It had been in the works for a while, but now it has formally been adopted. From the article:
The regulation provides that by 2027 portable batteries incorporated into appliances should be removable and replaceable by the end-user, leaving sufficient time for operators to adapt the design of their products to this requirement.
I owned a case for my iPhone 1.0 and used it for about two days. I kept taking it off to show people the actual phone and then realized, “Why do I have this stupid thing on the phone?”
I have never used a case since then. My phones have been fine because I take care of them. I’ve had a few dings over the years, but I’ve never shattered the display or killed one. I like that my phone is sleek and nice.
This is not a vote against user-serviceable batteries. I can’t predict whether this will make my phone shittier until I see how it plays out.