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mentalgeartoday at 2:32 PM8 repliesview on HN

I was looking forward to finally be able to easily switch out (i)Phone batteries again - after 20 years - but turns out the lobbyists managed to get a loophole in the law - exempting Apple & Co from making their phones more repairable / longer live-able.

> If a battery can do 1000 cycles and remain above 80% capacity it is exempt


Replies

MSFT_Edgingtoday at 3:56 PM

I recently did a battery replacement on an iphone mini 13 with some success and some failure. I absolutely killed the screen without cracking it. A little too much pulling with the ifixit reverse clamp.

Had i gone a little slower, it would have been a very easy repair.

thegingertoday at 3:51 PM

What proportion of devices would need to meet this 80% rule? 50%? 90%? 99%? Could make a huge difference

throw0101dtoday at 3:36 PM

> If a battery can do 1000 cycles and remain above 80% capacity it is exempt

Is there a definition for a cycle? 80->85%? 33->72? 22-83? 87->96? Would each of these be a "cycle"?

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t0mas88today at 3:28 PM

My iPhone 14 is 1081 days old, charged every night, battery capacity is reported as 81%. So in Apple's own measurements this is possible.

I guess there is some built in spare capacity, but that may still qualify for the exemption?

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nonethewisertoday at 3:30 PM

Seems entirely reasonable. Embedded batteries have a lot of advantages. Cheaper, higher battery capacity, water proof, smaller, stronger. I think this will largely just make the mid to low tier android market in the EU shittier.

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adolphtoday at 3:57 PM

> the lobbyists managed to get a loophole in the law - exempting Apple & Co

But Apple batteries are already user replaceable? I've replaced my own and batteries come with kits that have all the tools and disposable glue strips and seals.

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AshamedCaptaintoday at 2:48 PM

Yes, this is the most non-story I have ever seen on this topic. I do not know of any manufacturer who does not claim this, verifiable or otherwise; and even if they can't claim it, all they have to do is one minor purely-software capacity adjustment, which they will gladly do before they will even consider offering removable batteries.

What a disappointment.

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kjkjadksjtoday at 3:09 PM

No shot at all apple batteries can last 1000 cycles and remain above 80% capacity. Probably can’t even do 300 in my experience. Sounds like an easy lawsuit.

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