This would be a good move. Glue and sealants aren't truly necessary today. They never really were.
Far more devices will require a battery replacement than will require repair from sitting in water for a few seconds.
Splash resistance is all that is needed and that doesn't require the same kind of engineering although waterproofing nano coatings have been available for years for phone components anyway.
If Apple felt an external battery inside a phone case was acceptable from a design and usage perspective, then a couple of millimetres is not going to be an issue in that sense.
It will also put an end to having to remove the screen to get at the battery which is a potential breakage point.
The external battery case option could even be taken to an extreme and made the sole main power option, allowing for ultra thin phones with no onboard main battery power and allowing users to choose from different power capacities, charging speeds and physical sizes/weights.
Have you ever design and sold a product?
No that I would not like easily replaced battery as I had on all my older Motorola phones. They would mostly removeable since they did more than a 1/2 day. Replacing a Battery on an iPhone is not that hard. I have done it a number of times for various family members after the phone was 3+ yrs old. After you do it a few times it is fairly quick. For the most part the phone last most of the day on a single charge and when it does not charging it not that difficult.
Making it changeable will cost more than a few millimeters. and there are other issue you have to worry about.
I am not an engineer or a designer but I have worked with both fields.
The Mate XS when folded, has effectively two screens, two backs, and two batteries stacked up on top of each other - in just 11mm. There is plenty of space available to make a replaceble battery in phones without turning them into bricks.
Whenever Apple replaces a battery you are required to sign acceptance that the screen could break during the process.
This would be a good move. Glue and sealants aren't truly necessary today. They never really were.
Far more devices will require a battery replacement than will require repair from sitting in water for a few seconds.
Splash resistance is all that is needed and that doesn't require the same kind of engineering although waterproofing nano coatings have been available for years for phone components anyway.
If Apple felt an external battery inside a phone case was acceptable from a design and usage perspective, then a couple of millimetres is not going to be an issue in that sense.
It will also put an end to having to remove the screen to get at the battery which is a potential breakage point.
The external battery case option could even be taken to an extreme and made the sole main power option, allowing for ultra thin phones with no onboard main battery power and allowing users to choose from different power capacities, charging speeds and physical sizes/weights.
Splash resistance? Nah. If I can buy a water resistant phone I can bring into the waves with me vs a non, guess which one I’ll buy?
So the proposed mandate is to make it "easier" to change a battery in a phone? That's pretty open-ended, because what is "easier"? I've never had to replace an iPhone battery, but for about US $50 and time to grab lunch, I can get my phone battery replaced. Seems easy enough to me as it is.
Left to their own design, here is a leaked image of the proposed EU phone battery system. Very easy indeed.
Let's all go back to the 90's, where phones were fat and they all had these little battery compartments, what a wonderful idea!
The EU is just absolutely disgusting and there is apparently no limit to the amount of idiotic and braindead ideas that they come up with.
They need to leave American companies, Americans and all other normal people who are not a part of the EU out of their schemes, because we will not partake in their lunacy.
If the EU wants replaceable batteries, then they can get Nokia or somebody to provide all phones for them. The EU does not deserve to use modern smart phones or to partake in the modern, civilized world.
Apple should seriously consider telling the EU to take a hike.
The EU is bad for innovation, bad for tech, bad for freedom and bad for all humankind, in my honest opinion.
What's the next ingenious idea that those EU retards will think of next week? I can hardly wait.
Raise your hand if you’ve thrown away disposable/removable batteries. I have. I know they’re toxic as hell, but finding out where they should go isn’t easy or convenient.
You know what battery I didn’t throw away? The one in my iPhone when I got it replaced at the Apple Store.
Green? Is there anyone more stupid than a bureaucrats...
P.S I really would like to ensure batteries are disposable of /recycled properly... any place that sells electronics should accept them. That would be 1000% better than their proposal.
Good points. However, I would like to point out that you appear to have, along with many others in this thread, not read the article closely enough. It says that onepossibility is that they might require phones to have user-replaceable batteries. I do agree that this is a truly awful idea. But there are certainly other things that could be done to encourage more people to get their dying batteries replaced instead of buying a whole new phone.
I’m trying to figure out what everyone here has against making batteries replaceable. Or is it the typical “The government is bad and any rule they make is bad” philosophy?
One may argue that iPhone batteries are replaceable, which is technically true, but having security pentalobe screws, a design which requires removing internal components to get the battery out and risks damaging the device and/or the battery to remove it is not really encouraging replacement.
Raise your hand if you’ve thrown away disposable/removable batteries. I have. I know they’re toxic as hell, but finding out where they should go isn’t easy or convenient.
You know what battery I didn’t throw away? The one in my iPhone when I got it replaced at the Apple Store.
Green? Is there anyone more stupid than a bureaucrats...
P.S I really would like to ensure batteries are disposable of /recycled properly... any place that sells electronics should accept them. That would be 1000% better than their proposal.
So your argument against this is that people might not recycle the batteries? Right after slamming the proposal by ‘stupid bureaucrats,’ you’re suggesting the same bureaucrats make regulations regarding the availability of battery recycling. If we had such recycling would the proposal then be a good idea?
User replaceable batteries leads to additional manufacture, selling and installation or cheap Chinese brand battery knockoffs. That a) will not be produced in as environmentally friendly or monitored factories, b) will be much more likely to be thrown out, c) last 1/3rd as long, deliver orders less resource efficiently and d) are likely to damage a number of phones that wouldn't otherwise be compromised if handled by Apple.
That is a lot of genuine negative environmental impact following such a policy change, vs the assumed increase in phones seeing extended use via the change.
iPhones already see 3~6 years use as an average with industry leading rates of recycling and longevity. Who is to say that isn't down to the internals of the phone being largely kept from knock-off products and user access, and the decreased likelihood of dirt and water ingress from their design decisions?
If the EU were serious about the environment in would not endorse and encourage the mass migration of people into Europe.. a more environmentally destructive policy could not be imagined, and it makes any other environmental policies the union has lipstick on a pig.
“this will allegedly make smartphones more sustainable, enabling them to have a longer lifespan and generating less electronic waste. “
Allegedly? Only in the same way breathing allegedly sustains life.
The rapid development of the smartphone is largely over and it is settling into a commodity business. The difference between the iPhone 10 and 11 is not that big of a deal. Actually the difference between an iPhone 8 and an 11 is not much to write home about.
It is well past time for right to repair, common power connectors and user replaceable battery compartments. I do not plan on going diving with my iPhone and have yet to lose one to water.
Who is to say that isn't down to the internals of the phone being largely kept from knock-off products and user access, and the decreased likelihood of dirt and water ingress from their design decisions?
Apple's devices never used to have water ratings before AFAIK, but now, many of their devices do, and those ratings are improving all of the time, and that is clearly due to the design changes in the devices throughout the years where the devices are becoming more closed off. They've already removed the headphone jacks and in the future there will probably be a phone without any ports on it at all.
Having battery compartments is a step in the wrong direction, 180 degrees backwards. It's anti-logical, it's simply stupid.
Raise your hand if you’ve thrown away disposable/removable batteries. I have. I know they’re toxic as hell, but finding out where they should go isn’t easy or convenient.
You know what battery I didn’t throw away? The one in my iPhone when I got it replaced at the Apple Store.
Actually I use eneloop rechargeables, the same ones Apple used to sell under their own brand. They charge thousanads of times and cost far less than the outrageously expensive throwaway kind sold everywhere. They were originally made by Sanyo, and are now made by Panasonic. The cells in Tesla cars and the powerwall are based upon the Sanyo- Panasonic technology.
When I go camping I can recharge them with a foldable solar panel.
The dirty little secret about sealed e-devices is that they are “recycled” in third world countries often by being put in a huge pile and burned.
I’m trying to figure out what everyone here has against making batteries replaceable. Or is it the typical “The government is bad and any rule they make is bad” philosophy?
One may argue that iPhone batteries are replaceable, which is technically true, but having security pentalobe screws, a design which requires removing internal components to get the battery out and risks damaging the device and/or the battery to remove it is not really encouraging replacement.
I have no problem making batteries replaceable if manufacturers and consumers want it. But this is not something any wise government should be mandating.
Let's all go back to the 90's, where phones were fat and they all had these little battery compartments, what a wonderful idea!
The EU is just absolutely disgusting and there is apparently no limit to the amount of idiotic and braindead ideas that they come up with.
They need to leave American companies, Americans and all other normal people who are not a part of the EU out of their schemes, because we will not partake in their lunacy.
If the EU wants replaceable batteries, then they can get Nokia or somebody to provide all phones for them. The EU does not deserve to use modern smart phones or to partake in the modern, civilized world.
Apple should seriously consider telling the EU to take a hike.
The EU is bad for innovation, bad for tech, bad for freedom and bad for all humankind, in my honest opinion.
What's the next ingenious idea that those EU retards will think of next week? I can hardly wait.
As I understand it rules and regulations oftentimes stimulates innovation. For instance, because of strict regulations innovation in car engines has surged. And don’t we trust Apple to come with the best removable battery ever? Come on guys, don’t take the easy route of simply EU bashing.
I have no problem making batteries replaceable if manufacturers and consumers want it. But this is not something any wise government should be mandating.
If it's such a great idea and the claim is that many people want it, then somebody should make a phone offering that, and it should sell like hotcakes. The free market will decide.
What should not happen is a bunch of corrupt dictator wannabes and technologically ignorant fanatics dictating and mandating how others should make their products.
I have no problem making batteries replaceable if manufacturers and consumers want it. But this is not something any wise government should be mandating.
If it's such a great idea and the claim is that many people want it, then somebody should make a phone offering that, and it should sell like hotcakes. The free market will decide.
What should not happen is a bunch of corrupt dictator wannabes and technologically ignorant fanatics dictating and mandating how others should make their products.
Come on! These arguments were also given when gouvernement wanted seatbelts and head protectors in cars. Regulations are everywhere and constantly imposed.
Come on! These arguments were also given when gouvernement wanted seatbelts and head protectors in cars. Regulations are everywhere and constantly imposed.
Seatbelts are not comparable to battery compartments. The seatbelt rules are obviously for safety reasons while the battery compartment idea is for nebulous and sinister reasons.
Comments
Still beating your troll drum, eh?
The Mate XS when folded, has effectively two screens, two backs, and two batteries stacked up on top of each other - in just 11mm. There is plenty of space available to make a replaceble battery in phones without turning them into bricks.
Whenever Apple replaces a battery you are required to sign acceptance that the screen could break during the process.
Splash resistance? Nah. If I can buy a water resistant phone I can bring into the waves with me vs a non, guess which one I’ll buy?
Left to their own design, here is a leaked image of the proposed EU phone battery system. Very easy indeed.
The EU is just absolutely disgusting and there is apparently no limit to the amount of idiotic and braindead ideas that they come up with.
They need to leave American companies, Americans and all other normal people who are not a part of the EU out of their schemes, because we will not partake in their lunacy.
If the EU wants replaceable batteries, then they can get Nokia or somebody to provide all phones for them. The EU does not deserve to use modern smart phones or to partake in the modern, civilized world.
Apple should seriously consider telling the EU to take a hike.
The EU is bad for innovation, bad for tech, bad for freedom and bad for all humankind, in my honest opinion.
What's the next ingenious idea that those EU retards will think of next week? I can hardly wait.
One may argue that iPhone batteries are replaceable, which is technically true, but having security pentalobe screws, a design which requires removing internal components to get the battery out and risks damaging the device and/or the battery to remove it is not really encouraging replacement.
That is a lot of genuine negative environmental impact following such a policy change, vs the assumed increase in phones seeing extended use via the change.
iPhones already see 3~6 years use as an average with industry leading rates of recycling and longevity. Who is to say that isn't down to the internals of the phone being largely kept from knock-off products and user access, and the decreased likelihood of dirt and water ingress from their design decisions?
If the EU were serious about the environment in would not endorse and encourage the mass migration of people into Europe.. a more environmentally destructive policy could not be imagined, and it makes any other environmental policies the union has lipstick on a pig.
Allegedly? Only in the same way breathing allegedly sustains life.
The rapid development of the smartphone is largely over and it is settling into a commodity business. The difference between the iPhone 10 and 11 is not that big of a deal. Actually the difference between an iPhone 8 and an 11 is not much to write home about.
It is well past time for right to repair, common power connectors and user replaceable battery compartments. I do not plan on going diving with my iPhone and have yet to lose one to water.
Having battery compartments is a step in the wrong direction, 180 degrees backwards. It's anti-logical, it's simply stupid.
When I go camping I can recharge them with a foldable solar panel.
The dirty little secret about sealed e-devices is that they are “recycled” in third world countries often by being put in a huge pile and burned.
Yes. The bureaucrat’s political science degrees means they are scientists, so they know better than the unwashed rabble.
What should not happen is a bunch of corrupt dictator wannabes and technologically ignorant fanatics dictating and mandating how others should make their products.