The new battery law from the EU has a lot of small details... Why hasn't your next phone changed much?
Europe is still working hard to get rid of planned obsolescence and e-waste. And it has every right to do so. The most recent official data from the United Nations shows that the amount of electronic waste (WEEE) produced around the world is growing five times faster than the amount that is being recycled.
It is estimated that the world makes 62 million tons of electronic waste every year right now, and this number is expected to rise to 82 million tons by 2030.
Based on these figures, the European Union is working to reduce electronic waste and minimize its environmental impact. One of the most prominent initiatives is the so-called "right to repair." This right did not originate from a single law or event but is the result of a legislative strategy implemented in stages over recent years and is now being applied to one of the most sensitive products: the mobile phone.
The first step began in 2021, when manufacturers were required to provide spare parts and facilitate repairs. In 2023, the European Union reinforced this approach by issuing a new regulation on batteries, and in 2024 it adopted a directive specifically encouraging repairs rather than replacements.
In the case of smartphones, the law mandates the use of more durable and repairable devices starting in June 2025, and from February 2027, batteries must be replaceable throughout the product's lifespan. This particular aspect of the legislation has gained increasing importance in recent weeks, driven by its imminent implementation.
The law specifically states that, starting in 2027, smartphones sold in EU member states will be equipped with longer-lasting batteries that can withstand more charge cycles without losing capacity. It will also be mandatory for the batteries to be replaceable throughout the device's lifespan, under conditions that allow for replacement without vandalism.
In practice, this doesn't mean a return to removable batteries, but it does mean phones that are easier to repair and have a longer lifespan. However, as with all regulations, there are subtle details.
The requirement that batteries be replaceable by the user is not absolute. European regulations introduce exceptions that define its actual scope.
Specifically, manufacturers may restrict the sale of replacement batteries to professional maintenance technicians—and not to end users—if the device meets certain technical requirements. These requirements include a guarantee of high durability—with a capacity of at least 80% after 1000 charge cycles—and a high level of protection against water and dust, such as an IP67 rating.
In practice, most major manufacturers already meet these requirements, or come very close to meeting them, according to official data, European energy labels, and information provided by the brands themselves.
This enables manufacturers to maintain sealed designs and restrict the provision of replacement batteries to specialized channels without violating regulations, provided that the necessity of this design is justified to ensure the safety of the device or the safety of the user.
For example, Apple provided this certification in 2016 with the iPhone 7, ten years ago. Regarding charge cycles, as stated on its website, "iPhone 15 batteries are designed to retain 80% of their original capacity after 1,000 full charge cycles," meaning the South Korean company has met this requirement for two consecutive generations of its smartphones. Furthermore, according to the same website, this standard is also applied to the Apple Watch, iPads, and MacBooks.
Samsung, on the other hand, had obtained IP67 certification for its Galaxy S5 phone in 2014. Regarding charging cycles, the South Korean company does not publish a direct number on its website as Apple does, but the available data indicates that its devices meet—and even exceed—the requirements of European regulations: many of its smartphones are designed to withstand up to 2,000 charging cycles before their capacity drops to 80%, which is far beyond the minimum required by Brussels.
Google Pixel phones have had an IP67 rating since the second generation of this family, which was launched in 2017. In the case of the Mountain View company, its website provides live data on charging cycles, indicating that since the Pixel 8a, up to 80% of the battery capacity is retained "for approximately 1,000 charge cycles."
For its part, Xiaomi has made significant progress in this area in recent years. It has added water and dust resistance certifications to some of its high-end models, particularly the Xiaomi 13 series and later. And in newer models like the Redmi 15, the company claims that the battery retains at least 80% of its capacity even after 1600 full charge cycles.
As for OnePlus, it moved from the IP65 standard in the OnePlus 12 to the IP68 standard in the OnePlus 13. However, we do not have official data on charging cycles, but information from specialized sites indicates that it has met EU requirements since the OnePlus 13.
Since 2022, OPPO has guaranteed "battery capacity exceeding 80% even after 1600 charge cycles," and its Reno and A series phones meet or exceed the IP67 standard, as does its flagship Find X series.
The list goes on with the majority of manufacturers in this sector, which, in fact, already meet—or are very close to meeting—the requirements set by Brussels.