nor tablets.  They are completely excluded and a variety of IoT wearable devices will also have exceptions.  It will likely take a few legal battles before the EU settles the definition of “commercially available tools” at a reasonable price, which is how it will be determined if a battery can be considered user-replaceable.   Once the dust settles we can hope that at least some of our devices will be a little easier to fix.