From June 20, smartphone and tablet manufacturers in the EU should include a label with clear information about repair and update times.
The EU has been pushing for years to make smartphones and other products more sustainable. For example, switching to a standard USB-C charging plug for all devices. June 20, 2025 will be another important date, as the Ecodesign Regulation comes into force on that date.
The Ecodesign Regulation includes two points:
First, the EU requires a clearly defined date – a guarantee for updates to smartphone manufacturers for their products.
Second, smartphones and other devices should be accompanied by an energy label, similar to what we see on refrigerators or washing machines.
The EU obliges manufacturers to provide updates for 5 years after the end of sales.
We have seen that some smartphone manufacturers are not updating the operating system, this will change from June 20. From this date, manufacturers will have to provide operating system updates. This will change, as security updates will have to be released for every smartphone or tablet for five years after the end of sales.
The requirement, which will soon apply across the EU, is of course nowhere near the seven-year update guarantee offered by Samsung and Google, but it will give consumers some certainty about how long they can safely use their devices. The regulation is likely to have an impact on software updates outside the EU as well.
Another element of the Ecodesign Regulation, which comes into force in June, is the “instruction leaflet” that must accompany certain appliances.
According to the EU, labels with information should be included on the packaging of cordless phones, landlines, smartphones, and tablets with screens between seven and 17,4 inches.
Excluded are smartphones and tablets with a flexible main screen, which the user can unfold and roll up completely or partially, and smart phones for high-security communications.
Although the press releases will range from very select to rare, I said I'd pass...because sometimes the editors hide.
