User-replaceable batteries are coming back in a big way

May 31, 2026 Dominic Preston

Close-up of user-replaceable battery.

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How it started

In 2023, the European Union agreed on two landmark pieces of legislation mandating how portable tech products with batteries must be designed, aiming to improve longevity, repairability, and recyclability. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1670 came into force last year and applies specifically to smartphones and tablets, while Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 takes effect next year …

Read the full story at The Verge.

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