New handheld game consoles will need replaceable batteries from 2027, EU says
New handheld game consoles will need replaceable batteries from 2027, EU says
Handheld gaming consoles, such as the likes of the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, will need to have replaceable batter…
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As long as tools to unclip the shell aren't consider specialized, I think almost all existing handhelds are gonna meet the actual requirements here - they just have to be user replaceable, not use swappable, without the use of specialized tools or thermal energy. If you can unscrew it, disconnect the old battery and connect the new one, it complies. It's really only an issue in waterproof devices, where they have to glue everything to seal it.
I read a lot of people claiming that waterproofing technology has come to a point where this isn't too much of an issue, but that's as far as my knowledge goes
It's true. If you put a little gasket around the edges and make sure it's held down tightly (clips, screws etc) it's fine. Glue is cheaper and faster to manufacture, that's why companies claim it's necessary
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There are plenty of options for waterproofing removable batteries. They just tend to be large.
Yeah as much as I like electronics with batteries in their own module that pops right out of the bottom of the case, I think they should word this more to be against devices that are glued together or batteries that are glued down. If I just need to take the back panel off to get to the battery then that is no big deal as long as it isn't glued down.
What’s the difference between swappable and replaceable
Swappable as in “let’s just put a spare battery in so my phone is at 100% again and I can continue doing whatever” (like with cameras for example)
Replaceable as in “my phone only lasts 2 hours instead of a day because after 3 years the battery has degraded, time to replace it with a new one”
Needing disassembly or not, at least colloquially
I think the specialized tools thing leaves a lot of room for interpretation. For instance, Nintendo consoles likes to use triwing screws. A triwing screwdriver is a standard tool technically, but they aren't found at most hardware stores. I could see the argument that a triwing screw would not comply.