Earlier this week, several social media accounts went viral claiming that starting in 2027, the European Union (EU) will require all smartphones marketed in their economic zone to have batteries that can be replaced by the owner. People cheered as they recalled the era of removable phone batteries when they run out like the era of Nokia and Samsung almost two decades ago will return. But we have to explain to you that this is not true at all.
The original guidelines issued by the EU in 2024 only stated that all smartphones on the market must have batteries that can be replaced by users at home. The key word here is “replace” or “replace” in English. Devices must have batteries that can be replaced by the owner without having to go to a store or need special tools. It does not mean that the back panel of the phone will return to the removable plastic panel like the Galaxy S2 or Nokia 3310. Far from it.
Since the directive was issued, manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung have started offering devices with batteries that are no longer connected to the phone using a difficult-to-remove adhesive. Both companies were already ahead of the EU guidelines, which came into effect on February 17, 2027.
But the same guidelines say that this user-replaceable process only applies to devices with a waterproof rating of IPX5 and below. All iPhones, Samsung, Xiaomi, Honor, Vivo, Oppo and a host of other flagship devices now pass IP68.
Because of this higher level of water and dust resistance, manufacturers are allowed to not make batteries owner-replaceable without special tools. Special tools include heat guns that soften the glue, special gaskets and special pick tools that prevent the device's glass panel from breaking when removed.
Exemptions are also granted to manufacturers who guarantee that the battery will still have 83% of its original capacity after 500 charge cycles and 80% of its original capacity after 1000 charge cycles. Samsung and Apple both use batteries that guarantee this.
This answers the question “why don’t Apple and Samsung support SiC batteries and 100W ultra-fast charging”. The Li-Ion batteries used today have been around for years and the level of battery degradation is predictable. The “slow” charging system below 45W also does not cause the battery capacity to drop rapidly in 1000 charging cycles.
All decisions made are to ensure that EU guidelines can be complied with. If you have a dream of a removable battery. Forget your dream because it will not happen. That era is over like the era of phones that could dance when they rang, T9 keyboards and 3.5″ screens.
