The European Union isn’t just talking the talk when it comes to sustainability and looking out for consumers—they’re walking the walk. Starting June 20, if you’re buying a smartphone or tablet in the EU, you’ll see labels that tell you all about how repairable it is, how energy-efficient, and how long it’s likely to last. Think of the A to G energy labels you know from fridges and TVs, but now they’re spilling the tea on battery life, how many times you can charge it before it starts to fade, and even how well it can handle a dust storm or an unexpected swim.
Here’s where it gets a bit quirky: cordless landline phones are in, but smartphones with rollable displays get a free pass. (Which is kind of funny, since good luck finding one of those to buy right now.) And if you’re eyeing a Windows tablet, that’s a whole different ball game—computers have their own set of rules.
But wait, there’s more. The EU’s also cracking down on ecodesign, making sure you can actually get spare parts to fix your gadgets, that batteries don’t give up the ghost too soon (they’ve got to keep at least 80% of their mojo after 800 charges), and that your device can survive a drop or a scratch without throwing a fit. Plus, manufacturers have to roll out OS updates faster than you can say ‘security patch’—within six months of the source code being up for grabs. It’s all part of the plan to keep electronics out of the landfill and in your hands longer.
