After a long day of using your smartphone, you will probably need to recharge the device. You can always use an external battery or wireless power bank to charge your iPhone or Android. But if you’re not at home, this is your only option, because public USB charging ports are too risky. You cannot replace the lithium-ion battery like a gadget that runs on AA batteries. Well, you could do it once, but that was sacrificed in favor of other features.
For the most part, smartphone manufacturers got rid of removable batteries because they were simply too expensive to implement. Customers wanted slim phones made from high-quality materials and packed with features. But it was impossible to fulfill all these desires, keep the removable battery and sell phones at a (relatively) affordable price. Once companies began sealing phone batteries, they were able to use more durable materials and add features like high-definition cameras and wireless charging. We no longer need phone cases thanks to all the security features designers installed with sealed batteries.
The benefits of non-removable batteries go beyond simple functionality. If your phone is stolen, you have plenty of methods to track your property, all thanks to the secure power source. In the past, thieves could remove the battery and leave you blind to its location, but since that’s no longer possible, they have fewer ways to disable tracking capabilities. Oh, and we can’t forget that since phones are no longer built with the gaps and hinges once used to access removable batteries, they’re more waterproof than ever. Water cannot damage the internal circuits if it cannot seep through the cracks.
Rules for you, not for me (phone)
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Although many people accept non-removable batteries as part of the cost of owning a smartphone, not everyone agrees. Some people want removable batteries. When enough voices join a chorus, governments tend to get involved, but when that happens, the corresponding wishes are granted with the help of a monkey’s paw.
In 2023, the EU passed new laws regarding the manufacturing of smartphones. According to The Olive Press, batteries in “portable devices” must be designed so that owners can remove and replace them “without any specialized tools or assistance.” – they will however still need “commercially available tools”. Additionally, replacement batteries must remain available for at least five years after production of a given model ceases. Of course, these laws won’t come into effect until 2027 and will only apply to Europe, but given how mass production works, we could easily see these new models sold in other regions. Since the wording of the law specifies “portable devices,” it will not only apply to phones, although it will not apply to all phones.
If a company can meet certain requirements, it is effectively exempt from complying with the regulations. One of the conditions is the ability to ensure that the battery retains at least 80% of its maximum charge after 1,000 full charge cycles. Apple says batteries in devices like the iPhone 14 (or later) do just that, so one could argue they’re exempt. Of course, there is no guarantee that the EU will agree with this logic. So Apple may need to provide scientific data using the iPhone’s battery health feature to convince government officials.
