EU rules for smartphones and slate tablets are now applying, introducing a standardized labeling and design baseline aimed at making battery-related claims easier to compare and harder to inflate. From the application date, in-scope products must use the EU energy label system and comply with ecodesign requirements when placed on the EU market.

The key shift for smartphone batteries is that battery-performance information is surfaced in a harmonised label format. Public summaries describe the label as showing battery-lifespan-related information alongside energy efficiency and durability indicators, and it introduces a repairability score for the category.

Under the supporting delegated rules, battery endurance in cycles is tied to a standardised test approach and a durability threshold concept. In practice, endurance is measured until remaining capacity reaches a defined level relative to rated capacity, and the resulting cycle performance is presented in predefined ranges.

The impact is less about a single enforcement moment and more about a structural transparency shift. With a common yardstick visible at retail, battery-related claims can be checked more quickly against what is printed on the label. That changes how brands frame longevity, how reviewers benchmark devices, and how market surveillance can prioritize checks.

Over time, this visibility can compress the space for selectively framed capacity or endurance claims that are difficult to validate across models. It also nudges brands toward tighter alignment between battery design targets, declared performance ranges, and documentation discipline.