Smartphone manufacturers soon no longer obliged to supply headphones

A bill to reduce the environmental footprint of digital technology has just been voted on by Parliament.

Among the arrangements: the abolition of the rule that obliges manufacturers of smartphones in France to provide the wired headset with their devices, reports

.

Originally, this rule was intended to protect the health of users by offering them the possibility of limiting their exposure to radioelectric emissions using hands-free kits.

Make sure compatible headphones are available

This obligation is therefore removed via this proposed law aimed at “reducing the environmental footprint of digital technology in France”.

However, manufacturers will have to guarantee "the availability of headphones compatible with the terminal model during its marketing period," said Patrick Chaize, senator from Ain (Les Républicains).

Concretely, this means that when the text comes into force, after publication in the Official Journal, manufacturers will no longer be obliged (but they can do so if they wish) to provide wired headphones.

They will simply have to make sure that compatible headphones are made commercially available.

A source of waste

“Wired headphones, which are routinely included with smartphones, are a major source of waste, even as the market for better quality headphones and listening systems, whether wired or wireless, is expanding.

The health argument cannot justify this source of waste, ”said the senator, quoted by

.

Until now, manufacturers had to sell specific boxes with headphones in France.

As this will no longer necessarily be the case, consumers will certainly be able to have access to all the colors or storage volumes for smartphones, which was not the case until now.

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• Law

• Waste

• Smartphone

• Telephony

• High-Tech