Apple would incorporate a replaceable or removable battery to the next iPhone 16 as the company would be looking to implement a new way to comply with European Union regulations. The norm of said region stipulates that smart phones sold there should have the ability to easily change the battery to a new one.
The new battery that would be implemented in the iPhone 16, as reported by The Information, would allow technicians to extract the battery from the chassis, frame or casing by applying a small electric shock. This method would be called “electrically induced adhesive release.”
Currently, iPhone devices use adhesive strips to secure the battery in place inside the device. When the battery needs to be replaced, these adhesive strips need to be removed.
To do this, the area where the strips are adhered is usually slightly heated and then carefully removed to clean the remaining adhesive.
“Electrically induced adhesive peeling” would initially be implemented on some iPhone 16 series models, scheduled to launch in September 2024. If the new method yields good results, Apple would plan to expand it to the entire iPhone 17 series in 2025.
A removable battery is one that can be easily removed and replaced from the device it is installed in. This type of battery allows users to remove it and replace it with a new one when it runs out or is experiencing problems, without having to take the device to a specialized technical service.
In 2023, the European Parliament approved a regulation stating that smartphone batteries sold and distributed in the European Union must comply with specific design and recycling standards.
One of the key provisions is that smartphones must allow users to easily swap out the battery for a new unit. This law not only applies to smartphones, but also to batteries in other products such as scooters and electric vehicles, ensuring safety and sustainability standards in the handling of electronic batteries.
“We agreed on measures that greatly benefit consumers: the batteries will work well, they will be safer and easier to remove,” said Aquiles Variati, an Italian parliamentarian.
Noted Apple leaker Majin Bu posted images of alleged iPhone 16 cases on X (formerly Twitter), which show a slightly revamped design with two vertically aligned cameras. There is speculation that this arrangement could be intended to enable spatial video recording with Apple’s Vision Pro mixed reality headset.
In addition, the cases reveal the presence of an action button instead of the traditional mute switch. This button would be tactile, allowing quick access to functions such as capture and zoom.
On the other hand, the iPhone 16 family would have iOS 18, an operating system that integrates Apple Intelligence, Apple’s artificial intelligence platform with functions powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Apple will allow Siri to access OpenAI’s GPT-4 to answer users’ questions. However, it will be optional for users to decide whether they want to share their queries with ChatGPT.
However, according to statements to the Financial Times, an Apple representative explained that Apple Intelligence would not be fully launched in the European Union (EU). The main reason is the Digital Markets Act (DMA)’s interactions with iOS and iPadOS.
The European Union (DMA) regulates the activities of digital platforms within the European space, including the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA).
