Apple accelerates eco progress with highest-ever recycled materials

It's the throwing it away that is the problem.

Not having a phone in the first place is the best for the environment. Failing that, having someone else reuse that phone is best. Only if all else fails is recycling the preferred option.

So of course people are going to concentrate on the problem of people just throwing these things away. And that's for anything. Not just phones.

If they offer even anything, you'll get a lot more pickup - everyone will learn "get a discount at the Apple Store if you bring in an old PC" and reduce the amount of electronic waste.

However, done too well or for too much, and you could greatly reduce the availability of older still-working machines.

And this kind of thing can be hard to independently verify.

Given Apple’s track record I suspect they actually do care about this internally and spend the effort to make sure it is “real”.

Have you seen how insane the rental tool kit is?

https://selfservicerepair.com/en-US/tool-kit-rental

Here’s a video showing how the battery replacement process works:

https://youtu.be/3P1kEy--d9E

Heres the part list for the iPhone 17 Pro tool kit:

Case 1

661-17619 - Heated Display Removal Fixture

661-52832 - Heated Display Pocket

Case 2

923-02657 - Battery Press

661-08916 - Display Press

923-01092 - Adhesive Cutter

922-5065 - Nylon Probe (Black Stick)

923-0248 - Black Torque Driver Kit

923-00738 - Gray Torque Driver

923-00105 - Green Torque Driver

923-0448 - Blue Torque Driver

923-01290 - Micro Stix® Bit

923-02066 - Super screw Bit

923-02995 - Adjustable torque driver (10-34 Ncm)

923-09176 - Adhesive Removal Tool

923-09177 - JCIS Bit for Adjustable Torque Driver

923-09962 - Superscrew Bit for Adjustable Torque Driver

923-08085 - Teal Torque Driver

923-08131 - Orange Torque Driver

923-07594 - Torx Plus 4IP 25mm bit

923-09721 - Housing Protective Cover

923-10961 - Display Protective Cover

923-12855 - Repair Tray

923-13313 - Back Protective Cover Magnetizer

ESD-safe tweezers

Case 3

923-13470 - Logic Board Dock

923-12856 - Logic Board Dock Insert (mmWave)

923-13465 - Logic Board Dock Insert (non-mmWave)

This is not “self service,” this is service that requires professional level tools and skills masquerading as self-service to satisfy regulators.

I think that Apple wants it to be this complicated so they can tell regulators “See? We complied but it’s totally insane, we told you users can’t possibly repair their own equipment!”

Apple also has a long history of making repair difficult for third party repair companies.

Meanwhile, the battery replacement process for the Fairphone only requires one tool:

https://support.fairphone.com/hc/en-us/articles/245900296211...

Also in the link I shared:

* Google Pixel 10: 6

* Nothing Phone 3: 3

* Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: 3

* Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: 5 (Provisional)

And many more.

So clearly Apple does not “score the lowest”.

> Isn't that what the scores above tell

So no, it’s not what the above scores tell, because you were actively selective. If you scroll down the list in good faith (with is sorted from Newest to Oldest) what you see is that Apple is not the worst and has been getting better starting with the 15.

> Polite reminder that companies don't care about us if we love them or support them or not. Especially online.

You don’t have to tell me that, I’m an active critic of Tim Cook and the current state of Apple.

https://hn.algolia.com/?dateRange=all&page=0&prefix=false&qu...

I’m also pretty vocal about not shilling for corporations and billionaires which would sell your nuts in a heartbeat. But I do care about criticism being valid, because when it’s not people ignore the valid points.

Again, Apple should absolutely do better and so should other companies. But lets call them out on what they actually do (or don’t), false accusations don’t help.

I have machine washed my Airpods multiple times and they still work, and I use them for 3+ years. Seems like a good enough product, based on the alternatives available in the market.

Not true at all. I have a close friend (not an electronics or programming nerd in any way) which has replaced the battery (and a screen) on multiple iPhones with nothing more than iFixit instructions.

> you can't safely expand their life

Again, not true. See above.

> with so many untaped opportunities.

Which is obvious I agree with, since I said they absolutely should be better at repairability. But consider the dismissive tone of the original comment, which is justified with false information.

To give you an exaggerated example, let’s say someone is telling you about all the awful practices Nestlé engages in. All of them are true, but then they end with “and their CEO is literally Hitler, who survived and changed his face due to an agreement with the Beelzebub, and is going to control humanity through chocolate”. At that point most people would dismiss them as a nut job and ignore the other true valid points as fabrications too.

Which is why we should criticise, yes, but based on truth, not lies and rage bait.