According to a report by Times Kuwait, the EU’s Battery and Waste Battery Regulation (EU 2023/1542) will be implemented on February 18, 2027. This regulation will require that all mobile phones and tablets sold in the EU must be designed to allow users to “easily remove and replace” the battery. This regulation has posed a huge challenge to technology giants such as Apple and Samsung. It will affect their flagship models’ heavy reliance on glue sealing to achieve IP68 waterproof and dustproof functions.
What is the EU’s “Battery and Waste Battery Regulations” (EU 2023/1542) that will be implemented on February 18, 2027? Mobile phones will return to the era of instant battery replacement. Will it be difficult for future flagship mobile phones to support IP68 waterproof and dustproof functions? Here is an explanation:
The European Union will mandate that from February 18, 2027, the batteries of all portable electronic products sold in the EU must be “easily replaceable” by users, causing market discussion. How will future mobile phone designs be affected by the new regulations? Here is a summary video and detailed explanation:
1. The EU’s “Battery and Waste Battery Regulations” (EU 2023/1542) implemented on February 18, 2027:
According to the “Times Kuwait” report, in order to reduce electronic waste and give consumers greater autonomy in repairs, the EU’s battery regulations ~ “Battery and Waste Battery Regulations” (EU 2023/1542), which came into effect on August 17, 2023, mandate that from February 18, 2027, all smartphones, tablets and portable electronic products sold in the EU must have batteries that can be “easily replaced by themselves.” This regulation will encourage manufacturers to reduce the use of adhesives in battery components and adopt designs that are easier to disassemble. It is expected that if consumers can replace the batteries themselves, they can save about 100 euros per repair, and the cost is expected to be reduced by up to 70%.
2. Mobile phones will return to the era of instant battery replacement. Will it be difficult to support IP68 waterproof and dustproof functions?
The main appeal of the new EU “Battery and Waste Battery Regulations” is to push “disposable consumer electronics” into a “maintainable, upgradable and life-extending” model to reduce a large amount of electronic waste. The main specification is to encourage consumers to disassemble and replace batteries by themselves without using special tools or causing product damage. It does not require the design of these electronic devices to return to the era of instant battery replacement. In other words, future electronic devices can be compliant as long as they have a screw-fastened, detachable structure and avoid the use of adhesives in battery components. They do not necessarily have to be slide-type or quick-release designs that can replace batteries in seconds like in the past.
Will switching to a detachable structure for mobile phones and avoiding the use of adhesives affect the IP68 waterproof and dustproof function?
According to reports, EU regulations have specially formulated exemption conditions. As long as the manufacturer’s products can meet the following standards at the same time, it is possible to obtain exemptions:
A. Battery life and durability: The battery must maintain more than 83% of its capacity after 500 charge cycles, or more than 80% of its capacity after 1,000 charge cycles.
B. Waterproof and dustproof capabilities: The equipment must have waterproof capabilities above IP67.
In order to comply with EU regulations, manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung are expected to circumvent the “detachable” design requirements by increasing battery life, rather than actually changing the new machine to a detachable cover design.
in accordance withAPPLE official websiteAccording to data, the lithium battery used in iPhone 15 (inclusive) and above can still retain 80% of its original storage capacity after 1,000 full charging cycles under ideal conditions. In other words, iPhone has already complied with the EU’s “Battery and Waste Battery Regulations” in advance, and the implementation of the new law will not affect the design of future new generation iPhones or iPads. However, the ultra-high-capacity silicon-carbon batteries that many people are looking forward to have been difficult to confirm due to their service life. The new law will prompt APPLE and Samsung to be more cautious about the use of new lithium batteries!
Source: KOCPC Chinese