Improve device repairability and component recycling to support sustainable development. The European Union has wanted to enforce this creed for several years. Between the necessity of offering a USB-C charging port and the necessity of having removable smartphone batteries, we can’t say it doesn’t work. In most cases, we notice that: Decisions affect Apple the most. The firm has always kept control of its ecosystem with proprietary components, among others.
John Ternus, vice president of hardware engineering at Apple, in an interview with ORBIT on YouTube, Removable batteries in iPhone are not in the program. He points out that a battery that can be easily replaced for itself “creates a conflict between durability and repairability.” You can make an internal component more repairable by making it inconspicuous and removable, but this inherently adds a potential point of failure.
Apple doesn’t want a removable battery so as not to make iPhones too fragile
John Ternus continues to take his example. iPhone water and dust resistantrequiring “highly technical adhesives and sealants”. On the other hand, it makes it difficult to turn on devices, for example, to change the battery. “A problem of balance,” he concludes. Not to mention, it’s easily conceivable that it would be a waste of revenue for Apple to allow users to replace a faulty battery themselves. In France, an iPhone 14 costs around €120.
Beyond the economic aspect, such a decision is entirely Changing the face of the smartphone market in Europe. Imagining that this year’s law leaves no way for manufacturers who refuse to comply, Apple should stop selling its products in European Union countries. The first mobile models with removable batteries are expected to debut in 2027, the firm still has time to change its mind.
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