EU mandates 5-year spare-battery sales and user-replaceable batteries for portables
Big news for anyone tired of tricky battery swaps: starting February 18, 2027, the EU will require certain portable devices, including portable game consoles, laptops, e-readers, and headphones to come with batteries you can easily replace using basic tools (or free ones from the brand).
Plus, companies have to sell spare batteries for at least five years.
Nintendo plans swappable-battery EU Switch 2
Nintendo's getting on board by is planning to launch a new Switch 2 model just for the EU that lets you swap out the battery without any hassle.
Accessories like Pro Controllers and Joy-Cons will get similar updates.
Some brands like Sennheiser and Fairphone are already following these rules, though Meta is reportedly holding off on launching Ray-Ban Display smart glasses in Europe because of the battery rules.
Smartphones and tablets aren't included here. They've got their own separate repair rules.