It had been in the works for a while, but now it has formally been adopted. From the article:
The regulation provides that by 2027 portable batteries incorporated into appliances should be removable and replaceable by the end-user, leaving sufficient time for operators to adapt the design of their products to this requirement.
My entire family would prefer removable batteries.
It is not a case of consumers choosing one or the other. It is a choice that was taken away because new phones are more profitable than new batteries.
And while even I will say “Yes, I prefer how sleek unibody phones look.”, that acknowledgement is not equivalent to saying “I prefer owning a unibody over a phone with replaceable batteries and other parts.” or “I’d rather buy a unibody.”
Only reason I use a unibody is because I am unable to get a used smartphone with replaceable batteries for ~$300 at all, nevermind a decent one.