New EU Rules: What Changes Await Smartphone Owners in June.

New Standards for EU Smartphones

Starting from June 20, 2025, updated requirements for smartphones come into effect in the European Union, aimed at increasing their environmental friendliness and durability. The EU aims to make smartphones more eco-friendly, and initially plans to standardize the charging port to USB-C.

• Devices must be resistant to accidental drops and should be protected from dust and splashes.
• Batteries must retain at least 80% of their capacity after 800 charging cycles.
• Replacement components must be available within 5-10 days after a request and for 7 years after the sale of a specific model ends.
• Manufacturers must provide operating system updates for 5 years after the model is out of sale, which will increase the overall support Time to 7-8 years.

All these requirements must be clearly indicated on the eco-labels attached to smartphone packaging, similar labels are already used in the EU for home appliances and televisions.

Recently, Canadian blogger Phone Repair Guru conducted research to determine the real cost of components for the iPhone 13 Pro, excluding expenses for branding, packaging, and marketing. It was also reported that an American company and Amazon received permission to deliver goods using drones.

Additionally, news emerged about a secretly smuggled smartphone from North Korea, which revealed large-scale digital espionage activities by North Korean authorities. This device was delivered from North Korea in 2024.

In 2025, new standards for smartphones are being introduced in the EU, aimed at increasing the environmental friendliness and longevity of devices. In particular, resistance to drops and dust testing will be required, batteries must retain high capacity over a long period, and replacement components must be available. Furthermore, manufacturers are required to provide updates for the operating system for a period of 5 years after sales of the model have ended.