In other news, the European Union has created a new series of directives that may impact Apple's future products. Among these, a "New Batteries Directive", proposes to mandate that all batteries in electronic devices be "readily removed" for replacement or disposal.

According to AppleInsider, the European Union has taken the lead in pushing for industry regulations among its member nations. Europe. For example, the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive, known as RoHS, demanded tough new limits to the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and flame retardants known as PBB and PBDE.

When the RoHS restriction took place in July of 2006, the directive spelled the end of Apple's standalone iSight camera, as a redesign would have been required to sell the device in Europe. California also passed laws that made many products banned by RoHS in Europe illegal to sell in California after January 2007 as well. The change pushed Apple to integrate iSight cameras into its notebooks and iMac, leaving little need for a standalone iSight camera. "As a result of our precautionary approach to substances," the company reported, "Apple was able to meet many of the RoHS restrictions long before the July 2006 deadline."

Along with the RoHS restriction, the EU's 2006 Battery Directive updated existing regulations from 1991. The directive primarily sought to prevent the unnecessary use of toxic metals in batteries and attempts to make it easier to properly dispose of and recycle old batteries. The directive required EU member states to implement national laws and rules on batteries by September 2008.

Though the Battery Directive currently in use states that it must be easy for consumers to remove batteries from electronic products, the "New Batteries Directive" now being drafted over the next year goes even further to state that electrical equipment must be designed to allow that batteries be 'readily removed' for replacement or removal at the end of product's life.

The regulation, should it take effect, would impact Apple's integrated battery design of its iPods and iPhone, which feature integrated batteries that require special tools or professional assistance to remove them. At the same time however, the directives are not yet completed or ratified, and subject to both modification and exception.

The EU's Battery Directives are designed primarily to prevent toxic batteries from ending up in landfills, not to force manufacturers to develop products with specific features. Apple already offers free recycling for iPods and iPhones. Third party vendors also offer money for dead or broken iPods. The real concern involves appliances with integrated batteries that have little value at the end of their life, few recycling options, and would likely be discarded with the battery intact.

Given the global nature of its product line, it seems unlikely that Apple would develop distinctly different versions of its products for the European markets in order to meet the EU directives. Instead, as done with the iSight, APple may be likely to make international adjustments that could meet the requirements of regulations and the New Batteries Directive.

If you have a take on this or what Apple should do, let us know in the comments or forums.