A new EU law could could bring back replaceable phone batteries
(CrackBerry.com)

After the smartphone industry has shifted towards sealed phones with integrated batteries, the European Union is pushing back with a mandate that will shake things up. These days almost every phone, tablet, laptop, power bank, and other gadget with a rechargeable battery inside is a sealed unit that`s not meant to be opened and tinkered with. No matter the company, the shift away from battery packs that a typical user could easily replace was largely completed several years ago. But new legislation from the European Union stands poised to change that with a mandate to that portable battery-powered devices must be designed `in such a way that consumers can themselves easily remove and replace` the battery. In addition to the replaceable batteries requirement, the law requires carbon footprint labels and supply chain reports for electric vehicles with battery packs larger than 2kWh and sets increasing targets for recyclability and recycled content inclusion. Many of the provisions, inc...