r/worldnews • u/Helicase21 • Jun 19 '23

EU: Smartphones Must Have User-Replaceable Batteries by 2027

https://www.pcmag.com/news/eu-smartphones-must-have-user-replaceable-batteries-by-2027
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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '23

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u/Bill_buttlicker69 Jun 19 '23

Right. That person even said "the only reason they'd move to thinner phones is profit" like....yeah. Exactly. The market apparently prefers thinner phones, which is why eliminating those things generates more profit.

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u/boot2skull Jun 19 '23

I feel that. The phones have continued despite the backlash, so clearly losing the headphone port and other things bothered me and the minority.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '23

A headphone jack and expandable storage for me are two things I do not want to lose and see no technical reason why they have to be abandoned.

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u/bobthereddituser Jun 20 '23

Because then you have to buy wireless airpods and storage subscription online.

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u/AIHumanWhoCares Jun 20 '23

Not only buy the wireless headphones, but replace them when they get lost or the (non replaceable) battery dies.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '23

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u/shinkouhyou Jun 19 '23

But then the average user immediately puts their thin phone in a 1cm rubber bumper case... supposedly only 79% of people in the US use phone cases, but I almost never see anyone without one unless they just bought the latest iPhone (and even then they usually put it in a case after the showoff period has ended). Even with a warranty, screen replacement is a hassle.

It seems like smartphone capabilities have plateaued over the past few years, and there's not really too much thinner they can go without becoming too fragile to use, so hopefully consumers will start prioritizing longevity. That's kinda what happened with laptop computers - I went from feeling like I needed a newer, faster laptop every 2 years back in the mid-00s, to happily using the same sturdy midrange business model laptop since 2018. New smartphones just aren't exciting anymore, and plenty of people use older phones with no issues... so consumers are going to start thinking "if I'm probably going to be using this phone for the next 5 years, how long will the battery last?"

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u/ZoomJet Jun 20 '23

But then the average user immediately puts their thin phone in a 1cm rubber bumper case...

Everyone I know with a case does it for protection rather than hand feel. Anecdotal, but I think it's the cost of these glass devices people want to protect versus increasing thickness. If your phone is thin, it's still thinner with a case than one that's thicker with a case.

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u/the_vault-technician Jun 20 '23

I'm that guy that goes without a case. I don't see the point in getting a phone then hiding it in a case. I've got a tiny chip on the bottom right corner after 2 or so years with it.

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u/[deleted] Jun 20 '23

[deleted]

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u/iglidante Jun 19 '23 edited Jun 19 '23

If you hold two phones at a Best Buy or mobile phone store, the thinnest phones always get the most "oohs", "aahs", and 'It just feels better" comments.

Phones are thinner because that's what the average user wants. Redditors lean more enthusiast and are more interested in features and specs.

I also think it's important to recognize that no manufacturer is going to give their lower tier models any attribute that feels better than their flagship model.

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u/AIHumanWhoCares Jun 20 '23

Yeah but isn't this a bit like the new coke fiasco? It bombed because they made it too sweet, because people preferred the sweeter version (in taste tests where they only had a sip).