In brief: EU regulations will soon require more devices to feature replaceable batteries, prompting some manufacturers to comply in advance. However, tech companies are adopting new repairability standards only where required by law, with Logitech arguing that limiting repairability is in users' best interests.
Logitech recently told The Verge that some of its mice will soon feature replaceable lithium-ion batteries, but the new models will only be available in Europe. Like Nintendo, the company appears to be doing the bare minimum to satisfy regulators in certain markets.
The company's new head of gaming, Robin Piispanen, confirmed the move to the outlet while discussing right-to-repair and Logitech's future gaming hardware plans. While the company is adding user-replaceable batteries to its mice to comply with an EU law that takes effect next year, Piispanen argues that non-replaceable batteries offer certain advantages.
He confirmed that the new European models will not only be more expensive to manufacture, but also heavier and sturdier to minimize the risk of accidental puncture. Lithium-ion batteries are a well-known fire hazard.
While Logitech's gaming boss agrees that replaceable batteries make sense for expensive devices such as laptops and smartphones, he expects users to replace $50-$100 mice more often than they replace their batteries. Despite saying he supports the right to repair, Piispanen argues that making longer-lasting mice should be a higher priority than allowing users to replace individual components.
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From there, he unsurprisingly argued that users are more likely to damage mice irreversibly when attempting to repair switches or grips. However, Piispanen did not discuss the possibility of giving third-party repair shops better access to replacement parts.
Logitech's decision echoes Nintendo's plans to ship a new, Europe-only version of the Switch 2 with replaceable batteries for both the console and Joy-Cons. However, rather than produce a new EU-compliant version of the original Switch, the company will simply end production of the 2017 handheld in that market.
Piispanen also briefly discussed Logitech's short-lived handheld gaming venture with The Verge. The company released the streaming-focused G Cloud in 2022, but Piispanen admitted that only roughly 20% of buyers still use it, and Logitech likely won't develop a follow-up anytime soon. The gaming executive acknowledged that cloud gaming remains a difficult business, with Microsoft and Nvidia among the only major players still operating in the space.
The EU's upcoming battery legislation aims to reduce e-waste by allowing users and repair shops to replace dead batteries rather than sending devices to landfills. The law is set to take effect in February 2027.