Obama’s E-Label Act could mean fewer ugly logos on your devices
U.S. President Barack Obama has officially signed the E-Label Act into law, meaning that most of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) logos and labels etched on the back of electronic devices can now be removed. The growing number of such logos will be displayed electronically by device makers instead of physically printed on the hardware itself.
Apple iPhone 6 Rear
The bill was introduced earlier this year by U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), and had received heavy support from the House, Senate and industry group. It was unanimously approved and signed with no further issue, meaning that we could see future electronic products made with cleaner designs – as the information could instead be found within the device’s about or configuration information dispays.
“The change should give companies more flexibility under Federal Communications Commission rules, supporters argued, especially as consumer electronics get smaller and smaller,” The Hill reports.
Phone 4 without FCC logos on left, iPhone 4 with FCC logos on right
In addition to contributing to more attractive hardware designs, devices makers will no doubt appreciate having fewer icons to squeeze onto their products, especially with the growing trend of wearables and small electronic devices. It is also possible that the measures result in some cost savings that could be passed onto consumers.
However, it is worth noting that the law only applies to U.S. regulatory labels, so the CE logo found on many devices governed by European Union rules could be sticking around for a while longer yet. But the news is definitely a positive start and OEMs are likely to take advantage of the new rules and regulations where possible.
