As part of the new rules approved by the European Council with the aim of “Regulation of the entire life cycle of batteries“By 2027, batteries used in portable electronic devices should be interchangeable – users should be able to change the battery themselves. This directly applies not only to smartphones, but also to portable consoles such as Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.
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According to the Eurogamer portal, the new rules apply “allows manufacturers enough time to adapt the design of their products to these requirements”. Although consoles are not specifically mentioned in the documents, an EU official confirmed this to reporters “Handheld gaming device batteries are subject to battery handling and disposal regulations.”.
As stated in the rules themselves, “The end user should be able to replace the battery – it should be possible to remove it using standard tools without the need for special tools, unless they come free with the product.”.
According to Spain’s Minister for Green Transition, Teresa Ribera, batteries are key to the decarbonization process and the EU’s transition to zero emissions. In addition, used batteries have many components that can be recycled and reused. According to the minister, the new rules will contribute to the growth of competitiveness of European industry and contribute to the so-called. “green transition” of the European economy.
Last year, under almost the same pretext, the European Commission decided that by autumn 2024 all new portable electronic devices sold in the European Union must have a single USB Type-C charging port. This is believed to reduce e-waste and provide a better user experience for EU buyers, as one universal port is much more convenient than a variety of options.
For example, Apple has already confirmed that the iPhone will get a USB Type-C connector, although the company does not believe such a decision is correct. As early as October last year, a spokesman for the company said: “Of course we have to meet the requirements. We have no choice”. Most Android devices already have a USB Type-C connector, so no revolutionary changes are expected in their market.
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