EU Adds Exemptions to User-Serviceable Batteries Rules

The European Union is rolling back parts of its upcoming battery replacement rules with six new exemptions, effective in two thousand twenty-seven. Per Hackaday, smartwatches, fitness trackers, and wireless earbuds are among the categories now exempt from requiring user-serviceable batteries, primarily due to water-resistance concerns. For smartphones, batteries only need to be user-replaceable if they retain less than eighty-three percent of original capacity after five hundred charge cycles—otherwise, replacement stays locked to professionals. The Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to still get user-replaceable batteries in both the main unit and controllers.

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