> the compromises to that needed to make removable batteries or back cases work
Seems like they are going to have to make that compromise, at least in the EU market. User-replaceable batteries from 2027 onwards, unless they are willing to quit the market (probably still requiring screwdrivers, but hey, its something)
Unlikely because the law includes this out for manufacturers, manufacturers are exempt from the user-replacement rule if their devices are waterproof (IP67 or higher) and utilize ultra-durable batteries that retain 83% capacity after 500 cycles and 80% capacity after 1,000 charge cycles. That's skipped over in a lot of the headlines about the law.
A lot of phones these days are at least IP67 if not better. My Pixel 8 is IP68 so it comes down to the battery capacity retention and how well they can game that measurement (slower charging etc for the measurement) but most phones are pretty good at that afaik.
> but most phones are pretty good at that afaik
I clearly haven't had good luck on this front. My iPhone is showing a battery health of "service", and a maximum capacity of 77%, after just 357 cycles.
You could try draining it to zero and recharging it without using it. Sometimes the battery life calibration gets a little off and reports bad numbers. There's not a perfect way to monitor battery health a lot of it is based on the voltage curve of the battery and that's somewhat variable from battery to battery in a way that can mess with the battery health estimate.
There's also the chance you get a slightly bad battery and just got screwed on the lottery.