The European Parliament passed a law and can force manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi and others to make smartphones with removable batteries. The vote was 587 votes in favor and 9 against.
The text of the law says that any user should be able to replace their smartphone’s battery, and companies cannot use stickers and other components to make this task difficult.
In addition, manufacturers must produce cell phones that do not require special tools or training to access the battery. Another controversial point involves the act of forcing the consumer to activate technical assistance.
In its justification, the law passed in the European Union says that the change is being designed to extend the useful life of a smartphone, something that also reduces the production of electronic waste.
In practice, companies will probably have to abandon the design that became known as “glass sandwich” on the back of their devices.
The approved text provides that companies have until the beginning of 2027 to change the design of their smartphones to meet the requirement, in addition to creating a chain for the sale of removable batteries, as well as for collection and recycling.
For now, the manufacturers have not yet commented on the matter. In any case, the European Union has increasingly interfered in the smartphone market after some brands began to use the environmental argument to remove accessories from the box of the devices.
Other changes proposed by the block include using USB-C on all devices and also providing up to five years of software updates. This last proposal has not yet been voted on.
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