EU Drops Battery Removal Requirement for Apple Watch and AirPods - MacRumors
The European Commission has granted exemptions to its battery regulation for smartwatches and wireless earbuds, including Apple Watch and AirPods. The decision acknowledges the technical challenges of making compact, sealed devices water-resistant while allowing for user-replaceable batteries.
Why it matters
This represents a significant regulatory compromise that balances consumer right-to-repair goals with the engineering constraints of modern wearable technology.
The European Commission yesterday adopted new exemptions to its Batteries Regulation that free the Apple Watch and AirPods from having to offer user-removable and replaceable batteries.
The EU's Batteries Regulation generally requires consumer products sold in the region to let users swap out their own batteries, a push meant to keep devices in use longer and make it easier to recover materials for recycling. The Commission has now expanded its list of exempt product types to six additional categories , folding in wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers.
The reasoning largely mirrors why devices like electric toothbrushes were already exempt: Opening a compact, sealed enclosure and failing to reseal it properly could let water in and create a safety risk. Products can also qualify for exemption if their construction makes battery removal inherently dangerous, or if there is no realistic way to build in user access given current manufacturing methods.
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