EU Grants Apple Watch and AirPods a Battery-Removability Exemption
The European Commission expanded exemptions to its Batteries Regulation, freeing Apple Watch and AirPods from the user-removable battery requirement due to their sealed, safety-focused designs; the iPhone remains exempt. The delegated act still requires approval from the EU Parliament and Council and would take effect 20 days after publication, with a wider rollout in 2027. Nintendo has announced a Switch 2 EU version with a replaceable battery to meet the rules.