The dream of AirPods with removable batteries is still seemingly out of reach, and it's all because of a new EU ruling
THE SO WHAT
An EU ruling that still leaves AirPods-style removable batteries out of reach shows how design, miniaturization, and regulation are colliding. Hardware teams should not bank on user-replaceable batteries in ultra-compact form factors as a near-term compliance path—optimize for extended life, trade-in, and recycling flows instead.
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