Your prayers have been (partially) heard. The EU Battery Regulation of 2023 demands that starting February 2027 batteries in all devices have to be user-replaceable with commercially available tools (or for watertight devices or some special device categories replaceable by an independent professional), that replacement batteries have to be available at reasonable prices and that use of third party batteries should not be prevented
Lobbyists have worked hard to weaken the regulation, but it should still be a major improvement over the status quo
Thank you EU, Although I don't live there I'm hoping the manufacturers wouldn't take the effort to make EU specific models of their devices and the benefits are reaped throughout the world.
That is not true, unless you are referring to devices outside of the iPad and iPhone (which even that I can't find evidence of)? Those went usb-c at the same time globally (by model)
Lobbyists have worked hard to weaken the regulation, but it should still be a major improvement over the status quo