Introduction
Everyone uses a smartphone every day, right? Among them, the iPhone is not only cool looking and convenient, but it is also designed to be environmentally friendly. In this article, we will briefly explain how the different versions of the iPhone differ, how Apple is doing its best to protect the earth, and how the iPhone has a positive impact on the environment through its ingenuity.
Smartphones are now a part of our lives, but behind them lies enormous energy use and environmental impact. For example, it is estimated that on average 70 kg of carbon dioxide is emitted to manufacture a single smartphone, which is equivalent to driving a small car several dozen kilometers. Knowing how Apple is trying to reduce its impact can help guide our product choices.
How to determine the environmental impact of making an iPhone
Apple examines all of its impacts when making the iPhone. This is called LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), and it calculates how much the iPhone costs the earth at every stage of its life, from creation to use and finally recycling.
What LCA looks for
The LCA examines the following
・How much it costs the earth to take a material (e.g., mining aluminum produces on average 9 tons of CO2 emissions per ton of aluminum mined)
・How much energy is used to make an iPhone in a factory (e.g., about 60 kg of CO2 emissions per unit produced)
・How much carbon dioxide is emitted when delivering iPhones around the world (e.g., about 5 kg of CO2 emissions per unit transported)
・Electricity consumption during human use (e.g., 20 kWh per unit for annual use)
・When old iPhones are disposed of (e.g., about 2 kg of CO2 emissions per landfill disposal)
Based on this information, Apple is considering how to make a more earth-friendly iPhone. This allows us to visualize the environmental impact from the manufacturing process to the disposal stage, and set specific targets for improvement.
The graph shows the change in environmental impact
Which iPhone version has the greatest environmental impact?
This graph shows the GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions of each iPhone version in order of size. The iPhone 6 had the largest environmental impact! This result shows that newer models do not necessarily have a smaller environmental impact.
The reasons for the iPhone 6’s higher GHG emissions include
・Lack of efficient energy technology: At the time this model was manufactured, energy management technology was not yet sufficiently advanced.
・Limited availability of renewable energy in the supply chain: At the time of manufacture, there was limited access to renewable energy.
These factors resulted in higher GHG emissions for the iPhone 6 compared to other models. Through this background, it becomes clear why different models have different environmental impacts.
By the way, I am still using the X…. No way, it is the 6th one. But I’ve been using it for a long time, so I assume it’s good. How was your phone?
Comparison of GHG emission rate by life stage
This graph shows iPhones in order of release, with a stacked bar chart showing the percentage of GHG emissions for each life stage (manufacturing, use, transportation, etc.). Specifically, the early iPhone 3 and 4 models have high emissions in the use stage due to their low energy efficiency, and the impact of the manufacturing stage appears relatively small in the overall emission rate. On the other hand, the latest models have significantly improved energy efficiency, resulting in a decrease in emissions from the use stage and a relatively larger share from the manufacturing stage. The line graph also shows the total emissions, which show characteristics that go up and down depending on the model. From these data, it is possible to understand how the evolution of technology has affected the composition of environmental impacts.
・For iPhones in the 3 and 4 era, emissions from the use phase were high due to poor energy efficiency, and as a result, the percentage of emissions from the manufacturing phase appears low.
・On the other hand, the latest models have improved energy efficiency and reduced emissions from the use phase, resulting in a relatively large share of the manufacturing phase.
The broken line in the graph shows the total GHG emissions of the entire iPhone, and there is a slight but steady upward trend. However, we can see that there are significant differences in emissions between different versions. For example, earlier models were less energy efficient due to limited technology, resulting in higher total emissions. On the other hand, the latest models use more energy during the manufacturing phase, but overall emissions are under control due to much lower emissions during the use phase. This variation is a direct result of each model’s design philosophy, technological evolution, and the degree of improvement in the manufacturing process. In addition, some models have reversed the ratio of emissions from the manufacturing and use phases, a trend that has been observed especially during periods of significant improvements in energy efficiency. This provides a better understanding of the impact of technological advancements on environmental impact.
In addition, the graph also provides insight into how Apple’s energy efficiency efforts are evolving from model to model. The latest models have increased their use of renewable energy, resulting in GHG emission reductions throughout the supply chain.
iPhone Materials and Recycling Initiatives
iPhones are increasingly made from earth-friendly materials. We are also making an effort to recycle.
How Recycled Materials are Used
The following recycled materials are used in the iPhone
・Aluminum (outside)
・Rare earth (metal parts)
・Copper (internal wiring)
This reduces the amount of damage to the earth to take new materials. The use of recycled materials not only prevents the depletion of the earth’s resources, but also reduces the energy required to process new materials.
Special Recycling Robot
Apple has created a recycling robot called “Daisy. Daisy is a robot that specializes in taking apart old iPhones and extracting the valuable parts inside, allowing for greater reuse of materials.
The robot’s precision is so high that it can efficiently extract parts and rare metals that would be difficult to recover using traditional recycling processes. In addition, recycling technology utilizing Daisy has the potential to be applied by companies other than Apple, helping to improve recycling rates throughout the industry.
Apple’s Commitment to Climate Change
Apple aims to be an “earth-friendly company. To that end, we have a variety of plans to help prevent climate change.
Use renewable energy
Apple uses 100% renewable energy in their company and factories. Not only that, but they also encourage the companies that supply the parts that make the iPhone to use renewable energy.
Apple also invests heavily in renewable energy projects. Specifically, we are working on a solar power project in Inner Mongolia, China, and a wind power project in California, USA, that will generate a total of more than 500 megawatts of renewable energy worldwide. As part of this initiative, there are plans to build additional new solar power plants and wind power generation facilities. The goal is to ensure that all electricity used to manufacture iPhones will come from clean energy sources.
Activities to Protect Forests
Apple is paying to protect forests, which are responsible for absorbing the earth’s carbon dioxide. We also work to plant new trees. This helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Furthermore, in our forest protection activities, we work with local communities to promote sustainable forest management. This activity contributes not only to environmental protection but also to the revitalization of the local economy.
Impact on other smartphone manufacturers
Apple’s environmental efforts have influenced other smartphone manufacturers. Other manufacturers are now using environmentally friendly materials and developing recycling technologies. This is making smartphones as a whole more earth-friendly.
In particular, we are seeing an increasing number of competing manufacturers following Apple’s lead and introducing new recycling programs and energy efficiency technologies. This is improving the sustainability of the industry as a whole.
Conclusion
Apple has made many innovations to minimize its impact on the planet when making iPhones. By using recycled materials and using energy in different ways, the company has succeeded in reducing its environmental impact. It is hoped that Apple’s efforts will continue to make the smartphones we use more earth-friendly.
Apple’s activities go beyond mere product development and have a significant impact on our future. As efforts to reduce environmental impact continue, the smartphone industry as a whole will develop sustainably.
Appendix
I share the data we compiled in preparing this article! We invite you to analyze the data from a new perspective. If you find something interesting, please let us know!
Please use this data at your own risk. The data is current at the time of writing (1/9/2025), so please check the latest version by yourself.
| Series | Total (kgCO2-eq) | Manufacturing | Transportation | Use | Disposal/Recycle |
| 3GS | 55 | 45% | 5% | 49% | 1% |
| 3G | 55 | 45% | 5% | 49% | 1% |
| 4 | 45 | 57% | 8% | 34% | 1% |
| 4S | 55 | 60% | 7% | 31% | 2% |
| 5 | 75 | 76% | 4% | 18% | 2% |
| 5s | 65 | 80% | 5% | 14% | 1% |
| 5c | 50 | 60% | 4% | 25% | 2% |
| 6 | 95 | 85% | 3% | 11% | 1% |
| 6s (32GB) | 54 | 80% | 3% | 16% | 1% |
| 6s Plus(32GB) | 63 | 78% | 3% | 18% | 1% |
| SE 1st generation(32GB) | 45 | 83% | 4% | 12% | 1% |
| 7 Plus(32GB) | 67 | 78% | 3% | 18% | 1% |
| 7(32GB) | 56 | 78% | 3% | 18% | 1% |
| 8 Plus(64GB) | 68 | 79% | 3% | 17% | 1% |
| 8(64GB) | 57 | 80% | 3% | 16% | 1% |
| X(64GB) | 79 | 80% | 2% | 17% | 1% |
| XR(64GB) | 62 | 76% | 4% | 19% | 1% |
| Xs(64GB) | 70 | 81% | 3% | 15% | 1% |
| Xs Max(64GB) | 77 | 79% | 3% | 17% | 1% |
| 11(64GB) | 72 | 79% | 3% | 17% | 1% |
| 11 Pro(64GB) | 80 | 83% | 3% | 13% | 1% |
| 11 Pro Max(64GB) | 86 | 78% | 3% | 18% | 1% |
| 12 mini(64GB) | 64 | 85% | 2% | 12% | 1% |
| 12(64GB) | 70 | 83% | 2% | 14% | 1% |
| 12 Pro(128GB) | 82 | 86% | 2% | 11% | 1% |
| 12 Pro Max(128GB) | 86 | 82% | 2% | 15% | 1% |
| SE 2nd generation(64GB) | 57 | 84% | 12% | 3% | 1% |
| 13 mini(128GB) | 61 | 85% | 2% | 12% | 1% |
| 13(128GB) | 64 | 81% | 2% | 16% | 1% |
| 13 Pro(128GB) | 69 | 84% | 3% | 12% | 1% |
| 13 Pro Max(128GB) | 74 | 80% | 4% | 15% | 1% |
| 14 Pro(128GB) | 65 | 81% | 3% | 15% | 1% |
| 14 Pro Max(128GB) | 73 | 79% | 4% | 17% | 1% |
| 15 Pro (128GB) | 66 | 83% | 3% | 15% | 1% |
| 15 Pro Max (256GB) | 75 | 83% | 3% | 15% | 1% |
| SE 3rd Generation(64GB) | 46 | 82% | 4% | 13% | 1% |
| 14 (128GB) | 61 | 79% | 2% | 18% | 1% |
| 14 Plus (128GB) | 68 | 78% | 3% | 18% | 1% |
| 15 (128GB) | 56 | 80% | 3% | 18% | 1% |
| 15 Plus (128GB) | 61 | 79% | 3% | 18% | 1% |
| 16 (128GB) | 58 | 80% | 3% | 18% | 1% |
| 16 Plus (128GB) | 60 | 79% | 4% | 18% | 1% |
| 16 Pro (128GB) | 66 | 81% | 3% | 17% | 1% |
| 16 Pro Max (256GB) | 74 | 80% | 3% | 18% | 1% |
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