Your next smartwatch won't get a swappable battery after all

The sweeping Batteries Regulation passed in 2023 in the EU requires most electronics to have user-replaceable batteries by 2027. The aim was to reduce electronic waste and prolong the life of devices. We’ve already seen ripples from this legislation with Nintendo actually planning a user-swappable battery for the upcoming Switch 2. The European Commission is starting to backtrack on some of the rules for some product categories.

The European Commission announced that it has adopted a delegated act that broadens the list of exemptions under the EU Batteries Regulation. Six new categories of products will be exempt from the consumer-removable battery requirement. This includes wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers, smart glasses, and electronics embedded into clothing or accessories. Other items on the list were rechargeable electric toys, portable food-thermometer probes, certain on-body medical delivery systems, roof-mounted telematics devices for agricultural and construction equipment, and products for explosive environments.

However, manufacturers are still required to provide repair options. In many cases, the battery still has to be replaceable by an independent professional and not the owner. The Pixel Watch 4 debuted last year with a focus on repairability, being Google’s first repairable smartwatch. The Commission states that the exemption applies to products where opening the device may compromise safety, durability, or water resistance or simply is not practical due to their compact design.

The legislation, introduced in 2023 by the EU as part of its broader push toward a circular economy, is a significant change. The Batteries Regulation generally requires that portable electronics sold in the region must have batteries that consumers can remove and replace, which extends the life of products and makes it easier to recycle them. Those requirements are due to take effect in 2027 and have already impacted hardware roadmaps for companies selling devices in Europe.

Note that smartphones are not included in the new exemptions. They remain subject to separate EU repairability rules, although the law doesn’t require old-school snap-off backs. Instead, batteries must be replaceable with common tools or with tools provided by the manufacturer, as long as it can be done safely.

The delegated act now goes to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU for scrutiny. If there are no objections, the exemptions will enter into force 20 days after their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.