It had been in the works for a while, but now it has formally been adopted. From the article:
The regulation provides that by 2027 portable batteries incorporated into appliances should be removable and replaceable by the end-user, leaving sufficient time for operators to adapt the design of their products to this requirement.
the argument I’d make is that with newer, faster, better tech being available year after year, very few people actually want to keep using the same phone for more than a few years, tops. having a replacable battery may prevent some waste but it’s not going to stop most folks from ditching their phones after a year or two.
some people are far more concerned about fashion over form - most of apple’s userbase, for example.
Let’s be real here - this hasn’t been the case for smartphones like 5 years at this point. Barely anything has changed in that time frame besides like a “telephoto” lens and foldables.
People are just sold on the idea that things are changing.
i disagree, got a 2021 model phone last year for a very reasonable price that is loads faster & has a better battery life than my 2020 model phone.
assuming my current phone doesnt break in a year, I’ll replace it anyway - because the upgrade will be worthwhile