That's disappointing. So basically nothing will change and just some paper Pusher got work to do.

The batteries will be much more easily replaceable. This is a huge step forward. Yes, it would have been welcome from a user perspective but the legislation never mentioned hot-swappable.

Even if devices required specialized tools, solvents, or thermal energy, they would be acceptable under the EU’s new regulations if they meet a battery capacity of 80% after 1,000 charging cycles. These devices also seemingly need to be rated IP67 or higher.

This part pretty much makes it usless. While the improved battery life is good. Many current mid tier phones already have IP67 rating and It's going to be easier to just slap IP67 rating on the remainder with more adhesive.

fairphone has hotswap batteries.

just saying...

Laughing as I type from my Fairphone with a removable battery.

I doubt the author knows what hotswap mean and I want to know do you?

Does Fairphone allow you to swap the battery while the device is running without adverse effects or without booting the device (i.e. hotswap) or do you have to turn it off first (i.e. coldswap)?

That sounds like what we have right now, and these people are trying to move the goal posts, arguing that what we have right now is easily replaceable. They are trying to change the narrative to get around the legislation, to get you to accept their very specific terminology, to make it a technicality. Push against this please.

Can we even push back against it? We're random nobodys in the middle of ass-end of nowhere with no power or money to effect anything like that.

I'm not doubt that this small detail is going to get enough publicity to be noticed. People are already celebrating that soon they can start popping off the back panel and switch out the battery.

It's going to take at least few years to be noticed that nothing changed and by that time it's too late and most people have already forgotten that it was supposed to happen.

you're right. it's not hotswap.

it's lukewarm swap