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Iphone battery is already pretty close to replaceable by this law. You need a common tool to get in (trident screwdriver is available in most DIY shops), then

by mantas 3y ago

Iphone battery is already pretty close to replaceable by this law. You need a common tool to get in (trident screwdriver is available in most DIY shops), then glue tabs can be pried by hand. Doable for layman? Well, some people are afraid of opening up a device in any way. How do we (or, rather, lawyers) draw a line?

arghwhat 3y ago
iFixit disagrees: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone+14+Battery+Replacement/152966 https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone+14+Battery+Replacement/1... Hairdryer, suction anti-clamp, pick that must NOT be inserted more than 3mm or you break the device, both pentalobe and triwing security screws (screw types that only exist to stop users from opening things), numerous fragile cables that must be disconnected, and of course a glued in exposed cell battery. I don't think we have to worry about this being classified as easily user replaceable with basic tools.
ekianjo 3y ago
> then glue tabs can be pried by hand. There should be no reason to use glue for batteries. Unnecessary hazard that can easily lead to house fire if you have to use force of a thermal source to remove the glue.
- 05 3y ago
  If you discharge the battery first it won’t catch on fire if you puncture or overheat it.. so, don’t replace a fully charged battery and you should be fine.
  - ekianjo 3y ago
    Yes. But you don't expect everyone to do that, when you think about safety. You assume the worst, not the best.
    - nonethewiser 3y ago
      If we can’t expect people to be safe with accessing batteries we should make the batteries less accessible, not more accessible.
      - XorNot 3y ago
        People know not to puncture a battery. But if you set it up to force them to apply force to a battery, some batteries are going to get punctured. Which is the exact point of this law: the batteries should be designed to be easily replaceable.
      - ekianjo 3y ago
        > accessing batteries we should make the batteries less accessible or use screws to secure batteries, not glue, you know.
adhvaryu 3y ago
> Doable for layman? Well, some people are afraid of opening up a device in any way. How do we (or, rather, lawyers) draw a line? Start by not requiring a screwdriver in the process of changing batteries. I remember the early days of Samsung/Android phones where you only needed to pry open the back cover using your nail and the battery was easily taken out. It's a small change but the layman will be way less afraid.
- minimaul 3y ago
  My experience was that those kinds of back covers would always come loose over time and/or after they were removed a few times they never fit properly again.
  - vladvasiliu 3y ago
    Maybe it depends on how they're made. My Galaxy S5's cover never had any issues, even after a few months with a bulging battery. It stayed in place no problem, and the phone was still waterproof enough to not care at all about being in the pouring rain on a motorcycle for several hours at a time.
- mvanbaak 3y ago
  Those phones were not water resistant. While maybe not important to some, to others it is
  - vladvasiliu 3y ago
    The Galaxy S5 was IP67 rated. The back cover could be opened with just a fingernail.
    - scarface_74 3y ago
      Only if the rubber port was on the port. Not exactly engineering excellence.
      - 3y ago
orwin 3y ago
It will be left at the judge's appreciations if it ever come to courts. Tbh, i can only see things go to trial if a consumer association (iFixit) deems the law not followed, and knowing consumer associations, they will first talk to and advice the offending company before going to courts.
brvsft 3y ago
Those tabs are not that easy to pull by hand. Very easy to break and then you're forced to pry out the battery, which is less safe than if it didn't need prying. I know the glue is unnecessary because every time I've replaced a battery, I didn't glue the new one back in, and my phone performed fine.
- dagmx 3y ago
  Your last sentence is odd because obviously the glue isn’t something like thermal paste. It won’t affect performance. The glue is there for structural reasons. Adhesion allows better rigidity by making use of the structure around it.
  - brvsft 3y ago
    By performed fine, I mean it didn't cave in on itself and the battery did not disconnect.
kaba0 3y ago
> How do we (or, rather, lawyers) draw a line? That’s literally what courts do.
stjohnswarts 3y ago
People understand screws and covers, use screws and covers. The gluing is done because it's cheap and easily done on mass production scales. When people have to start prying apart glued together parts they get nervous and stop, especially on a $1200 phone.

by mantas 3y ago

arghwhat 3y ago

iFixit disagrees: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone+14+Battery+Replacement/152966 https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone+14+Battery+Replacement/1... Hairdryer, suction anti-clamp, pick that must NOT be inserted more than 3mm or you break the device, both pentalobe and triwing security screws (screw types that only exist to stop users from opening things), numerous fragile cables that must be disconnected, and of course a glued in exposed cell battery. I don't think we have to worry about this being classified as easily user replaceable with basic tools.

ekianjo 3y ago

> then glue tabs can be pried by hand. There should be no reason to use glue for batteries. Unnecessary hazard that can easily lead to house fire if you have to use force of a thermal source to remove the glue.

05 3y ago
If you discharge the battery first it won’t catch on fire if you puncture or overheat it.. so, don’t replace a fully charged battery and you should be fine.
- ekianjo 3y ago
  Yes. But you don't expect everyone to do that, when you think about safety. You assume the worst, not the best.
  - nonethewiser 3y ago
    If we can’t expect people to be safe with accessing batteries we should make the batteries less accessible, not more accessible.
    - XorNot 3y ago
      People know not to puncture a battery. But if you set it up to force them to apply force to a battery, some batteries are going to get punctured. Which is the exact point of this law: the batteries should be designed to be easily replaceable.
    - ekianjo 3y ago
      > accessing batteries we should make the batteries less accessible or use screws to secure batteries, not glue, you know.

adhvaryu 3y ago

> Doable for layman? Well, some people are afraid of opening up a device in any way. How do we (or, rather, lawyers) draw a line? Start by not requiring a screwdriver in the process of changing batteries. I remember the early days of Samsung/Android phones where you only needed to pry open the back cover using your nail and the battery was easily taken out. It's a small change but the layman will be way less afraid.

minimaul 3y ago
My experience was that those kinds of back covers would always come loose over time and/or after they were removed a few times they never fit properly again.
- vladvasiliu 3y ago
  Maybe it depends on how they're made. My Galaxy S5's cover never had any issues, even after a few months with a bulging battery. It stayed in place no problem, and the phone was still waterproof enough to not care at all about being in the pouring rain on a motorcycle for several hours at a time.
mvanbaak 3y ago
Those phones were not water resistant. While maybe not important to some, to others it is
- vladvasiliu 3y ago
  The Galaxy S5 was IP67 rated. The back cover could be opened with just a fingernail.
  - scarface_74 3y ago
    Only if the rubber port was on the port. Not exactly engineering excellence.
    - 3y ago

orwin 3y ago

It will be left at the judge's appreciations if it ever come to courts. Tbh, i can only see things go to trial if a consumer association (iFixit) deems the law not followed, and knowing consumer associations, they will first talk to and advice the offending company before going to courts.

brvsft 3y ago

Those tabs are not that easy to pull by hand. Very easy to break and then you're forced to pry out the battery, which is less safe than if it didn't need prying. I know the glue is unnecessary because every time I've replaced a battery, I didn't glue the new one back in, and my phone performed fine.

dagmx 3y ago
Your last sentence is odd because obviously the glue isn’t something like thermal paste. It won’t affect performance. The glue is there for structural reasons. Adhesion allows better rigidity by making use of the structure around it.
- brvsft 3y ago
  By performed fine, I mean it didn't cave in on itself and the battery did not disconnect.

kaba0 3y ago

> How do we (or, rather, lawyers) draw a line? That’s literally what courts do.

stjohnswarts 3y ago

People understand screws and covers, use screws and covers. The gluing is done because it's cheap and easily done on mass production scales. When people have to start prying apart glued together parts they get nervous and stop, especially on a $1200 phone.