Apple's SVP of Hardware Engineering hints that iPhones will not have removable batteries despite EU's new rules; Says it will reduce shelf life

A previous EU ruling would require companies such as Apple to offer devices to customers that have "easy-to-replace" batteries. Despite the enforcement of these rules, the Cupertino company's Senior Vice President of hardware engineering suggests that such a change will not come to the company's devices, as it could compromise the internal integrity, and reduce the overall durability.

Assuming new EU rules are strict, Apple could be forced to leave several markets entirely

Apple CEO John Ternus spoke in an interview with YouTube channel ORBIT discovered by Supercharged about the possibility of bringing removable batteries to future iPhones. Although most of the interview focused on Apple's environmental efforts led by Lisa Jackson, Ternus believes that if consumers really want battery replacements for their devices, there needs to be a safer way to do it.

In other words, the company's SVP of hardware engineering believes that iPhone owners will inadvertently injure themselves when performing a battery replacement procedure. While management may have said this out of concern for people's well-being, it is likely that this statement was made to ensure that one of Apple's revenue streams is not cut.

Despite the tech giant shipping millions of iPhones in a calendar year, it will make a ton of money on battery replacements alone, with US customers paying $99 for a battery replacement for the base iPhone 14 if they haven't opted for AppleCare+. Ternus states that making an internal component more repairable can also add a potential point of failure in that area, making the devices less durable.

He also mentions that making batteries easily replaceable would make it difficult to include water- and dust-resistant seals on iPhones. Ternus also says that Apple wants to build products that last, while pointing out that iPhones have held their resale value quite well over the years thanks to their improved durability.

At the end of the day, despite offering customers a first-class experience when they buy their first iPhone, Apple is a company focused on generating profits, so assuming EU rules don't allow for any "bending of the rules", the iPhone the manufacturer leave the markets that fall under the EU rather than be forced to change the design. Although Ternus did not explicitly admit this in the interview, most of us knew where his mind was.

Fortunately, even if Apple doesn't offer customers an easy solution for replacing the batteries in the future, that doesn't mean the company will make the iPhone 15 family difficult to take apart, as the upcoming lineup is said to be easy to repair.