July 20, 2026
Battery drama, now with splash damage
EU Exempts Apple Watch and AirPods from Battery Removal Requirements
EU lets Apple keep tiny gadgets sealed, and commenters are already fighting about who won
TLDR: The EU says Apple Watch and AirPods can stay sealed because making their batteries user-removable could cause water and safety problems. Commenters split fast: some called it obvious reality for tiny waterproof gadgets, while others blasted it as a giveaway to Apple.
The European Commission just handed Apple a small but spicy win: Apple Watch and AirPods won’t have to come with easy-to-remove batteries under the European Union’s new battery rules. The reason is simple enough for non-engineers: these tiny devices are packed tight, sealed against water, and prying them open could turn them into expensive little puddle magnets. The exemption still has to be looked over by the European Parliament and EU governments, but the comments section has already started acting like the vote happened in the town square with popcorn.
And wow, the community mood is all over the place. One camp basically shrugged and said, well… obviously. Their big argument: who exactly is tossing out Apple Watches and AirPods because they can’t swap the battery themselves? One commenter even joked that if Apple really wanted to push more AirPods sales, skipping Find My would be a far better evil-genius move. Another crowd was more suspicious, with one bluntly asking if the EU had just handed Apple a competitive advantage. That turned the thread from dry regulation chat into a mini class war over whether this is common sense or a gift basket for a trillion-dollar company.
Then came the practical crowd, asking the question that basically ended the fantasy league for DIY repairs: how do you make something water-resistant and still easy to pop open? Even the process got mocked, with commenters groaning about whether lawmakers really need to spend precious time voting on this. In other words, classic internet: one part policy debate, one part repair rant, one part "be serious" meme energy.
Key Points
- •The European Commission adopted exemptions to the EU Batteries Regulation for Apple Watch and AirPods.
- •The exemption means those devices would not need to provide user-removable and replaceable batteries.
- •The Commission said compact sealed designs can present water-ingress and safety risks if opened and not properly resealed.
- •Products may also qualify for exemption if battery removal is inherently dangerous or if current manufacturing methods do not realistically allow user access.
- •The iPhone had already been exempted under the original regulation, and the new delegated act still requires scrutiny by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.