The European Commission yesterday adopted new exemptions to its battery regulation that exempt Apple Watch and AirPods from the requirement to offer removable and user-replaceable batteries.
The EU battery regulation generally requires consumer products sold in the region to allow users to swap their own batteries, a measure aimed at keeping devices in use longer and making it easier to recover materials for recycling. The Commission has now expanded its list of exempt product types to six additional categories, including wearable devices such as smart watches and fitness trackers.
The reasoning largely mirrors why devices such as electric toothbrushes were already exempt: opening a compact, sealed case and not closing it properly could let water in and create a safety hazard. Products may also qualify for an exemption if their construction makes battery removal inherently dangerous, or if there is no realistic way to incorporate user access given current manufacturing methods.
The new categories effectively cover the Apple Watch and AirPods, both of which rely on the kind of small, sealed models the Commission is designing, as well as Meta’s smart glasses. The move follows months of pressure from US authorities over rules that would have complicated Meta’s plans to introduce its latest screen-equipped smart glasses in Europe.
The iPhone was already exempt from the removability rule under the original rule, thanks to its battery life and water resistance rating. Apple offers battery service through Apple Stores, authorized suppliers, and its Self-Service Repair program, which allows owners to perform certain repairs, including batteries, at home. Not all devices get the same pass: Nintendo said it would sell a version of the Switch 2 in the EU with a user-replaceable battery to meet the new rules.
The delegated act still needs to undergo careful scrutiny by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. It comes into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU if neither body objects, ahead of the wider rollout of the regulation in 2027.
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