Watch Out for This Sign When Buying a New Phone

The labeling system developed by the European Commission is intended to assist consumers in purchasing by providing clearly recognizable environmental and quality criteria. As reported by the Austrian Energy Agency, it not only concerns energy efficiency but also aspects such as repairability, battery lifespan, and device stability.

The label provides information on, among other things, drop resistance, the protection class against dust and water, as well as the performance and minimum lifespan of the batteries. Repair-friendliness will also be indicated in the future – including the availability of spare parts and the disclosure of spare part prices.

800 Charging Cycles as Minimum Standard

According to the new guidelines, smartphone batteries must be able to complete at least 800 full charging cycles in the future without losing more than 20 percent of their original capacity. Spare parts must be provided for a period of at least seven years after the last day of sale. Additionally, repair services are mandatorily granted access to software and firmware – including updates.

These standards are intended to improve not only the lifespan but also the sustainability of the devices. "The new label brings a high level of quality assurance within the EU," according to the Energy Agency.

Noticeable Energy Savings by 2030

The technical improvements also have an impact on energy consumption: the charging time of batteries is expected to be reduced by around 30 percent. According to forecasts, high-end smartphones will consume about 25 percent less energy in the future, while tablets will save about 23 percent.

At the European level, the EU Commission expects an annual saving of 2.2 terawatt-hours of electricity from 2030 onwards – equivalent to the annual consumption of about 630,000 households.

The energy label applies to smartphones with integrated displays from 4 to 7 inches and tablets with screen sizes between 7 and 17.4 inches. Devices with flexible displays or specialized security devices are exempt from the regulation.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.