From the February 18, 2027 one of the most discussed regulations of recent years will come to life: the requirement for user-replaceable batteries for most of the electronic devices sold in the European Union. However, this is not a simple or uniform rule. The regulatory framework is based on two distinct pillars: on the one hand the regulation Ecodesignalready active since 2025, on the other the largest Batteries Regulation.
The first concerns smartphones and tabletsimposing strict standards on duration, repairabilityavailability of spare parts and software updates. The second instead extends the principle of the removable battery to almost all consumer electronics. The crucial point? Smartphones they remain excluded from the “easy” removable battery requirementbut they will still have to be designed for one simplified replacement.
It’s not a return to the past
Those imagining a return to flip phones will have to scale back their expectations. The new rules aim for a middle way: batteries accessible with common toolswithout aggressive glues or sealed designs. This balance arises from a technical constraint: modern lithium cells they require protection, insulation and structural integration. The compromise could result in slightly thicker or smaller capacity, but longer-lived devices. And above all, finally repairable without necessarily going through official assistance.
The products really involved
If smartphones remain a special case, many other devices will be fully involved. Among these: laptops, wireless earphones, smartwatches, portable consoles, Bluetooth speaker and e-readers. Here the impact will be evident, especially in notebooks, where today batteries are often glued and difficult to remove.
There is no shortage of critical issues: miniaturising removable systems in products such as earphones true wireless or him smart glasses it is a concrete engineering challenge. It is no coincidence that some companies they are already looking for exemptionsespecially for devices exposed to water or designed for extremely small dimensions.
Global impact and producer strategies
Even if the law is European, the consequences will probably be global. It’s hard to imagine manufacturers developing different versions of the same device for different markets. This means that the design choices imposed by the EU could become the global standard. Meanwhile, hardware development cycles – often of 12-18 months – force companies to adapt today. Decisions made now will define the products we see on shelves in a few years.
End of planned obsolescence?
More than an aesthetic revolution, this regulation marks a cultural change: products designed to last, be repaired and not simply replaced. The battle against planned obsolescence finally gets into the concrete. It won’t be perfect, nor immediate. But it is a decisive first step towards more sustainable, transparent electronics and, above all, more under the control of users.
