Changes in Mobile Phone Regulations in Spain: A New Era Begins
Today, June 20, 2025, marks a pivotal moment for mobile phones sold in Spain. Starting from this date, every manufacturer wishing to distribute new products in Europe must include an energy label on their packaging. This initiative is part of a broader European effort to ensure compliance with the Ecodesign Regulation, affecting mobile phones, cordless landlines, and tablets.
In addition to requiring manufacturers to implement this label, significant changes regarding the support duration for new mobile devices are on the horizon. These changes in design, software, and product longevity appear promising. However, the pressing question remains: who will bear the costs?
What Changes Are Coming?
From now on, manufacturers must introduce the new energy labeling on every mobile they intend to sell. This label will provide essential information regarding the device’s energy efficiency , drop resilience, battery lifecycle, water and dust resistance protocols, and reparability index.
Beyond just displaying ecological design information, manufacturers are compelled to make substantial changes throughout their entire process—from how they manufacture the phone to what happens after the warranty expires.
Updates and Support Lifespan
Smartphone manufacturers are now obligated to guarantee five years of updates (which do not necessarily have to include version upgrades) for each of their phones. Major manufacturers like Samsung, Google, Honor, Xiaomi, and Motorola have already started offering this feature for some of their latest models. The challenge lies in the term “some.”
Every system update, no matter how minor, entails:
- A dedicated software engineering team working on the project
- Quality control processes (internal testing, Google certifications to meet update requirements)
- Carrier certifications if the phone is distributed through a third party
- Maintaining the Over-The-Air (OTA) infrastructure
These costs, especially for budget and mid-range devices, often fell by the wayside after two years of updates. Extending support will incur additional expenses for companies on devices that already run on tight margins: a device costing less than 100 euros undergoing five years of updates is not necessarily the best business model. This is just one part of the equation.
The New Manufacturing Standard
The EU is placing a spotlight on device manufacturing . Manufacturers will now be required to produce devices more resilient to drops, scratches, and splashes, and batteries must maintain a minimum of 80% of their capacity after 800 charging cycles .
Moreover, companies must guarantee spare parts for a minimum of seven years after a product ceases production. All components necessary for repairing the device must be available for delivery within five to ten days .
In Summary
Consumers will benefit in two major ways:
- We will have access to better phones on the market.
- We will be able to quickly evaluate the quality of each phone’s ecological design.
However, the hurdles are significant:
- Manufacturers will need to provide five years of support.
- They must manufacture, distribute, and ensure spare parts for seven years.
- Introduce superior battery technology.
- Create more durable devices resistant to drops and scratches.
- Ensure compliance with splash resistance protocols.
The pressing question is who will ultimately shoulder these costs. In Europe, consumers are increasingly purchasing more expensive mobile phones . In fact, more consumers are buying phones priced above 800 euros than those below 200 euros . Notably, one of the primary reasons for the decline in smartphone shipments in Europe during the first quarter of 2025 was the drop in demand for budget devices, marking the lowest volume in a decade.
This specific segment will be the most affected by the new regulations: mid-range devices (priced between 399 and 799 euros , according to industry analysts) and higher-end models have already met many EU requirements. The critical question remains: Will manufacturers absorb these additional costs through profits from more lucrative models, or will budget models face slight price increases to maintain positive margins?
Image | Xataka
In Xataka | Apple prioritizes longevity over reparability. This has been justified with a comprehensive 24-page document.