EU lets wearables wriggle out of user-replaceable battery rules

personal tech

Miniaturization means a professional's touch is needed

UPDATED The European Commission has watered down its rules around battery replaceability with exemptions for some wearable devices, potentially including the Apple Watch and Meta's AI Glasses.

A delegated act was adopted by the European Commission on July 14 that exempted the products from EU requirements on the removability and replaceability of portable batteries.

The batteries must still be replaceable, but by independent professionals rather than end users.

Wet appliances already have an exemption from user-replaceability rules, and qualifying wearables are now on the list. By wearables, the Commission means smartwatches, fitness trackers, smart glasses, or anything integrated into clothing.

In its document [PDF], the Commission said small batteries should be removable and replaceable only by professionals, where "the miniaturization of wearable devices and the portable batteries powering them may result in situations where the battery is so tightly encapsulated in its receptacle that its removal may create a non-negligible risk of damage or piercing of the battery."

"Where the nature of the product hinders its redesign (anatomic or ergonomic considerations), it is justified that such small batteries be removable and replaceable only by independent professionals."

The EU's portable battery rule is set to come into force in 2027, and requires gizmo makers to ensure their designs allow for battery replacement by users. Phone creators, for example, will generally have to ensure customers can open their devices and switch out the battery themselves, although batteries in phones meeting specified longevity and IP67 requirements may remain replaceable only by professionals.

The environmental cost of ditching a device when the battery fails is less than ideal, and the European Commission has sustainability rules around the sourcing, collection, recycling, and repurposing of batteries.

Allowing users to replace batteries means the units can easily be recycled and the life of devices extended, although an expiration of software support will be the next challenge faced by the users. The US PIRG action group reckons that expiring software or server support is responsible for 1.7 billion pounds of e-waste over the last decade.

Campaigners have urged the EU to mandate 15 years of OS updates.

The Register asked the Commission if the change was at least partially a result of pressure from industry. Dropping the requirement for user replaceability is good news for manufacturers considering how gadgets such as smart glasses or watches could be made to comply.