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submitted 1 year ago by L4s@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

Do you miss phones with replaceable batteries? By 2027, you won't anymore because, by law, almost every smartphone will have them again.

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[-] sneezy@lemm.ee 171 points 1 year ago

Remember that consumers expect certain things from smartphones nowadays, which will mean that OEMs can’t just go back to the old way of doing things. An IP68 rating would be very difficult to obtain while still offering a premium-feeling device with an easily replaceable battery, for example. These are hurdles OEMs will need to get over to be in compliance.

this is straight-up BS. there were many phones with ip68 and user-replacable batteries back when sealing the battery in a phone was frowned upon. not all but many.

[-] Pelicanen@sopuli.xyz 84 points 1 year ago

The term "premium-feeling" does a lot of heavy lifting in that paragraph, one might almost say that it's a bit subjective.

[-] Dirk_Darkly@sh.itjust.works 40 points 1 year ago

It's true though. I've become very accustomed to the premium experience of being forced to use premium apps and services that don't work half the time in a very premium manner.

[-] Mongostein@lemmy.ca 15 points 1 year ago

I think it would be pretty premium if I could have a spare battery on the charger for a quick swap rather than relying on a cable to charge my phone.

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[-] MeanEYE@lemmy.world 36 points 1 year ago

I have a two-way radio which floats in water and has a replaceable battery. It's just excuses. However I do believe they got rid of replaceable batteries to save on space and thickness of the devices.

[-] CthuluVoIP@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

Thickness is the only concern I have. I’d love to be able to replace the battery in my iPhone safely and easily, but I don’t really want to give up having a phone that’s less than 10mm thick.

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[-] dandroid@dandroid.app 14 points 1 year ago

I had a Galaxy S5 which I think was IP67 (someone fact check me on that), and a removable battery. It definitely didn't have a premium feel, and it got eviscerated in reviews for that. That didn't bother me though. Though, the backing cracked and the little plastic clips broke off rather quickly. I think if they had a metal backing that was held on by a regular (albeit tiny) Philips head screw(s), they could have a user replaceable battery on a premium phone with IP68 no problem.

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[-] Melonpoly@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

One of them being the Galaxy S5 (I think)

[-] kadu@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You're correct, though the Galaxy S5 is a bad example. Tthe device looked and felt like a Fischer Price toy. It had flaps everywhere, was annoying to use, and even had a billion software notifications to keep reminding you to monitor and close said flaps. Nowadays we can certainly do better.

[-] kanathan@discuss.tchncs.de 12 points 1 year ago

Yeah, I scuba dive and have multiple pieces of equipment with replacable batteries that are good down to 500+ ft. Not only do some of them get opened frequently, and without replacing seals or anything, but they're also all way cheaper than my phone! Anyone who says you can't easily meet an IP68 rating on a phone with replacement batteries is full of shit.

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[-] rm_dash_r_star@lemm.ee 78 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Producers got away with going to non-replaceable batteries because "most" people replace their phone before the battery wears out. Only a portion of consumers have a problem with it.

I'm sure there's a few of us that can comfortably get six years off a phone. In fact the phone I'm currently using is coming up on three years. I could probably get another three years out of it, but I'm going to have to replace it soon because of battery wear.

Non-replaceable batteries are bad for the consumer and bad for the environment. It forces obsolescence putting more financial strain on consumers and increases environmental impact with higher production and waste.

A phone replaced before three years could be sold second hand with a battery replacement. Otherwise consumers could keep a phone twice as long. So they're basically doubling the rate of production and waste to squeeze as much money as possible out of the consumer. Then there's zero regard for the environment. But you know that's typical of how corporations do business, rape the Earth, screw the consumer. We have to keep a leash on these guys.

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[-] Nioxic@lemmy.world 64 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Its NOT just smartphones

Its damn near everything!

Electric cars, other electronics etc

Some are just not "user replacable" (such as a cars batteries)

this law will change all iPhones. It will also change all tablets, laptops, EVs, e-bikes, and anything else with a rechargeable battery

Headphones, gaming mice, gaminh controllers. Its gonna be great

[-] rmuk@feddit.uk 21 points 1 year ago

The big one at the moment - at least in the UK and IMHO - is disposable vapes. I see them everywhere, just tossed on the ground or at the side of the road. The reason I see them is because of their flashing blue LEDs still running, meaning there's at least a working battery and support circuitry in there. It's disgusting that something like that is tolerated. I'm hopeful that the requirement to have user-replacable batteries will eliminate them by making them uneconomical compared to standard vapes.

[-] NoRodent@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

I don't understand why disposable vapes are even legal at all. I mean we banned friggin' plastic straws but this thing is fine?! Who even came up with such a terrible product in current times?

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[-] Raglesnarf@lemmy.world 51 points 1 year ago

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again (someone else definitely said this before me) I’m totally fine with a user replaceable battery but I don’t really need a “hot swappable” battery. Don’t you guys remember the old memes where an android phone is dropped and the Lego brick breaking sound effect is used from the Lego video games. I’m ok with a semi sealed device for water resistance and what not. It would just be nice to be able to replace the battery when the time comes

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[-] p5f20w18k@lemmy.world 34 points 1 year ago

I wonder how apple will react to this

[-] sini@lemm.ee 69 points 1 year ago

Apple fanboy here… but they’re probably gonna market the feature with some cool new trendy name and make the battery replacements proprietary.

[-] OrangeCorvus@lemmy.world 41 points 1 year ago

It will be built from the ground up 😂

[-] pineapplelover@lemm.ee 13 points 1 year ago

Overcomplicated, overpriced, and they're gonna incentive just getting the next gen phone.

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[-] AdamSmasher@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago

$300 battery for your iPhone

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[-] sneezy@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago

Now i hope it says something about availability of the replacement batteries...

Due to unexpectedly high demand, the $300 battery you ordered has 5 months waiting list. Payment in advance, of course, for your convenience.

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[-] RagingNerdoholic@lemmy.ca 32 points 1 year ago

* in Europe

Tim Cook can suck a fat one.

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[-] Deelala0516@lemmy.world 24 points 1 year ago

I just hope the battery doesn't cost as much as a new phone would.

[-] abhibeckert@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

The EU almost forced the phone industry to start using standardised/interchangeable batteries.

If the batteries cost as much as a new phone, they'll reconsider that decision.

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[-] Tequila@lemmy.world 22 points 1 year ago

One of my phones battery became swollen and hated not being able to change it without removing the adhesive stuck backing, camera, wireless charging cable, brackets preventing battery cable to be removed normally, battery being adhesive stuck to the battery slot. I hope all phones go back to removable batteries.

[-] reddig33@lemmy.world 21 points 1 year ago

Good. I also read appliances (like your electric toothbrush or headphones) will also have to follow this guidance. This should make it easier to repair and recycle electronics.

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[-] 0Xero0@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago

but only the EU though, everywhere else is still fucked

[-] Zeron@lemmy.world 38 points 1 year ago

Chances are most companies aren't going to make two separate production lines with and without a removable battery. The cost likely outweighs the profit i'd wager. Much like how we see apple finally begrudgingly moving to USB-C despite no NA law requiring them to do so.

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[-] eggshappedegg@sopuli.xyz 17 points 1 year ago

It's not so much the batteries for me but the USB C port that has been my main issue and that damn humidity/water sensor that thinks that I've dipped my phone in water when I haven't

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[-] Lemmyatem@lemm.ee 16 points 1 year ago

Shame this can’t happen for memory and storage.

[-] gaybear@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago

also for headphone jacks in the future too...

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[-] Bleach7297@lemmy.ca 16 points 1 year ago

This is the best news I've read in a while. Hopefully the US (or at least Cali) jump on board as well.

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[-] ljdawson@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago

Wonder how waterproofing will hold up

[-] themeatbridge@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Depends on how important it is to customers. Waterproofing was always just an excuse to seal the case and make repairs harder, and wasn't a feature that the market demanded. We always had waterproof phones for people who needed them. You can seal a battery compartment to IP68 with a bit of effort, and IP44 is essentially what you need to put it in your pocket anyway.

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[-] jacksalssome@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago

The Samsung S5 has an IP67 rating and the battery on that was easy to replace.

If you drop either phone they are probably just as likely to be compromised.

I could see a latch that you need the sim ejector to open. Something that still very secure, but possible for an user user to replace with out the need of a freaking heat gun. While still keeping the design.

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[-] Naatan@lemmy.one 12 points 1 year ago

I'm looking to upgrade my iPhone 11 for no reason other than the battery life is starting to bug me. None of the features released since the 11 hold any interest for me, I literally just want more battery life. Looks like that'll cost me about $1000 if I want to stay with iOS. Absolutely insane.

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[-] malchior@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago

Good, no reason why my Pixel 6 shouldn't last until I accidentally drop it instead of the slow death of worsening battery.

[-] calvinklein97@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 1 year ago

I am curious how Apple will get around that this time. I’m almost sure this will be as funny as the whole story about the USB-C cables

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this post was submitted on 13 Jul 2023
1731 points (99.2% liked)

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