The EU has walked back its rules that would require certain devices to have “easily removable and replaceable” batteries. Amongst those exceptions are the Apple Watch, and AirPods.
EU exempts Apple Watch from battery rule
EU exempts Apple Watch from battery rule
The European Union has been floating this idea for some time now. The rule, which falls under Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1670, would require manufacturers to allow users to easily remove and replace batteries within devices.
However, it didn’t take long for the Commission to walk that one back. As of Tuesday, EU regulators have now exempted wearable tech and a handful of other devices from said rule.