Apple Makes iPhone 16 Batteries Easier to Replace to Comply With EU Law

Apple's internal design changes that improve thermal regulation in the iPhone 16 models also have the added benefit of making the battery easier to access for service, a feature that will help Apple comply with European regulations.

iphone 16 design
In its press release for the ‌iPhone 16‌, Apple confirms that the new internal design better dissipates heat while also making battery service easier.

The internal design of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus has been reengineered to allow for an even larger battery and to better dissipate heat, while making battery service easier.

Earlier this year, a report from The Information suggested that Apple would introduce a new battery replacement method in the ‌iPhone 16‌ models as required by a new European law. The EU is requiring smartphone manufacturers to make sure batteries can be replaced by users with easily accessible tools by June 2025.

We'll need to wait for a teardown to confirm other battery changes, but The Information's report also said that Apple would use a different type of adhesive that's easier to remove. Apple typically uses adhesive strips to hold the battery in place, and the adhesive is tough to deal with. The new method could involve an electrically induced adhesive debonding technology.

Using low voltage electricity to remove a battery would require a battery encased in metal, and images of an alleged ‌iPhone 16‌ battery with a metal casing leaked late last year. Metal around the battery has the added benefit of improving thermal regulation. These internal battery changes will be able to be confirmed after the ‌iPhone 16‌ models are released.

Apple's mention of an easier to service battery is only in the ‌iPhone 16‌ press release, and not in the press release for the iPhone 16 Pro, so it is not clear if all models have the same battery-related changes. Apple did, however, change the thermal design in both models, with the changes described during the keynote event.

For the ‌iPhone 16‌:

We updated the main logic board, centralizing the chip placement and optimizing the surrounding architecture. We also added a thermal substructure to dissipate heat made from 100 percent recycled aluminum. As a result, the iPhone 16 delivers up to 30 percent higher sustained performance for gaming.

For the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌:

iPhone 16 Pro maximizes thermal capacity with a new machined chassis made from 100 percent recycled aluminum, which is bonded to the titanium frame using solid state diffusion. It's combined with a graphite clad aluminum substructure, creating an innovative architecture that enables up to 20 percent improvement in sustained performance. This is crucial for efficiently running advanced on device features like Apple Intelligence and high-performance gaming.

On the ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ product page, Apple also says that it made "back glass optimizations" for further heat dissipation. Apple's ‌iPhone 16‌ page doesn't add much, but says that there's a new internal design for improved heat dissipation.

It is worth noting that the EU law has some exemptions that might be relevant to Apple. Devices with an IP67 water and dust resistance rating that retain 83 percent battery capacity after 500 full charges and 80 percent after 1000 charges do not need to have easily replaceable batteries. Apple's iPhone 15 models meet the criteria for 1,000 charges, and it is likely the ‌iPhone 16‌ models do as well, but Apple has not provided data on the 500 charge requirement. It is worth noting that there are still some requirements that Apple needs to meet even if its iPhones comply with these exemptions.

The EU's battery requirements for smartphones in general:

  • Fasteners shall be supplied or reusable.
  • The process for replacement shall be feasible with no tool, or a set of tools that is supplied with the product or spare part, or basic tools.
  • The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out in a use environment.
  • The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out by a layman.

The EU's battery requirements for smartphones that meet its exemption criteria:

  • Fasteners shall be removable, resupplied, or reusable.
  • The process for replacement shall be feasible with no tool, basic tools, a set of tools supplied with the product or spare part, or commercially available tools.
  • The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out in a workshop environment.
  • The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out by a generalist.

The new ‌iPhone 16‌ models are set to be available for pre-order this Friday at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time, with a launch to follow on Friday, September 20.

Related Roundups: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro

Popular Stories

iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive an All-New Perk

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:21 am PST by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already come with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and now there is another one...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
2007 iPhone

Apple Discontinuing This 18-Year-Old iPhone Feature

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:51 pm PST by
The end of an 18-year era is on the horizon for the iPhone. Apple reportedly plans to announce a new iPhone SE as soon as next week, and the device is expected to feature a full-screen design with Face ID, instead of a Touch ID home button. That means Apple will no longer sell any new iPhone models with a home button, for the first time since the original iPhone launched. The home button...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb

iPhone SE 4 Launching as Soon as Next Week

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone SE could debut as soon as next week with a launch to follow later in February, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple isn't expected to hold an event for the iPhone SE 4, and will instead unveil the device through a press release. The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have an iPhone 14-style design, with Apple eliminating the thick bezels and Touch ID Home button of...
iCloud General Feature Redux

Apple Ordered by UK to Create Global iCloud Encryption Backdoor

Friday February 7, 2025 2:37 am PST by
The British government has secretly demanded that Apple give it blanket access to all encrypted user content uploaded to the cloud, reports The Washington Post. The undisclosed order is said to have been issued last month, and requires that Apple creates a back door that allows UK security officials unencumbered access to encrypted user data worldwide – an unprecedented demand not before...
iOS 18

iOS 18.3.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Thursday February 6, 2025 7:31 am PST by
Apple is internally testing iOS 18.3.1 for iPhones, according to our website's analytics logs, which have been a consistently reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released within the next few weeks. iOS 18.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Apple Intelligence notification summaries for news and...
Apple Leak Feature

Apple Leaker Issues Apology: 'Profound and Expensive Mistake'

Friday February 7, 2025 9:21 am PST by
Last year, we reported that Apple sued its former software engineer Andrew Aude for providing journalists with confidential information about the company's future plans, including details about the Journal app, Vision Pro headset, and more. As reported by 9to5Mac, the Superior Court of Santa Clara County on Thursday dismissed the lawsuit after Apple and Aude reached an agreement to resolve...
imac video apple feature

Apple to Announce New Products Next Week

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple has yet to release any new devices in 2025, but at least two new products are expected to be announced next week, according to rumors. Below, we outline the new Apple products that are likely to be unveiled next week. iPhone SE 4 Apple plans to announce the long-rumored iPhone SE 4 as soon as next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new iPhone SE is rumored to...

Top Rated Comments

Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
22 weeks ago
It’s telling that Apple wouldn’t even do something as ethical and simple as this without being pushed to. Happy, but equally frustrated.
Score: 67 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aaadktda Avatar
22 weeks ago

The internal design of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus has been reengineered to allow for an even larger battery and to better dissipate heat, while making battery service easier.
So, where are all the people complaining that EU regulation will kill innovation?
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
davide_eu Avatar
22 weeks ago

('https://www.macrumors.com/2024/09/11/apple-makes-iphone-16-batteries-easier-to-replace/')

Apple's internal design changes that improve thermal regulation in the iPhone 16 models also have the added benefit of making the battery easier to access for service, a feature that will help Apple comply with European regulations ('https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32023R1670').



In its press release for the iPhone 16, Apple confirms that the new internal design better dissipates heat while also making battery service easier.Earlier this year, a report from The Information ('https://www.macrumors.com/2024/06/28/new-battery-replacement-method-with-iphone-16/') suggested that Apple would introduce a new battery replacement method in the iPhone 16 models as required by a new European law. The EU is requiring smartphone manufacturers to make sure batteries can be replaced by users with easily accessible tools by June 2025.

We'll need to wait for a teardown to confirm other battery changes, but The Information's report also said that Apple would use a different type of adhesive that's easier to remove. Apple typically uses adhesive strips to hold the battery in place, and the adhesive is tough to deal with. The new method could involve an electrically induced adhesive debonding technology.

Using low voltage electricity to remove a battery would require a battery encased in metal, and images of an alleged iPhone 16 battery with a metal casing leaked late last year ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/11/20/iphone-16-pro-leak-reveals-redesigned-battery/'). Metal around the battery has the added benefit of improving thermal regulation. These internal battery changes will be able to be confirmed after the iPhone 16 models are released.

Apple's mention of an easier to service battery is only in the iPhone 16 press release, and not in the press release for the iPhone 16 Pro, so it is not clear if all models have the same battery-related changes. Apple did, however, change the thermal design in both models, with the changes described during the keynote event.

For the iPhone 16:

For the iPhone 16 Pro:

On the iPhone 16 Pro product page, Apple also says that it made "back glass optimizations" for further heat dissipation. Apple's iPhone 16 page doesn't add much, but says that there's a new internal design for improved heat dissipation.

It is worth noting that the EU law has some exemptions that might be relevant to Apple. Devices with an IP67 water and dust resistance rating that retain 83 percent battery capacity after 500 full charges and 80 percent after 1000 charges do not need to have easily replaceable batteries. Apple's iPhone 15 models meet the criteria for 1,000 charges, and it is likely the iPhone 16 models do as well, but Apple has not provided data on the 500 charge requirement. It is worth noting that there are still some requirements that Apple needs to meet even if its iPhones comply with these exemptions.

The EU's battery requirements for smartphones in general:

* Fasteners shall be supplied or reusable.

* The process for replacement shall be feasible with no tool, or a set of tools that is supplied with the product or spare part, or basic tools.

* The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out in a use environment.

* The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out by a layman.

The EU's battery requirements for smartphones that meet its exemption criteria:

* Fasteners shall be removable, resupplied, or reusable.

* The process for replacement shall be feasible with no tool, basic tools, a set of tools supplied with the product or spare part, or commercially available tools.

* The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out in a workshop environment.

* The process for replacement shall be able to be carried out by a generalist.

The new iPhone 16 models are set to be available for pre-order this Friday at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time, with a launch to follow on Friday, September 20.

Article Link: Apple Makes iPhone 16 Batteries Easier to Replace to Comply With EU Law ('https://www.macrumors.com/2024/09/11/apple-makes-iphone-16-batteries-easier-to-replace/')
Thank you EU!
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sebosz Avatar
22 weeks ago

which increased the cost of producing the iPhones and Apple subtracted new features that was originally planned just to comply with EU.

but that doesn't get talked about. just "bUt MuH CoNsuMeR rIgHtS" bro talk. annoying af.
Why are you worrying about the cost of producing if they cost the same after all?
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SamRyouji Avatar
22 weeks ago
I hereby send my sincerest gratitude to EU. This is a wonderful move from them for us globally to finally enjoying it back.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aaadktda Avatar
22 weeks ago

No one ever thought of putting in bigger batteries before the EU.
Nice try. Go back and read what people were saying. The end of the world was upon us. The phones would fall apart easier because of the lack of Apple glue and the mechanisms and doodads needed to make the phones serviceable would eat into the precious space and reduce the size of the batteries and eliminate components. Armchair engineers in full swing.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)