There’s been a wave of coverage lately claiming 2027 will force Samsung to bring back fully swappable batteries in its Galaxy phones, at least in Europe. That reading doesn’t quite hold up, and a lot of it stems from confusion around how the European Union actually defines batteries and “removability.”
Some reports suggest Samsung will have to redesign its 2027 Galaxy lineup for Europe, with user-swappable batteries like we used to have in the Galaxy S5 era.
However, the EU’s own wording points to something far less dramatic. If anything, Galaxy phones may become easier to repair rather than reverting to pre-2015 hardware design. Let’s break down the key definitions driving this discussion.
What is a “portable battery” by the EU's definition?
The EU has definitions for a variety of battery-related terms, but the term that seemingly applies best to phones and tablets is “portable battery.”
Here is the EU's definition, according to Article 3 in Regulation (EU) 2023/1542:
- ‘portable battery' means a battery that is sealed, weighs 5 kg or less, is not designed specifically for industrial use and is neither an electric vehicle battery, an LMT [Light Means of Transportation] battery, nor an SLI [Starting, Lighting, and Ignition] battery;
How the EU defines a readily removable battery
According to Article 11 of the same document:
- A portable battery shall be considered readily removable by the end-user where it can be removed from a product with the use of commercially available tools, without requiring the use of specialised tools, unless provided free of charge with the product, proprietary tools, thermal energy, or solvents to disassemble the product.
So what does that mean for phone makers? Here are their obligations.
- Any natural or legal person that places on the market products incorporating portable batteries shall ensure that those batteries are readily removable and replaceable by the end-user at any time during the lifetime of the product. That obligation shall only apply to entire batteries and not to individual cells or other parts included in such batteries.
What changes can we expect from Galaxy phones in 2027?
Most likely less than some headlines suggest.
Samsung may already be close to compliance, if it's not already there, especially now that Galaxy phones use battery pouches instead of strong adhesives to keep their batteries secure.
Future models could push further in that direction: sturdier back panels that can survive disassembly, clearer repair guidance, and maybe even simple tools in the box.
What’s unlikely is a return to poppable back panels and fully swappable batteries across the entire Galaxy phone and tablet portfolio. Devices like the Samsung Galaxy XCover series may remain exceptions rather than the norm.
All things considered, we wouldn't expect a return to the Samsung Galaxy S5 era. At most, we can expect incremental gains in repairability: better adhesive applications for easier access, and generally speaking, fewer barriers for users willing to open their phones. Complete redesigns are highly unlikely. Time will tell.
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