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Nintendo confirms a new Switch 2 model is in the works to better comply with EU regulation

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Rumoured for a number of months now, Nintendo has recently put out a statement on what it's doing to comply with EU directives and regulations. There are a number of topics listed on the page, but the one most people will likely be interested in covers regulation 2023/1542, looking at batteries and waste batteries.

Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 concerning batteries and waste batteries (Batteries Regulation) said:
Like the WEEE Directive, the Batteries Regulation aims to reduce the environmental impact of the manufacture, distribution, use, disposal and recycling of batteries and rechargeable batteries. In doing so, it forbids the supply of batteries and rechargeable batteries with certain hazardous metal content and sets out requirements for batteries' labelling, safe removal from appliances, collection and recycling. Nintendo products are fully compliant with these requirements, and Nintendo cooperates fully with authorised regional institutions to facilitate the proper collection and environmentally sound recovery or disposal of its batteries.

In addition, the Regulation requires that from February 18th, 2027, batteries integrated into certain appliances and sold in the EU must be easily replaceable by end-users at any time during the lifetime of the product. Nintendo is implementing measures to comply with these requirements by preparing versions of products to meet the Regulation. For current products with model numbers starting with “BEE”, future compliant versions will have unique model numbers and the additional code “OSM” visible on the packaging, designating them as separate products for regulatory purposes.
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This appears to confirm that by February 2027, we should have a new model of Switch 2 on the horizon marked with the additional code "OSM". It should be noted that these updates are first planned for current products with model numbers starting with "BEE". Though this does most notably include the Switch 2, both its Joy Cons and Pro Controller also share this model prefix. It remains to be seen whether these products will be sold outside of the EU.

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In addition, the Regulation requires that from February 18th, 2027, batteries integrated into certain appliances and sold in the EU must be easily replaceable by end-users at any time during the lifetime of the product.
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What great news! Too bad it will take another eternity for the prices to go down again (even if they weren't nearly as dramatic as from other OEMs).

I don't think any of the supposed benefits of glued-on batteries are something the consumers value enough compared to the value of user-replaceable batteries.

If the battery goes bulging, or it degrades enough the system is unusable, what are you supposed to do, buy a new unit? This shouldn't have been an issue to begin with, and yet even as early as Switch 1, the glued-on battery trend got embraced by Nintendo. It would be great if this puts an end to that.
 
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